Reaching a New Milestone - 440 Radio Collars

When does 1+1 = 440?

When an eight-year-old Island Fox Ambassador joins forces with a long-time island fox donor to fund FIF's 440th radio-tracking collar.

 

Rose was along for the ride when her sister Joy chose Channel Islands National Park as one of the parks she'd like to visit as part of the "Every Kid Outside" National Park pass for 4th graders. Visiting from her family home in North Carolina, little sister, Rose became an island fox fan. 

 

The sisters had sewn projects to raise funds for their trip, but rather than spend her earnings on herself, Rose determined to help island foxes.

LeAnn from Wisconsin has been supporting island foxes since 2020. Nearly every month, she sends what she can. Over the course of a year, her selfless efforts add up.

Together Rose and LeAnn have funded Friends of the Island Fox's 440th radio collar. Their collar will be refurbished this spring and fitted on an island fox during the summer/fall 2025 health checks.

$220 refurbishes an island fox radio collar to monitor their survival. More about collars

 

Protecting island foxes takes a community of concerned people. From students to adults, local Californians to people across the U.S. and around the world, island foxes are thriving in the wild because YOU CARE. 

You can become an Island Fox Ambassador, too!

Supporting Island Fox Health Across the Channel Islands

 Every donation makes a difference!

FIF presents support for island fox disease testing

At the Island Fox Conservation Working Meeting on May 20th, 

FIF not only celebrated 

 

...your donations went to work!

FIF President Mike Watling presented Makenzie Henk, Wildlife Conservation Manager for the Catalina Island Conservancy with $4,100 to support testing island foxes for virus exposure. Catalina Island foxes face the greatest threat from introduced disease. Blood samples from Catalina Island foxes are tested for five viruses. More about this testing and health checks. Interview with Henk and CIC thanks Friends of the Island Fox.

Friends of the Island Fox also funded $4,540 in canine distemper and rabies vaccine to protect island foxes within Channel Islands National Park on San Miguel, Santa Rosa, and the southern tip of Santa Cruz Island. Canine distemper virus is lethal to island foxes and vaccination protects them for almost a year. 

Island foxes across the Channel Islands will be receiving vaccinations as population counting and health checks take place between June and early December. Vaccine will be going out to other islands soon. 

Your donations will help FIF provide 

nearly $13,000 worth of vaccine in the next few months

Fresno Chaffee Zoo Helps Island Foxes

What are those island foxes whispering?

They are spreading the word that the Fresno Chaffee Zoo Wildlife Conservation Fund has provided island foxes with a special end of the year 2022 grant.

$2,400 will help fund Canine Distemper Virus and 

Rabies vaccinations

Canine distemper virus is typically fatal to island foxes. To protect them, a minimum number of 100 island foxes are vaccinated each year on each island.

Because the vaccine that is safe for island foxes only provides protection for 10–11 months, island foxes need to be vaccinated every year.

Vaccination takes place during annual health checks.

Catalina Island has an increased threat of CDV for island foxes. Approximately, 350 island foxes are vaccinated each year on Catalina. FIF funds Catalina shots 2022

This year FIF has the goal to provide vaccine for: 

• 350 Catalina Island foxes
• 100 foxes on Santa Cruz
• 100 foxes on Santa Rosa
• 100 foxes on San Miguel

With support from the Fresno Chaffee Zoo, Riverbanks Zoo, and private donors like you, we'll vaccinate 650 island foxes in 2023.

We only need to raise another $2,000 to protect 650 island foxes

 

Testing for Disease Threats on Catalina Island

At the Island Fox Working Group Meeting in May, FIF provided $4,500 to support testing for disease antibodies on Catalina Island during 2022 island fox health checks.

This effort spots viruses introduced to the island. If a fox comes in contact with a virus, its immune system will develop antibodies to try and fight off the disease.

This is similar to how COVID-19 is tracked in humans.

 

We know this effort is important because FIF funding in 2021  helped biologists on Catalina Island discover that antibodies for Adenovirus (dog flu) were present in 80% of Catalina Island foxes. This is a steep increase from 2020. 

While no island foxes are believed to have died from Adenovirus, this rapid increase reminded everyone of how canine distemper virus would spread if it reoccurred on the island and foxes were not vaccinated.

A blood sample might not seem as exciting as a radio collar, but both are important to island fox survival. This effort was funded by donors like you and a one-time grant from the Fresno Chaffee Zoo Wildlife Conservation Fund.

Your donations help protect island foxes from disease.

Please donate today

Help Protect The Biodiversity of The Channel Islands

Friends of the Island Fox joins with Channel Islands National Park, The Nature Conservancy, Catalina Island Conservancy, and other conservation partners to encourage mindful visiting to California's Channel Islands.

Our Channel Islands are home to many unique species, like the island fox, which are found nowhere else in the world.

Channel Islands National Park says: "Preventing the re-introduction and establishment of nonnative species is vitally important to preserving the nearly 150 endemic plant and animal species of the islands. As a visitor, you play a valuable role in helping to protect that biodiversity."

 

 

The Nature Conservancy reminds everyone that many island plants and animals have been negatively impacted "by the introduction of harmful nonnative species, such as rats, Argentine ants, and weeds. This video provides simple steps that visitors can follow before they depart the mainland to protect the vulnerable island species."

 

Share this video with those you know who intend to visit the Channel Islands. Simple steps can save island foxes and other island species.

What is it like to visit:

Santa Cruz Island  

Santa Rosa Island

San Miguel Island

Santa Catalina Island

San Nicolas Island

Health Checks for Catalina Island Foxes

biologist checks island fox's teeth

Across Catalina Island biologists are counting island foxes and giving them health checks. Foxes are caught in safe capture cages.

Catalina's population has recovered from the 1998 crisis caused by the introduction of the disease canine distemper. It is natural for populations of wild animals to adjust from year to year. We now know there is a direct connection between rainfall levels and successful island fox reproduction.

The return of drought conditions in 2018 caused an estimated 20% decline in island fox numbers on both Catalina Island and Santa Cruz Island. The Good News is everyone expects 2019's return of normal rainfall levels and a cool spring will bolster plant and animal resources and restrengthen island fox numbers.

We'll be waiting to hear what the biologists find in the field.

island fox receives a distemper vaccination

Lara Brenner, Wildlife Biologist for the Catalina Island Conservancy (CIC), reminds everyone that "Disease is the number one threat to Catalina Island Fox populations." During health checks, biologists monitor fox weight, body condition, and look for "new and emerging health issues."

Catalina is the most visited Channel Island. "Visitors can help protect the Catalina Island fox from disease," Brenner says, "by keeping their pets on a leash when not indoors and by staying up-to-date on your pet's vaccinations." No one wants their pet to pass-on or receive an illness while on vacation.

Wild raccoons are still a possible way for disease to be introduced to any of the islands. Brenner reiterates "Boaters should check their craft for stowaway, non-native animals (like raccoons) that could transmit a fatal disease." 

These simple actions are big steps toward protecting island foxes.