Showing posts with label radio collars for Catalina Island foxes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label radio collars for Catalina Island foxes. Show all posts

Friday, November 12, 2021

Fox Foto Friday - Color-Coded Radio Collars


Why so many smiling faces? 

Nineteen refurbished radio-tracking collars and two new ones provided by Friends of the Island Fox are being deployed onto Catalina Island foxes, right now.

Why the bands of color?

Catalina Island Conservancy biologist Emily Hamblen explains that the color-coding is individual to each collared fox. Especially on Catalina Island, this adds an additional way to collect information on individual animals. "When visitors report that they have seen a fox with a specific color combination," Hamblen says, "...it helps us keep track of foxes between telemetry shifts."  

This fall on Catalina Island, four new faces are working with Hamblen: (Above, from left to right) Makenzie Henk (Conservancy wildlife biologist), wildlife interns Ava Johnson and Jenna Hatfield, and Ricky Robbins (wildlife technician). Hamblen says: "This year, the fox interns helped us prepare the collars by adding the colored tape, checking to ensure the frequencies were correct, and punching holes in the leather of the collars so that we can place them on foxes more quickly in the field."

The Catalina team is into its third week of counting island foxes and placing radio collars. "We have placed 11 collars so far," Hamblen reports, "and plan on placing the rest over the next 4 weeks!" 

She added, "I was reflecting on how important the contributions of FIF have been to the success of this year's fox program."

In 2021, your donations provided the following for island foxes on Catalina:

Your donations to Friends of the Island Fox makes a difference and goes directly toward conservation and research efforts.

Which radio collar on the table, did you help fund?

 

Watch a radio-collared island fox being released

2021 Radio Collars for Channel Islands National Park

Friday, July 26, 2019

Fox Foto Friday - What's That Island Fox Wearing

Yes, it is a new radio-tracking collar! 


Through your generous donations, FIF was able to fund 5 new radio-tracking collars for island foxes on Catalina Island. 

Catalina Island fox receives vaccination during health check
These new collars will be placed on island foxes during this summer/fall annual counting and health checks.

Are you keeping count? We are:
Our goal is to fund 8 more $220 refurbished collars for Santa Rosa/ San Miguel in 2019. 

With your help we can meet this important need.  
Please donate today