Island Fox Summer Puzzle

The story of the island fox is all around you on the Channel Islands. Below is a collection of items found along the beach and trails of Santa Cruz Island during a Friends of the Island Fox's trip to see the island fox. Can you identify these items?

photo courtesy of Judy Millner

Island foxes do not swim in the ocean, but they will scavenge dead animals that wash ashore. Can you find the kelp crab carapace, mussel and two different clam shells, and remnants of a harbor seal (vertebra and half of a pelvis bone)?

DDT impacted bald eagles living on the Channel Islands. Their extinction led to a change in the natural balance which ultimately threatened island foxes. The brown pelican was also impacted by DDT in the marine environment. Fortunately, the brown pelican population has recovered because of conservation measures.  Find two hollow pelican bones. Native peoples used these bones to make flute-like instruments.

Native people have intermittently lived on the Channel Islands for over 12,000 years. The Chumash people have had a long and valued relationship with the island fox. Another island resource they valued was soapstone. Find this soft, colorful stone that was carved into a variety of items. 

Island foxes do not typically eat sea urchins, moon snails or wavy turban snails. However, these kelp forest creatures depend on a healthy island ecosystem to minimize erosion that would dump silt into the clear water surrounding the islands. This tidal area is a vital habitat for sunlight-dependent kelp forests. The island fox helps reduce island erosion by being the largest seed disperser for the island's fruiting plants. Find these sea creatures that need the island fox: three sea urchins, one moon snail and two wavy turban snails.

While the hard shell-like tunnels of the calcerous tube worm might smell interesting to an island fox, these worms live in the ocean filtering small particles of food from the water. They build their tunnels on tidal rocks and frequently on man-made docks. Find the two structures made by calcerous tube worms.

Since the mid-1800s, people have had a big impact on the Santa Cruz Island ecosystem. Find all of the items related to modern people: eucalyptus (introduced plant), concrete (from buildings), lower limb bone (canon bone) of an ungulate (sheep, goat or pig, all introduced animals), jaw bone of a pig, and a piece of molded fiberglass. 

Answers below:

• kelp crab (1), mussel and two different clam shells (10), and remnants of a harbor seal (5)
• two hollow pelican bones (8)
• colorful soapstone (9) 
• three sea urchins (2), one moon snail (13) and two wavy turban snails (12) 
• calcerous tube worms (14) 
•  eucalyptus (3), concrete tumbled in the ocean (11), lower limb bone of a sheep, goat or pig (6), jaw bone of a pig (7), a piece of molded fiberglass (4)

Radio Collar Milestone !

courtesy of Kevin Schafer

This summer:

Friends of the Island Fox 

funded its  

90th radio tracking collar

for island foxes  !

Tracking collars, like the one slightly visible on the picture at the left, are worn by island foxes across the four islands where they are considered endangered: San Miguel, Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz and Santa Catalina Islands. (Look for the brown of the collar just below the fox's white cheek patch and the antennae rising up behind its ear and going over its back.) Why are radio collars important?

This rare species of fox is found only on California's Channel Islands. Where do island foxes live?

In the year 2000, four of the subspecies faced extinction. But through the joint efforts of conservation organizations, government agencies, involved local citizens of all ages and dedicated biologists in the field, all of the endangered Channel Island fox populations are recovering. What does recovery look like?

Thank you to everyone: our friends, neighbors, concerned students and global partners. You all are playing an active role in helping to save the Channel Island fox.

There is still more work to do: You can play an important roll in providing lifelong identification for an island fox. 

Find out about our 2013 Microchip Challenge.

Microchipping 500 Island Foxes

What is small and makes a BIG difference for endangered Channel Island foxes?

Microchips or Passive Identification Tags (PIT)

This summer you can help make a big difference for island foxes. With help from kids, friends, baseball fans and even a dog, Friends of the Island Fox has raised $2,500 for 250 microchips for island foxes on the northern islands that are part of Channel Islands National Park.

At the annual meeting of the Integrated Island Fox Recovery Team, FIF learned that 250 microchips are also needed to provide individual identification for young island foxes on Santa Catalina Island.

The biologists on Santa Catalina Island work hard to keep island foxes safe from a variety of threats:

• cars
• domestic dogs and cats
• injury from other island foxes
• fishing equipment
• motorcycles
• raccoons that bring disease from the mainland
• even fire

the tiny microchip goes under the skin

An identification microchip allows biologists to positively identify each individual island fox. 

As the number of island foxes on Santa Catalina stabilizes at approximately 1,500 individual animals, more resources are need to monitor their success.

For just $10 you can fund a microchip that will provide an island fox with lifelong identification. Use the PayPal button in the upper right corner to Donate Now.

Be part of the most successful recovery of an endangered species!

Good News on Channel Island Fox Recovery

Have you heard the good news? 

All four of the subspecies of endangered Channel Island foxes are doing well. In fact, three of the subspecies are considered to be close to recovered. What constitutes recovery?

1. Population numbers that have returned to healthy levels
2. Reduction of threats (those that caused the original near extinction and/or new challenges to survival)
3. Stability of the first two for at least five years

A graph of the population figures from Santa Cruz and Santa Catalina Islands shows the rapid declines toward extinction in the late 1990s. (Caused by unnatural golden eagle predation on Santa Cruz and introduced distemper virus on Santa Catalina.) 

From 2000 to 2007 island foxes increased in captive breeding facilities on each of the islands and were gradually released into the wild. Once the threats to their survival were reduced, populations of island foxes increased rapidly in the wild. Golden eagles were relocated and bald eagles were reestablished on the northern islands, while vaccinations for distemper and rabies were instituted across the islands.

On both Santa Cruz and Santa Catalina the island fox populations now fluctuate around a number that represents the carrying capacity or maximum population that can survive on each island's resources. The population of any living species alters naturally in response to available food, water and habitat.

The population numbers for island foxes are compiled annually by biologists in the field each autumn. These hard-working people  from across the six islands come together each year in June with veterinarians, scientists and government officials to discuss the status and threats to each of the six subspecies of island fox. We will have more from the annual meeting of the Integrated Island Fox Recovery Team as we compile our notes. It's been a happy busy week.

Hats Off to Foxes!

Endangered Channel Island foxes have friends across the United States. 

For the second year in a row the Fort Collins Colorado Foxes are bringing awareness about the endangered island fox to fans in Colorado. The Foxes are part of a summer Mountain Collegiate Baseball League. Last year the team helped FIF reach our goal to inoculate 400 island foxes against the distemper virus.

 This year, when: 

the Fort Collins Foxes meet the Boulder Collegians

on June 15th in Fort Collins, CO

the team will raffle off a replica Major League jersey to raise funds to help support microchipping 250 young island foxes.  (More on June 15 events and the drawing)

If you can't attend the game you can still support foxes by wearing one of the many styles of Foxes' baseball caps. When you purchase a Foxes baseball cap on-line, the team will make a 15% donation to Friends of the Island Fox. 

So raise your hats to the Fort Collins Foxes!

A Day on Santa Cruz Island

Saturday, June 1 Friends of the Island Fox led an adventurous day trip to Santa Cruz Island and the endangered Channel Island fox made 56 new friends!

Island Journal - Santa Cruz Island

Would you believe the boat is still at the end of the dock?

The fog was thick as we arrived at Prisoner's Harbor on Santa Cruz Island, but it helped keep the day moderate in temperature. 

It was fascinating to see how much the native plants in the restored wetland had grown in a year. (Santa Cruz wetland in 2012) Gone were the green and yellow flags marking the newly planted vegetation. In their place were blooming Santa Cruz Island buckwheat, leggy willows and a melange of wetland plants. 

Looking across the planted wetland toward the dead snag

 Despite the low rainfall this year, two ponds were attracting a variety of insects and birds including the rare island scrub jay (Aphelocoma insularis). 

We had hardly stepped off the pier when we had our first view of the scrub jay flying overhead. Throughout the day we saw numerous individuals; some carrying food to nests on the hillsides.

Everyone was keeping an eye open for an island fox. In the early afternoon a male island fox came to investigate the lower area near the barn and picnic tables. He appeared several times, sniffing through the vegetation, marking his territory and eventually climbing up the hillside. 

Photo courtesy of Michael Lawshe

It was a great day. We were able to see both of Santa Cruz Island's unique creatures in one afternoon. A huge thank you to all of the people that came out with Friends of the Island Fox. Through their participation in this event, each person helped fund a microchip for an endangered island fox this coming fall.

Keri Dearborn - Education Director, FIF

Take a virtual trip to Santa Cruz through the photos of Douglas Welch and Michael Lawshe.

You can visit the island fox in its natural habitat too. Now that all populations of endangered island foxes are recovering, visitors to the Channel Islands have a good opportunity to see this rare species in the wild. You can see island foxes in the wild at Channel Islands National Park and Santa Catalina Island. What to remember when visiting the island fox.

Interested in Joining Us on a trip to the islands? Subscribe to our e-newsletter and be the first to know about upcoming trips.

Other Island Journals from Santa Cruz Island

Santa Cruz in Spring 2012
Student Returns to Santa Cruz

Island Fox Summer 2013 Campfire Talks

It is a great time to visit California's Channel Islands or the mainland beaches that look out at the islands.

Santa Cruz Island looking south to Anacapa Islands in the distance.

Join Friends of the Island Fox at Carpinteria State Beach for a campfire talk about the endangered Channel Island fox.

FIF will be presenting the campground campfire program at Carpinteria State Beach:

• Friday, June 14
• Wednesday, July 24
• Saturday, August 24
  

June and July campfire programs begin at 8:30 pm; August campfire is at 8 pm.

Why is the island fox endangered? Why is it important that we make efforts to save this animal now and into the future? Programs answer these questions and are geared for the whole family. 

Come out and join us!

Challenge Grant to Microchip Island Foxes

Friends of the Island Fox has a goal of funding...

250 identification microchips 

for island foxes counted this fall on the northern islands

(See NPS biologist Tim Coonan's talk on the status of island foxes on the northern Channel Islands).

What is a microchip and why do endangered island foxes need them?

Each microchip costs $10 and it provides important individual identification for the entire life of an island fox.



So far in 2013 FIF has raised:

$1,198 to fund microchips for 119 island foxes

We are almost half way to our September goal of 250

FIF Education Director, Keri Dearborn and her husband Michael Lawshe propose:
  

A Challenge Grant in the name of their dog, Inali

Inali means "black fox" in Cherokee and this big black dog was a strong supporter of island fox conservation. She was the photo model for FIF's campaign to educate people about not taking pets onto the Channel Islands. Dogs, cats and raccoons can all be vectors for diseases that threaten island foxes. 

She also loved watching the videos of island foxes produced by Michael and Eclipse-1 Media for Friends of the Island Fox.

The Challenge Grant will 

match the next $300 donated to FIF for microchips

It's as if your donation is doubled.  

Inali was microchipped as a puppy. Though she passed away earlier this year, she continues to be a friend of the endangered island fox and we hope 30 island foxes will be microchipped in her name. 

Help an island fox have an identification microchip for life. 

Island Fox Donations

Any Amount $1.00 USD Fox Vaccination $10.00 USD Fox Health Check $25.00 USD Fox Microchip $10.00 USD Fox Radio Collar $300.00 USD

Channel Island Fox Status Update for Northern Islands 2013

In the year 2000, Channel island foxes on San Miguel, Santa Rosa and Santa Cruz Islands were facing extinction. But just thirteen years later, these endangered animals are making a strong comeback.

The video below "Keeping Every Cog and Wheel: Saving the Island Fox from Extinction" is a presentation given by Channel Islands National Park senior biologist Tim Coonan in April 2013 as part of the Shore to Sea series at the National Park. (this is the full hour lecture)



See Tim Coonan releasing the last captive island fox back into the wild.

Microchips Identify an Island Fox For Life

microchips or PIT tags beside a penny

What's smaller than a penny and vital to island fox conservation? Microchips or passive integrated transponder tags (PIT tags).

Unlike a radio tracking collar that monitors the location and activity of an island fox, and has a 1-2 year battery life, these tiny microchips provide individual identification for the life of an island fox.

This technology is called "passive" because there is no battery involved. The tiny capsule is placed under the fox's skin using a hypodermic needle. The microchip stays in place between the shoulders and under the skin throughout the animal's life. When a biologist scans the island fox with a handheld radio-frequency reading device, the circuitry in the microchip sends an individualized code back to the reader.

The code in each microchip is different, enabling each individual island fox to have its own unique identification number. These microchips are similar to those used in pet dogs and cats. They were first used in fish like salmon, so that individual salmon could be counted as they swam past a submerged reader. The animal just has to come in close proximity to the reader for the information to be transferred.

Microchips not only identify each individual endangered island fox, they provide the ability to track data on individual animals as they mature, produce offspring and age. Not all island foxes wear radio collars and it is impossible for biologists to physically identify all of the individual island foxes. Island foxes are like people and they change in appearance over time. See if you can identify an individual island fox. 

When an island fox is caught during its first fall counting, it receives a health check and a microchip. From that moment on, it is known as an individual. For example: A female island fox was caught in September 2012 on the east end of Santa Catalina Island. She had numerous bite wounds from another island fox. Her injuries were treated topically and she was released. 

A month later in October 2012 a female island fox was caught on the west end of the island. The microchip ID revealed it was the same female. She was the first female island fox known to have traveled across the narrow isthmus since the foxes on Catalina became endangered. She traveled over 10 miles to get away from the territory of her aggressor.

Channel Islands National Park biologists have challenged FIF to:

Fund microchips for 250 island foxes in 2013

Each microchip costs $10 

Most of the foxes to be microchipped in the fall will be pups born this month. We made our goal last year. 

You can help us reach our goal of $2,500 for 250 microchips in 2013 by donating today.