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.  

Earth Day 2013 and the Island Fox

April means Earth Day! 

Time to go out and enjoy the outdoors. Time to make connections with local wildlife and work to make sure our wild friends have safe and healthy ecosystems.

Friends of the Island Fox will be out celebrating the successes of island fox conservation at several events this month and next. Come out and join us:


Saturday, April 13 at Fresno Chaffee Zoo, Fresno CA

FIF will have a booth at the "Party for the Planet" 9 AM - 3 PM. The Fresno Chaffee Zoo has been a great island fox friend. Last year they provided a grant to inoculate 200 island foxes against canine distemper and in prior years they have funded 20 radio monitoring collars. 

 Saturday, April 27 at the Santa Monica Mountains Science Festival at Paramount Ranch, Santa Monica National Recreation Area


FIF and the Channel Islands Park Foundation will be joining the rangers of the Channel Islands National Park at a booth. There will all kinds of information about island foxes and other island and sea creatures.

Saturday, May 18 at the Dean Dana Friendship Park Environmental Faire in San Pedro

Join FIF at the home of another endangered species, the Palos Verde blue butterfly. We'll have a booth with biofacts and activities - is your sense of smell as good as an island fox's? Come find out. 

The Los Angeles Zoo is still home to a male island fox. You can visit him and participate in Earth Day Expo on Saturday, April 20th.  

There is much to be thankful for this Earth Day, but there is still a lot of conservation work to do. Come and join in at an Earth Day 2013 event.

Channel Island Foxes and Golden Eagles in 2013

NPS photo of a golden eagle in Denali N.P.

Between February and March of 2013, a threat to island foxes on the northern Channel Islands returned - a golden eagle.

Golden eagles migrate north from Mexico and the lower 48 U.S. states up into Canada and Alaska annually. Sometimes this means they fly over the Channel Islands. Historically, golden eagles have not lived on the Channel Islands for two primary reasons:

1. Golden eagles are mammal specialists. Their chosen diet consists primarily of mammals about the size of a football. The Channel Islands, prior to European settlement, did not have adequate food resources for this large predator to successfully live and breed.
2. Bald eagles historically thrived on the Channel Islands because they prey on fish, sea birds and carrion. Similar in size, bald eagles are highly territorial and dissuaded the golden eagles,  from spending extended amounts of time in the island ecosystem.

Why Did Golden Eagles Become a Threat to Island Foxes?

Beginning in 1843*, the islands were transformed into ranches. The surrounding ocean was the perfect fence.  Domestic animals (pigs, sheep, goats, rabbits (on Santa Barbara Island) and even cattle) were introduced and then allowed to go wild or feral. Mule deer and elk were also introduced on Santa Rosa Island for paid hunting trips. The young of these species, plus entrails left behind from hunting, attracted golden eagles to the northern islands.

By the mid 1950s bald eagles on became extinct on the Channel Islands because of DDT in the marine ecosystem. Without the bald eagle to drive it away, the golden eagle took up residence on the northern islands. Between 1994 and 2000, golden eagles nearly ate all of the island foxes on San Miguel, Santa Rosa and Santa Cruz Island. Island fox decline.

Positive Conservation Steps

island foxes during captive breeding, NPS

While the island foxes were protected in captive breeding facilities on the islands (2000-2008) conservation efforts helped restore balance on the islands:

• ~40 golden eagles were captured and relocated to northern California
• Bald eagles were reintroduced to Santa Cruz and Santa Catalina Islands. In 2006 they began reproducing naturally. The recovering bald eagle population is helping to stop golden eagles from recolonizing  the islands.
• Feral pigs, sheep and goats were removed and by 2012 introduced deer and elk were removed from Santa Rosa Island

Golden Eagles in 2013

On February 26, 2013 a group of bird watchers spotted a golden eagle at the Saticoy Spreading Ponds in Ventura. During this same time period, two island foxes on San Miguel Island were preyed upon by a golden eagle and a golden eagle was also seen on Santa Rosa Island.

Each year the threat posed by golden eagles flies over the endangered island foxes. Radio tracking collars are a primary means of alerting biologists that a golden eagle has killed an island fox. If predation continues, biologists can respond by trying to locate and capture the lingering golden eagle. Microchips under the skin of each island fox help biologists know the age and life history of individual foxes that are the victims of predation. Friends of the Island Fox raises funds to provide radio tracking collars and microchips for endangered Channel island foxes.

As the Channel Island fox populations recover on the northern islands, golden eagles pose less of a long-term threat. A normal population of 500 or more island foxes can withstand the loss of a few individuals to natural predation by golden eagles passing by. As the natural balance of the islands is restored with dense native vegetation, the territorial bald eagle in residence and robust island fox populations, the occasional golden eagle migrating by will become less of a threat.

*"Channel Islands National Park Timeline", Channel Islands National Park

Pat Meyer Talks About the Island Fox

Friends of the Island Fox founder Pat Meyer recently was interviewed on a television program in Ventura County, California. 


Hear her talk about how the island fox became endangered, how she was motivated to start a public outreach and education non-profit organization, and how conservation efforts have helped take the island fox from critically endangered toward recovery. 

 

Friends of the Island Fox joined with the Channel Islands Park Foundation in January 2011.

Identifying Individual Channel Island Foxes

Adult female on Santa Catalina Island

Individual island foxes look very similar. 

Males may be slightly larger than females, but it can be very difficult to tell them apart visually.

Unless an island fox has a specific scar or injury like the fox pictured here which is missing part of both ears, it can be very difficult to accurately identify individual animals.

An individual island fox's appearance also changes over its 8 -10 year lifespan. As an island fox ages it may change in weight, the fur texture may vary, but unlike domestic dogs there is little evidence of graying in coloration.

Adult male, named Bear, in 2008

Bear in 2013 showing signs of being an elderly island fox

In order to identify individual animals, island foxes are microchipped during their first health check. The microchip is about the size of a grain of rice and is injected with a syringe under the animal's skin.  Each microchip has a specific identification number that is read by a handheld electronic reader brushed just over the fur. Like the microchips used with domestic dogs and cats, this microchip will identify an individual island fox for its entire life.

Each time an island fox is captured during annual autumn counting, its location and health status are documented and recorded with their microchip identification number.

Microchips also help biologists in the field identify individual foxes that are to be vaccinated or who have been vaccinated in the past. On Catalina Island microchips play a role in identifying individual island foxes that have been treated for the ear mites that can cause cancer and help track the progression of cancer in individual animals.

Microchips play an important role in island fox conservation because they provide a way to identify an individual island fox throughout its life. You can help identify an island fox for life by sponsoring a $10 identification microchip.

Teacher Workshop with FIF and NatureBridge

 
Calling All Teachers!


The successful recovery of the endangered island fox is a positive story of people making a difference in the local environment. It is a story of interconnected species, cause and affect, scientific data, adaptations and genetic diversity.

Friends of the Island Fox is thrilled to team up with:



to offer a Teacher Professional Development workshop:

“Bridging Science and the Classroom”

The Nature of the Island Fox
Saturday, March 2, 2013

 9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. 

at the Santa Barbara Zoo

Register for a fun-filled day of seeing and doing, including:

• Ready-to-use resources for the classroom
• Indoor and outdoor activities and lesson plans
• Exploration of environmental education pedagogies
• Presentation on NatureBridge and Friends of the Island Fox programming
• Light breakfast and Lunch provided
• Waived admission to the Santa Barbara Zoo

Cost: $15  (proceeds benefit island fox conservation)
Spaces are limited and preregistration is required. 
Go To NatureBridge to Register

 

NatureBridge is a nationally recognized leader, providing environmental education to 1 million K-12 youth and teachers since 1971. As a BONUS all participants will receive special discounts on future NatureBridge programs.

Have Questions? Contact:
Pat Meyer, Friends of the Island Fox, at (805) 228-4123 or  pat@islandfox.org
 
Meg Jakubowski, NatureBridge, at  (818) 914-7660 ext 401 or mjakubowski@naturebridge.org    

Join FIF on a trip to see island foxes in the wild.

FIF Trip to Santa Cruz Island!

Join Friends of the Island Fox for:

photo courtesy of Jay Dyer

A Trip to Prisoner's Harbor

Santa Cruz Island

Saturday, April 6, 2013

SOLD OUT - (as of 3/7/13)

Michael Lawshe for FIF

That's right, this spring FIF educators are leading a day-long adventure to look for both the island fox AND the island scrub-jay.

As the population of Santa Cruz Island foxes reaches recovery it is possible to observe them at more locations across the island. Santa Cruz is also the only home of the rare island scrub-jay. With its newly restored wetland area, Prisoner's Harbor is one of the prime locations to encounter this unique bird as well as many other species. Wetland on a dry island.

On the trip over to Prisoner's Harbor (about 1 and a half hours) there is the possibility of seeing many marine species as well. 

bottlenose dolphin with calf

Biodiversity at Prisoner's Harbor
 
Tickets will be $65.00 per person. A percentage of the fee will go to support island fox recovery efforts. 

We will take the Island Packers boat from Ventura Harbor leaving at 8.00 AM and returning around 5 PM on Saturday April 6, 2013.  Check in will be required at 7:15 AM.

Reservations are limited and will be provided on a first come basis. To book reservations, please download the Reservation Booking Form (Click Here to download pdf)
SOLD OUT - (as of 3/7/13)

Send the completed form with your check, made payable to the "Friends of the Island Fox" to the address on the form.  Reservations will be taken in the order received, and no reservations can be accepted without payment.

At the time of booking you will receive further details of the trip, including: where to meet, what to pack, the suggested clothing and other items of interest. Note the photo to the right. Food items will need to be secured at all times. What to remember when visiting the island fox. 
 

Island Fox Populations Recovering

photo courtesy of Kim Michaels, KimMichaels.com

What is the current status of the endangered Channel Island fox? In 2012 the Channel Island fox is robustly heading toward population recovery! Across all islands 90% of the population is surviving on an annual basis.

Every June biologists working with the endangered Channel Island fox come together to share information and update each other on the island foxes populating their island. June Meeting

The general consensus is that endangered populations on San Miguel, Santa Cruz and Santa Catalina Islands are all headed toward or reaching levels of recovery. (Habitat) The Santa Rosa Island fox is now increasing in number, but still is at a much lower population number than before the predation crisis caused by golden eagles and habitat destruction.

Island foxes are counted annually across the California Channel Islands in the late summer and early fall.  Animals are captured in safe traps so they can be given health checks, fitted with radio collars and given vaccinations. Friends of the Island Fox financially supports these conservation efforts.

In 2012 FIF financially supported 14 radio monitoring collars and provided funding for vaccinations against the distemper virus for 450 island foxes.

The official population estimates from 2011 are:

• San Miguel Island - 581 (up from 15 individuals in 2000)
• Santa Rosa Island - 449 (up from 15 individuals in 2000)
• Santa Cruz Island - 1302 (up from ~80 in 2000)
• Santa Catalina Island - 1542 (up from ~103 in 2000)
• San Nicolas Island - ~500
• San Clemente Island - 795

numbers represent the Santa Rosa Island population (pink line)

The recovery of the endangered Channel Island fox is one of the fasted recoveries of an endangered species in North American history. The populations on San Miguel and Santa Catalina Islands have surpassed historically recorded numbers and this year the slight drop in population on Santa Cruz Island was seen as a stabilization of a population that has reached the island’s carrying capacity.

This year the Island Fox Working Group discussed the process for delisting the island fox from the Endangered Species List. Continued monitoring to assure the populations are stable is vital to this process. You can play an important role by helping support island fox monitoring.

Education and the Channel Island Fox

photo courtesy of Inge Rose

You can’t care about an animal and its ecosystem if you don’t know about it.

This year Friends of the Island Fox programs reached:

• Over 1,200 students in classrooms across Santa Barbara, Ventura and Los Angeles Counties.
• Our volunteers provided “Fox Talk” presentations to over 1,500 children and adults in community groups, nature centers, state parks and at Channel Islands National Park.

More about FIF programs

Understanding the importance of this small little fox as a keystone predator on the islands has inspired students and people across the country to help fund island fox conservation.

• Fox Ambassador Schools
• El Segundo Ladies Golf Club
• Fort Collins, CO Foxes Baseball Club

Education is one of our primary goals and your donations to Friends of the Island Fox make it possible for us to provide education programs.

Each classroom offers the opportunity to teach our next generation about the native plants and animals that are their neighbors. Local wildlife depends on human neighbors that respect and value the environment. 

FIF also grew its participation in continuing adult education through our relationship with Road Scholar. Our programs on the Channel Island fox have become an important part of Road Scholar’s adventures to Coastal California and Channel Islands National Park. http://www.roadscholar.org
 

photo courtesy of Paul Bronstein

This holiday you can give the gift of education by supporting Friends of the Island Fox in someone’s honor.

The Channel Island Fox and People

Island foxes have a long history with people.  We don't know for sure how island foxes first arrived on the Channel Islands. There are two basic theories:

1. Gray foxes were stranded on the northern islands during the ice age when water levels were lower and the distance from the mainland to the islands was approximately four miles. The water level was low enough that San Miguel, Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz and Anacapa were one big island. Other animals like mammoths swam over to the island and lived there as well. Over thousands of years both the island fox and the mammoth adapted to smaller territory and less resources on the islands and became dwarf in size.
2. Native Americans transported mainland gray foxes out to the islands and over a few thousand years the species evolved to be the island fox.

There is very little fossil evidence of foxes on the islands. Scientists are currently evaluating 6,000-year-old-fossil fox bones found on the northern islands to determine if they are island fox bones or bones of the ancestral gray fox. If the DNA shows the remains belonged to an island fox then it is more likely that this island species was on the Channel Islands before humans arrived in North America.

For at least several thousand years, island foxes interacted with the island communities of Chumash people. On Santa Cruz Island, Chumash villages existed in the areas of both Scorpion Anchorage and Prisoner’s Harbor. Over time, these native people transported island foxes to the southern islands of Santa Catalina, San Clemente and San Nicolas.

The island fox was not a pet, it was a wild animal that lived side-by-side with the native people. Images of island foxes appear in rock art on Santa Catalina Island and archeologists have found ancient ceremonial burials of island foxes in several locations.

Island foxes lived on San Nicolas Island with the Lone Woman whose story was told in the novel “Island of the Blue Dolphins” by Scott O’Dell. The facts of this classic story of survival are gradually coming to light. Archeologists have recently found the cave on this treeless, windswept island where the woman found shelter. L.A. Times article

treeless San Nicolas Island, one of the California Channel Islands

As more artifacts are uncovered, we may finally know who this woman was and what interactions she had with animals, like the island fox, that shared the island with her.

Today, campers and day visitors are interacting with the island fox. When you stop and watch an island fox, you are a time traveler seeing what native people saw thousands of years ago.