Natural History Wanderings

U.S. Department of Fish and Game News Release

Recovery Efforts Bring Endangered Fox Back from the Brink of Extinction in Record Time

Final Recovery Plan Released and Status Reviews Initiated for Endangered Island Fox

VENTURA – The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has released the final Recovery Plan for four subspecies of island fox (Urocyon littoralis). The Service is also initiating status reviews of each subspecies – San Miguel Island fox (U. l. littoralis), Santa Rosa Island fox (U. l. santarosae), Santa Cruz Island fox (U. l. santacruzae) and Santa Catalina Island fox (U. l. catalinae) – to determine if any of the subspecies warrant consideration for reclassification or removal from the list of Federally Threatened and Endangered Species.

“Due to the remarkable success of the Endangered Species Act, recovery actions by land managers and conservation partners have led to dramatic population increases on all four islands since listing, effectively bringing the species back from the brink of extinction,” said Steve Henry, field supervisor of the Service’s Ventura Fish and Wildlife Office. “To date, it appears that this is the fastest population rebound due to recovery actions and ESA protections for any land mammal in the United States.”

The Recovery Plan serves as a blueprint for conservation partners and land managers to prevent or address threats to island fox subspecies, and outlines proven methods to ensure the subspecies’ long-term viability in the wild. The plan was developed in partnership with the National Park Service, The Nature Conservancy and the Santa Catalina Island Conservancy, with input from scientific experts, state and local governments and private organizations.

The release of the final Recovery Plan and initiation of status reviews are the first steps towards the ultimate goal for removal from the list of Federally Threatened and Endangered Species.

Channel Islands National Park Superintendent Russell Galipeau said, “It is rewarding to know that the dedication of so many scientists, veterinarians, and community members has been instrumental in saving this endangered species.”

On March 5, 2004, four of the six subspecies of island fox endemic to the California Channel Islands were listed as federally endangered under the ESA following catastrophic population declines caused by golden eagle predation and a canine distemper disease outbreak.

“While the island fox still faces a multitude of threats on Catalina Island, we see this as an example of how a well-managed recovery effort can make a tremendous impact on an endangered or threatened species prospects for long-term survival,” said Julie King, the Catalina Island Conservancy’s director of conservation and wildlife management.

Conservation partners implemented immediate conservation actions to address these threats and prevent the subspecies’ extinction. A captive breeding program played an integral role in recovery efforts, which was initiated in 1999 and ended in 2008 with all captive foxes being returned to the wild. Additionally, golden eagles and their non-native prey bases were removed from the northern Channel Islands and bald eagles were re-established to their historic territories. Foxes were also vaccinated to prevent the spread of canine distemper.

“The collaboration that made this so successful is as much a model for other recovery efforts as the innovative and rigorous science foundation that underpinned the plan,” said Dr. Scott Morrison, The Nature Conservancy’s director of science in California.