Island Fox: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Foxes and Raccoon Dogs · day 2 of 7

Five facts

1. The smallest fox in North America, the island fox is about as long as a house cat, but shorter in height.
2. It lives on six of California's Channel Islands, and each island has its own subspecies that evolved apart from the others.
3. Foxes probably reached these islands around 7,000 years ago, most likely helped by the first people living there.
4. On busy Santa Catalina Island, foxes have become more active by day, and are often seen searching campsites for food.
5. After a dog disease struck Santa Catalina, its foxes were trapped and vaccinated. They now outnumber the old total of about 1,300.

The quiz

1. How does the island fox compare with a house cat?

• Twice as long
• About as long, but shorter in height (correct)
• Taller and much heavier
• Half as long

It is as long as a house cat but not as tall.

2. How many island fox subspecies are there?

• One
• Three
• Twenty
• Six (correct)

There are six, each living on its own island.

3. When did foxes probably arrive on the Channel Islands?

• About 7,000 years ago (correct)
• About 70 years ago
• About 700 years ago
• About 700,000 years ago

They arrived around 7,000 years ago, probably with early humans.

4. How have foxes on busy Santa Catalina Island changed?

• They hunt in big packs
• They became fully nocturnal
• They became more active by day (correct)
• They swim to the mainland

They became more active in daytime and often search campsites for food.

5. What helped the Santa Catalina foxes recover?

• Vaccinating them (correct)
• Feeding them pet food
• Moving them all to zoos
• Bringing in more dogs

After years of trapping and vaccinating, numbers passed the old level.

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