Friends of the Island Fox

Rescuing Island Fox Data for the Future

islandfoxnews@gmail.com (Friends of the Island Fox, Inc and Eclipse-1 Media) — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 16:13:00 -0700

When island foxes were dying on Santa Catalina Island in 1998, their bodies were sent to Dr. Linda Munsen at the University of California at Davis' School of Veterinary Medicine for evaluation. Dr. Munsen was the first to uncover canine distemper virus as the cause of island fox deaths across the island.

When island fox bodies were found on the northern islands with distinctive puncture wounds. This physical evidence of golden eagle predation was kept for future reference at UC Davis. The individual island foxes that fell prey to golden eagles also provide a genetic snapshot of a population before it plummeted toward extinction.

Checking fox ear canal during health check

From chronicling the rise of cancer in Santa Catalina Island foxes to documenting the threats from parasites and rodenticides, the island fox specimens collected at UC Davis provide data on generations of island foxes and represent generations of work done by researchers uncovering health threats to this rare California species.

Island fox blood samples

Jump to 2026 and we have a historically valuable collection of island fox biological specimens. Unfortunately, after the retirement of pathologist Dr. Leslie Woods and the untimely death last year of Dr. Munsen's protégé, researcher Dr. Patty Gaffney, this record of island fox health no longer has a home.

Coming together, the island land managers and island fox research community are acting quickly to save this valuable biological resource. Friends of the Island Fox and the Santa Barbara Zoo have summited grant applications to help pay for the transportation of frozen island fox samples to a new location and a -80 freezer to hold the specimens. Land managers are searching through stretched budgets for any available funds. Grants are still pending, but we have to move the specimens NOW.

It is a $20,000 initial endeavor to secure these specimens for future generations of researchers.

Stay tuned for updates.

FIF 2026 Research Grant Application

islandfoxnews@gmail.com (Friends of the Island Fox, Inc and Eclipse-1 Media) — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 18:49:00 -0700

From genetics and territorial home range to dietary patterns and microplastics in the body, we are learning more every year about island fox biology, health, and the role they play in the island ecosystem.

Friends of the Island Fox is accepting applications for our

2026 Island Fox Research Grant

Applications will be accepted for amounts up to $7,000

Deadline: June 15, 2026

Download Grant Application

How will you add to island fox science?

See past research grant recipient projects.

Fox Foto Friday - Sylvie Update

islandfoxnews@gmail.com (Friends of the Island Fox, Inc and Eclipse-1 Media) — Fri, 20 Mar 2026 09:00:00 -0700

"Sylvie" at the Living Desert 3/8/26

This photo of "Sylvie" the San Nicolas Island fox was taken this month at the Living Desert Zoo. When we remember back to her foot injury as a young fox in 2023, it's amazing to see her run, jump, and climb!

This x-ray shows the compound fracture that could have cost her life.

But school children, seniors, and people like you all rallied together to fund orthopedic surgery so she could live a protected, but long life. Find out more about Sylvie's Journey, her surgery, recovery and see video of her and the team of people that rescued her.

You can see Sylvie, too, at the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens.

Without a community of friends, this little island fox would not have survived.

Together we can solve problems and save species.

Fox Foto Friday - Island Fox Status

islandfoxnews@gmail.com (Friends of the Island Fox, Inc and Eclipse-1 Media) — Fri, 20 Feb 2026 09:00:00 -0800

photo courtesy of Megan Sarrail

Island foxes are a model of conservation success!

In August of 2016, island foxes were removed from federal Endangered Species status on four islands. Over the past ten years, their survival has been monitored using radio tracking collars and annual health checks.

California's February-2026 issued "State and Federally Listed Endangered and Threatened Animals of California" lists island foxes as a California State "Threatened" species on all islands.

Update 3/31/26: Island fox friend and retired member of the Island Fox Conservation Working Group, Dale Steele, clarifies "All subspecies of the Island Fox have been listed as "Threatened" [by California] since 1971. The recently published list of state and federal listed species is the most recent update including other recent petition decisions but did not change or add the Island Fox.

Why are island foxes still considered "Threatened" when their numbers have recovered across the islands?

While conservation efforts have been very successful, each island fox population is unique, small and limited to a single island. Looking forward all island foxes will continue to face a range of threats–from introduced disease to climate change and human impacts.

Immediate threats to island fox survival will change, but keeping an eye on this tiny canine's challenges and successes will help to keep them thriving into the future. Conservation is a process, not a checkbox.

"Date with a Fox" on Island Fox Health Checks

islandfoxnews@gmail.com (Friends of the Island Fox, Inc and Eclipse-1 Media) — Fri, 6 Feb 2026 16:29:00 -0800

Join Friends of the Island Fox for:

"Date with a Fox"

Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026

6:30 pm PT

with Jessica Sanchez, DVM

Island Fox Health Checks: From Exam to Research

How are wild island foxes handled during annual health checks?
What data determines a healthy island fox?
What measures are taken to safeguard island fox health into the future?
How do island foxes contribute to ongoing research investigating their health, diet, and relationship to island ecology?

In this online Zoom program, FIF Board member and wildlife veterinarian Jessica Sanchez will take us through the steps of an island fox health check. She'll detail why each step is important and give the inside scoop on what a day performing health checks is really like. See the program video below:

3 Kinds of Radio Tracking Collars to Monitor Island Foxes

islandfoxnews@gmail.com (Friends of the Island Fox, Inc and Eclipse-1 Media) — Tue, 20 Jan 2026 18:23:00 -0800

Look who received a GPS tracking collar that you helped fund!

This young female island fox lives at the tip top of Santa Rosa Island in Channel Islands National Park. The GPS collar she's wearing was refurbished with donations to Friends of the Island Fox. The movements of this fox, documented by her collar, will help tell the story of her life: Where and how large is her territory? What resources can she access? Combined with dietary info, it will reveal how she is interacting with the island ecosystem.

VHF Collars - The Original

As island fox populations recovered from near extinction on four islands, individuals released back into the wild were collared with VHF radio-tracking collars to monitor their survival. (video of Senior Biologist for Channel Islands Park tells the story of island fox collapse of 1998–2000) VHF collars provide the location of an individual island fox at a specific moment. Biologists in the field are able to use hand-held antennae to triangulate the island fox's location. If a radio-collared island fox stops moving for 6–8 hours, the collar has a sensor that changes the signal from a "live-animal" beep to a possible "mortality" beep. This allows the quick retrieval of island fox bodies so the cause of death can be determined and steps can be taken to protect the island's entire island fox population.

In 2026, FIF's goal is to raise funds to refurbish 15 VHF radio collars for San Miguel Island. Cost to refurbish a VHF collar: $220

GPS Collars - More Info/Bigger Price

Initially, GPS tracking collars were too large for female island foxes to wear. Today, modern GPS and battery technology provides for a smaller collar with less weight that can be worn by both male and female island foxes. GPS vs VHF collars

GPS collars document an individual island fox's location several times a day for months to a year. This data can now be downloaded remotely to allow researchers to track movement patterns, territory size, and overlap with other collared individuals without having much of an impact on wild island fox behavior. These collars include VHF capabilities and sometimes have additional abilities, like accelerometers that document movement patterns over 24 hours.

A new GPS collar for an island fox can cost $2400. GPS collars used in prior research projects for island foxes and San Joaquin kit foxes can be refurbished at a much reduced cost.

In 2026, FIF's goal is to raise funds to refurbish 12 GPS tracking collars for Santa Rosa Island. Cost to refurbish a GPS collar: $500

Island fox with new Digipeater collar in 2025

Digipeater Collars - New Technology and New Strategy

Digipeater collars include VHF capabilities, but they interact with a series of antennae stations. An island fox within signal view of the antennae is automatically check-in and reported as alive and well. Digipeater collars don't record precise movement like GPS collars, but they monitor island fox survival while reducing staffing hours in the field. More on digipeater collars and system

Sustainable monitoring of island fox survival requires reducing costs. FIF is assisting with the transition to monitoring island foxes on Santa Cruz Island with the Digipeater system.

FIF has already raised funds for 15 new Digipeater collars in 2026. Now our goal is to raise funds for 3 additional antennae stations ($2000 each).

No matter the type of tracking collar, protecting island foxes requires monitoring! Tracking collars provide the best opportunity to monitor island foxes while they live their wild lives.

FIF Research Grant Expands Investigation of Link Between Island Fox Genetics and Health

islandfoxnews@gmail.com (Friends of the Island Fox, Inc and Eclipse-1 Media) — Mon, 19 Jan 2026 13:51:00 -0800

Friends of the Island Fox happily announces that the 2025 Research Grant was awarded to Kimberly Schoenberger to expand her investigation of connections between island fox genetics and health: Transcriptomics of the Channel Island Fox (Urocyon littoralis) through RNA-seq.

Schoenberger is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Southern California and works with the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. This second year of grant support will fund RNA genetic sequencing of an additional 40 foxes from across all six Channel Islands.

The initial 48 island foxes were all adults who had never been vaccinated. (First year of study) This second group includes juveniles and adults that had been previously vaccinated.

Health checks have revealed that San Nicolas Island foxes have similar ear mite infestation to Catalina Island foxes, but the foxes on San Nic do not develop microbial monocultures or cancerous tumors in their ears. Genetically influenced immune-system response may offer insight into why some island populations face health threats that others do not. Similar ear mite infestation with reduced microbial diversity has been found on San Clemente Island and the population there has faced survival declines in the last three years. (More on microbiome and connection to cancer in Catalina Island fox).

Examination of an island fox's ear canal with an otoscope

Schoenberger's RNA research may also provide noninvasive ways to detect dangerous amounts of internal parasites in island foxes. Examination of immune transcriptomes in dogs has shown that increases in specific interleukins signal the presence of intestinal worms. Currently island foxes are challenged by intestinal parasites, especially spirocerca on San Nicolas Island, an ancanthocephalin on San Miguel Island, and possibly a new parasite on Santa Rosa Island.

Researchers like Kimberly Schoenberger are vital to healthy island fox populations. Insight from her work will help inform land managers and protect island foxes into the future.

Your donations make FIF's support for research possible.

Vaccinating Island Foxes is an Annual Need

islandfoxnews@gmail.com (Friends of the Island Fox, Inc and Eclipse-1 Media) — Mon, 1 Dec 2025 18:32:00 -0800

Companion dogs are vaccinated against canine distemper annually and so are island foxes.

This Since June biologists have been out in the field across the Channel Islands vaccinating island foxes against rabies and canine distemper virus. The vaccine being administered across 4 islands was provided by donors like you. Who's helping fund vaccinations?

Did you know?

Canine distemper virus (CDV) is a dog version of the measles virus. It's highly contagious like measles, entering the body through the respiratory system. New research suggests that measles from humans was transferred to dogs 500 years ago during the Spanish colonization of South America.

Distemper spreads rapidly through wildlife populations. CDV infects dogs, foxes, wolves, and coyotes, but also raccoons, ferrets, and skunks. The virus is especially deadly to African and Asian species of big cats (lions, leopards, tigers, etc.)

CDV is so lethal to island foxes, they can't withstand the vaccine created for domestic dogs. Island foxes are treated with a dead-virus vaccine that is made in small batches, by one company, and is used by a short list of endangered species: black-footed ferret, giant panda, Iberian lynx, African wild dog, African lion, all tiger species, and other large cats.

A new study from Penn State University has found evidence that canine distemper virus is influencing grey wolf evolution. A gene mutation, CPD103, creates a black coat in grey wolves. This mutation also makes the lungs less susceptible to the introduction of disease. Black-colored grey wolves are less likely to become infected with CDV. In areas where CDV occurs in high rates, entire wolf populations become darker in color, because the lighter colored individuals are lost to the disease. Read more about this study.

Health efforts for rare wildlife go hand-in-hand with research. FIF raises funds to vaccinate island foxes and to investigate important health research.

"Date with a Fox" - Sylvie's Story

islandfoxnews@gmail.com (Friends of the Island Fox, Inc and Eclipse-1 Media) — Mon, 3 Nov 2025 18:00:00 -0800

Do you remember this island fox?

In the Fall of 2023 this young female island fox was found injured on San Nicolas Island. Her story demonstrates the power of people working together toward a positive goal. Federal and state governmental agencies, biologists, zoos, private individuals, and Friends of the Island Fox donors, all came together to give this island fox a second chance.

See the virtual program

Date with a Fox - Sylvie's Story

Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025

Link to a Japanese translation of this video program - courtesy of Takao Ono

We heard from the team that found Sylvie and made all of the necessary connections to facilitate her transfer to the mainland.

Francesca Ferrara, Natural Resource Specialist, Naval Base Ventura County

Robyn Powers, consulting biologist, SWCA Environmental Consulting

V.P. of Animal Care and Health at the Santa Barbara Zoo, veterinarian Julie Barnes detailed the medical efforts that were needed to treat Sylvie's injured foot. You'll see the results from the orthopedic surgery that donors like you helped to pay for.

How is Sylvie today?

Living Desert Animal Care Curator, Heather Down, updates us on Sylvie's recovery.

FIF is Thankful for donors like you that helped to make this successful story possible.

Celebrating 20 Years of Island Fox Conservation and Looking to the Future

islandfoxnews@gmail.com (Friends of the Island Fox, Inc and Eclipse-1 Media) — Tue, 21 Oct 2025 17:34:00 -0700

Pat Meyer meets Jane Goodall in 2006

Friends of the Island Fox (FIF) was founded in 2005, when Channel Island foxes were critically endangered on four islands.

See a short history of the organization presented during our August "Date with a Fox" on-line program and hear from FIF Board member Justin Purnell about a fieldwork study program for high school students that provides a personal experience with the island ecosystem.

Friends of the Island Fox is partnering with the Field Studies Cooperative to provide more students with this life-changing opportunity.

New Technology for Monitoring Island Foxes

islandfoxnews@gmail.com (Friends of the Island Fox, Inc and Eclipse-1 Media) — Mon, 18 Aug 2025 09:00:00 -0700

Monitoring island fox survival is vital to protecting the vulnerable and small populations on six separate Channel Islands. (Current island fox status)

Checking for the individual radio signals from 50–60 individual island foxes across an entire island every two weeks, can require many staff hours. Reducing staffing hours would make island-fox monitoring less expensive?

Enter a new technology referred to as "Digipeater." The collar pictured above is one of the 10 new Digipeater radio collars funded by FIF and fitted on Santa Cruz Island foxes this summer. While the collar size is similar to VHF radio-tracking collars, the new collars weigh slightly less and have an additional ability: they interact with stationary digital repeating antennae in the field.

Multiple times a day, receivers on the antenna scan for fox-collar signals. When a signal is picked up, it's relayed from one antennae to another until it reaches a base station. The base station transmits information directly to biologists. A biologist doesn't have to be in the field to know that all collared island foxes are active and well.

If an island fox goes for a number of days without being picked up by the automated system, biologists can go into the field looking for the signal from that specific fox.

The U.S. Navy on San Clement Island has been using Digipeaters for several years. Last summer during a wildfire that burned across a third of the island, biologists were restricted from going into the field. As the low-burning wildfire spread, the Digipeaters continued to collect status information on island foxes. From a safe location biologists could detect island fox activity and survival. No collared island foxes died in the wildfire.

This Santa Cruz Island fox was fitted with a "Digipeater" collar in July. Her new collar reports in daily and requires less in-person labor. It's a win-win for monitoring island foxes.

These collars are possible, because of donors like you.

Digipeater collars are $350 each and are made locally in Southern California.

Island Fox Status Update 2025

islandfoxnews@gmail.com (Friends of the Island Fox, Inc and Eclipse-1 Media) — Mon, 14 Jul 2025 15:57:00 -0700

In 2024, island foxes remained healthy. Normal rainfall levels led to population balancing; high density populations decreased in number and low density populations increased. San Clemente Island, however, realized a third consecutive year of population decline. Concern for these island foxes grows because a specific cause for the decline remains unknown.

island fox on San Clemente Island

The following is an update across the Channel Islands from notes compiled by Friends of the Island Fox at the Island Fox Conservation Working Group Meeting May 15, 2025 hosted at the Santa Barbara Zoo (hybrid meeting).

Reported population numbers are the official estimates submitted by the land managers and calculated by them from island foxes captured for health checks June 2024–January 2025. (How island foxes are captured and given health checks)

Overview: While food and shelter resources for island foxes were good across the islands in 2024, dry conditions were more prevalent on San Clemente Island and a wildfire burned a third of the island. Monitoring systems documented island foxes surviving the fire, but it is possible the fire contributed to the low number of pups documented. Weather extremes are becoming more frequent across the islands.

Fox Density: Because island size, weather, and habitat varies from island to island, comparing island fox density can be more informative than comparing population sizes. Fox density reflects the number of island foxes found within a square kilometer (per sq km). (More on density).

A density of 8–12 island foxes per sq km, is the fairly high density of individual animals typically found across the Channel Islands. When a density rises above this range, as San Miguel Island did in 2023 (see graphic above), it is not surprising when the population adjusts down the following year, especially if weather conditions are not optimum for growing native fruit and supplying large amounts of insect and rodent prey.

The two smallest islands with island foxes, San Miguel and San Nicolas, remain most stable when their population density is around 8 island foxes per sq km. Food resources on these smaller islands are never as plentiful as on the larger islands. While the population number decline on San Miguel may seem concerning, the downward adjustment in density creates a more sustainable population.

The larger islands, Santa Rosa, Santa Catalina, and Santa Cruz provide greater biodiversity of resources and can maintain higher island fox population densities. Densities over 12 foxes per sq km, however, can mean that some island foxes are pushed to very small territories with lower quality resources. Drought, flooding, or the introduction of disease, often has a greater negative impact when foxes are living in high density.

The density graphic above also shows how thin the island fox density was on San Clemente Island in 2023 and 2024. Everyone is watching this island closely and investigating leads on the causes.

Pup on Northern Islands in August 2024

In 2025, the leading threats to island foxes are:

reduced funding for Federal lands: Monitoring island foxes requires staffing. Reductions in Federal funding for National Park staffing, especially biologists, and unknown budgetary cuts affecting U.S. Navy base environmental efforts threatens island fox health checks and monitoring in 2025. Across Federal lands health checks began early in hopes of completing them before funding cuts were enacted. The ability to continue monitoring on Santa Rosa, San Miguel, San Clemente, and San Nicolas Islands remains in jeopardy for 2026 and into the future.
biosecurity: Annual vaccination of island foxes for the deadly canine distemper virus remains a priority. If health checks are discontinued on Federal lands, there will be no annual opportunity for vaccination. Additionally, canine adenovirus (dog flu) has swept across several islands and may be impacting pup survival.
climate change: Weather extremes not only influence island fox health and resources, they also impact island fox monitoring. The heavy rains of 2023 limited access to Santa Cruz Island and the data collected that year led to a false representation of an upward spike in population numbers. Quality monitoring requires consistency in data collection. Monitoring data in 2024 revealed a stable population on Santa Cruz–mitigating the spike. This highlights the importance of annually collected data to provide the most accurate depiction of island fox population trends across the islands.

island fox having teeth examined during a health check

Greatest Concern: We know how quickly an entire population of island foxes can be impacted by disease, resource loss, or an introduced threat. Quality monitoring is the cornerstone of island fox recovery success. Millions of dollars invested in island fox recovery could be swept away to save a few $100,000 in annual monitoring costs.

Smaller Islands

Because of the amount of years tracked, the graph above shows population estimates for even years only. While smaller populations can be more volatile, San Nicolas and San Miguel Islands remain stable.

San Miguel Island (lime green line): The downward adjustment of the population from an estimated 525 individual island foxes to 322 reflects a rebalancing to a more sustainable population density. Trends suggest the resources on the island can support 300–450 foxes. Pup numbers were typical in 2024 and individual health appeared good.

San Nicolas Island (pink line): The population remained stable. General health remained good and pup numbers increased. Forty percent of the population shows antibodies for exposure to adenovirus. Ear mites are prevalent. In 2025 foxes receiving health checks will be treated with a topical intervention, following protocols developed on Catalina Island. The hope is to reduce ear mite infestation and increase overall health.

San Clemente Island (blue line): Adult survival dropped from an 89% chance of surviving the year to 69%, and only 7 pups were documented in 2024. Investigations continue into pup survival, the impacts of adenovirus (exposure now prevalent in 80% of the population), and the quality of food resources. The wildfire may have also contributed to population decline. Car strikes add an additional threat to survival. Providing necropsies of individuals killed by vehicles may be vital to identifying health concerns that have gone undetected.

Larger Islands

Because of the amount of years tracked, the graph above shows population estimates for even years only. As all of these islands hover at carrying capacity, their populations remain stable.

Santa Catalina Island (red line): This population increased slightly in 2024. Treating island foxes for ear mites has reduced cancerous tumors and increased overall health. Introduced adenovirus, corona, herpes, and parvo viruses all continue to decline. Biosecurity threats are greatest to this island, but no raccoons or other invasive species were detected on the island in 2024. The greatest threats to island foxes on this island are people and their pets. Eighteen island foxes were killed by cars and two were attacked by dogs. Rodenticide and unintended poisoning is a growing threat on all human-inhabited islands.

Santa Rosa Island (pink line with black centers): This island currently has the greatest island fox density–13.2 island foxes per sq km. As the density has increased, adult annual survival has declined slightly to a 72% chance of surviving the year. How this high density impacts available resources and fox territory is under investigation this summer with a group of known individual foxes wearing GPS tracking collars and being monitored for diet and health.

Santa Cruz Island (black line): This island continues to have the largest island fox population. As expected, the estimate of over 4,000 individuals in 2023 was an anomaly created by not being able to count foxes at historic counting locations because of stormy weather and flooding. Returning to count in the historic spots in 2024 resulted in a scientifically supportable and healthy population estimate of 3,086.

Your donations help fund vaccinations and radio collars for monitoring island foxes.

As July and August unfold, biologists are in the field vaccinating island foxes and fitting them with radio-tracking collars funded by Friends of the Island Fox.

Healthy island foxes depend on people like you supporting conservation efforts.

Vaccinating Island Foxes Takes a Community

islandfoxnews@gmail.com (Friends of the Island Fox, Inc and Eclipse-1 Media) — Thu, 12 Jun 2025 09:00:00 -0700

$15,322 of vaccine is headed into the field to protect island foxes!

Donors like you made this possible!

courtesy M. Navarro, NPS

Why do island foxes need to be vaccinated annually?

Canine distemper virus (CDV) caused a catastrophic decline of Santa Catalina Island foxes 26 years ago. Evolving in isolation on their islands, island foxes haven't developed immunity to typical canine diseases. To protect populations, each year at least 100 island foxes are vaccinated on each island against this deadly dog disease and rabies. On Catalina the goal is to vaccinate 350 island foxes, because the threat of introduced disease is so much higher for this population.

Island foxes are so susceptible to CDV that they can not tolerate the vaccine commonly given to dogs. They must be vaccinated with a special dead-virus vaccine that is produced in small batches and only provides protection for less than a year.

That means island foxes need to be vaccinated annually and the effort is one of the more expensive measures taken to protect their health each year.

This year's 650 vaccinations were supported by:

Island Fox Ambassador Schools & Projects
Local organizations
Recycling 4 Island Foxes & the Planet
USU Recycles 4 Island Foxes
2024 FIF Island Trip participants
Private donors
a grant from the Fresno Chaffee Zoo Wildlife Conservation Fund

How do you vaccinate an island fox?

Metabarcoding Reveals the Genetic Fingerprints of Prey in Scat

islandfoxnews@gmail.com (Friends of the Island Fox, Inc and Eclipse-1 Media) — Sun, 1 Jun 2025 15:30:00 -0700

Scat samples from island spotted skunks and island foxes were collected last December on Santa Cruz Island. The samples were part of a trial research project to determine if a conservation working dog, Moose, could accurately locate and identify island spotted skunk scat. Meet Moose; How accurate was Moose?

A total of 15 island spotted skunk scats were compared to island fox scats using metabarcoding.

Metabarcoding is a process that takes a general biological sample and sifts out short sections of DNA and matches them to known strands of DNA representing different species. Using this process, a sample of pond water can provide a list of species that have been in that pond. In the Florida Everglades biologists are using metabarcoding to locate invasive pythons. The pythons shed DNA into the environment and metabarcoding can identify their presence.

In a scat sample, metabarcoding can help identify food items that an animal has eaten, especially when that prey may not leave exoskeletons, seeds, fur, or bones visible in the scat. (Scat & fox diet)

If island foxes and island spotted skunks are competing for the same food resources, the growing number of island foxes could have a population-limiting impact on the smaller species, the island spotted skunks. (Island foxes and island spotted skunks)

The preliminary results are very interesting.

There was an overlap in some prey species. Both island foxes and island spotted skunks were consistently consuming Jerusalem crickets in the fall of 2024. This large insect is an important food resource for both species.

Jerusalem cricket

Deer mice appeared to be more important in the diets of island foxes than island spotted skunks. Both species also preyed on katydids, millipedes, and crane fly (most likely the larva which can be large and pump in the fall). For these three arthropods, island foxes were more likely to include them in their diet than island spotted skunks.

There were also a large number of prey items that were unique to either foxes or skunks.

Island foxes were frequently eating ground beetles and earwigs, which skunks were not eating. They were eating faster-moving diurnal species like: grasshoppers, song birds and quail. They were consuming fly and moth species that were different from those consumed by the skunks. Island foxes were also occasionally consuming snails. While snails might seem a slow-moving, nocturnal prey, their DNA did not show up in the skunk scat.

Island spotted skunks were also consuming unique prey species. Several moth species were detected and more than a third of skunk scats revealed moth DNA. Island spotted skunks are strictly nocturnal and it's not a surprise that nocturnal species like moths and field crickets would be prey. Surprisingly, petrel DNA, a sea bird, was also found in about a third of the scats. These are small marine birds nesting in sea caves on the islands. Slender salamanders, a small terrestrial species most likely found in moist canyon soils were a common food source, while weevils and butterflies (possibly overwintering chrysalis) were occasionally eaten.

While this was a preliminary study over a short amount of time with a small sample size, it suggests that, at least in the fall, there is not a lot of overlap in resource use between island foxes and island spotted skunks. We don’t know how many different island foxes or island spotted skunks are represented by the scat samples and more data is definitely needed.

The scat samples are currently being evaluated for plant DNA.

A Nose for Identifying a Species

islandfoxnews@gmail.com (Friends of the Island Fox, Inc and Eclipse-1 Media) — Thu, 29 May 2025 16:42:00 -0700

Last December, Friends of the Island Fox worked with The Nature Conservancy and Working Dogs 4 Conservation on a project to see if a specially trained dog could track down island spotted skunk dens and scat. (See Moose the conservation working dog)

courtesy of TNC and WD4C

In the initial project, Moose used his specially trained nose to locate 11 scat samples. Two scat samples were also found by humans. The samples were sent to the Genetics Lab at UC Davis and Friends of the Island Fox helped fund the genetic testing of the samples. How well did Moose do identifying island spotted skunk scat from island fox scat?

Moose: 9 out of the 11 scats came from island spotted skunks. 1 sample was too degraded for DNA analysis (it might have been skunk) and 1 sample was island fox scat. 90% accurate!

Humans: 1 of the 2 scats came from an island spotted skunk, the other was island fox. 50% accurate!

Obviously, Moose is better than humans at detecting island spotted skunk scat.

island fox scat

The next questions:

Is there enough quality DNA in a scat sample to determine the identity of an individual island spotted skunk?
It would cost $7,000 to develop island spotted skunk genetic markers to determine individuals. Can enough scat be located to establish a population estimate and would it be fiscally feasible to count the population this way?

The other information obtained from the scat samples pertains to diet. Island spotted skunk scat was compared with island fox scat. Stay tuned for more on metabarcoding.

Why do we need to count island spotted skunks?

Fox Foto Friday - Creating a Living Library

islandfoxnews@gmail.com (Friends of the Island Fox, Inc and Eclipse-1 Media) — Fri, 4 Apr 2025 09:00:00 -0700

What's in these vials?

courtesy L. Brenner, TNC

Island fox blood samples going back decades.

During annual health check-ups, samples are taken of island fox blood. Blood samples can be used to screen for increased antibodies to a specific virus, to check for toxins, or to provide genetic information.

These island fox blood samples from Santa Cruz Island are currently being archived and prepared for long-term cryogenic storage at the Museum of Southwestern Biology (MSB) at the University of New Mexico.

For years, island fox samples have been housed in freezers spread across counties and agencies. While a collection of samples are stored at the School of Veterinary Medicine at UC Davis, samples from different islands have been stashed in a variety of locations with ever-changing safety measures or lack there of. The value of these specimens to science is degraded if they experience unreliable freezing, are not accessible, or are misplaced.

In 2023, FIF worked with the Dept. of Defense and the U.S. Navy to move some specimens from San Nicolas Island foxes to the Museum of Southwestern Biology (MSB), one of the largest and most advanced centers for archiving mammal specimens.

At the end of 2024, FIF assisted The Nature Conservancy with sending historic island fox blood samples from Santa Cruz Island to the MSB. The last group arrived in New Mexico March 26, 2025.

FIF's goal is to have scientific samples from all six islands archived, protected, and available to future researchers.

Island foxes on San Miguel and Santa Rosa Islands have been through a historic genetic bottleneck; one that most geneticists considered impossible to recover from. Yet today, island foxes persevere. Island foxes can teach us about evolution, adaptation, and species sustainability. The information in this living library will provide future researchers with access to crucial data.

Donations to FIF help support important island fox research

Apply for FIF's 2025 Research Grant

Genetic research currently supported by Friends of the Island Fox:

Friends of the Island Fox Research Grant 2025

islandfoxnews@gmail.com (Friends of the Island Fox, Inc and Eclipse-1 Media) — Wed, 19 Mar 2025 09:00:00 -0700

Friends of the Island Fox

is currently accepting applications through June 15

for the FIF 2025 Research Grant

Download Grant Application

In 2025, Friends of the Island Fox is offering up to $7,000 in support to research projects benefiting greater understanding of the island fox and the Channel Island ecosystem.

From the genetic impacts of near extinction and specific genetic influences on health to drought impacts on fox diet and counting island spotted skunks, FIF supports research to improve the understanding of island fox survival and the complexity of the Channel Island ecosystem.

See prior grant winning projects.

It's all Science for Fox Sake!

Scientific data is vital for making informed conservation decisions. Your donations help gather scientific knowledge and build the next generation of scientists and field biologists.

"Date with a Fox" - Investigating Causes of Death in Island Foxes

islandfoxnews@gmail.com (Friends of the Island Fox, Inc and Eclipse-1 Media) — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 09:00:00 -0700

Join Friends of the Island Fox for an insightful look into island fox health with veterinary pathologist, Leslie Woods, Ph.D.

"Date with a Fox" Zoom Program

Mortalities in the Channel Island Fox

(Urocyon littoralis)

The important role of postmortem examinations

Tuesday, March 18 at 6:30 pm PT

Leslie Woods, Professor Emerita of the California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory at the School of Veterinary Medicine at U.C. Davis has been investing island fox health since 2010.

Though retired, she continues to teach and performs all of the necropsies on island foxes.

What are the current health threats to island foxes? Why is it important to evaluate cause of death for wild animals? Professor Woods is a wonderful teacher and a true detective.

Watch Recorded Video Program

(Be advised this program contains images of dead island foxes and bodily organs. Examination to determine cause of death is important, but the subject may not appeal to all viewers.)

Professor Wood's work provides factual scientific evidence so land managers can make informed decisions to help keep island fox populations healthy and safe.

FIF Supports Research into the Impact of a Genetic Bottleneck on Island Foxes

islandfoxnews@gmail.com (Friends of the Island Fox, Inc and Eclipse-1 Media) — Wed, 26 Feb 2025 17:21:00 -0800

When a population declines to a small number of survivors and then increases dramatically over the next few generations, there are always questions about genetic issues.

Meet Elisabeth Leung a student at the University of California at Riverside. Working with her advisor Professor Ellie Armstrong, Leung is “Exploring founder contributions from the captive island fox breeding programs for Santa Rosa and San Miguel Island using genomic sequencing.”

FIF is supporting Leung’s research because she is delving into an important question with long-lasting consequences for island foxes.

Around 26 years ago, the island fox populations on Santa Rosa and San Miguel Islands dropped to a critically low number: 15 surviving individuals on each island. When we look at Santa Rosa’s estimated population of 2,536 island foxes in 2023, all of them have descend from just 12 individuals in captive breeding: 4 males and 8 females.

Elisabeth Leung’s investigation will look directly at the genetics of the original founding individuals on Santa Rosa Island and San Miguel Island and compare their DNA to their descendants on the islands today.

Why is this important? Typically a population has some members with genetic-related health issues, maybe a tendency toward heart problems, a physical deformity, or an increased occurrence of specific cancers. Usually, these individuals are a small minority in the population because they are less successful passing on their genes before they die. When survivors are randomly chosen, rather than because they have traits that drive their success, traits that are not necessarily beneficial can increase across a population; this is called “genetic drift.”

With just 4 males contributing to the first generation of captive-born island foxes on Santa Rosa Island, if just one of those males carried a gene that increased health risks, a greater percentage of the population could be impacted. The recovered population might then have higher numbers of individuals with non-beneficial genetic traits. Overtime this would be expected to cause “inbreeding depression”–a magnification of negative traits and reduction in species vigor.

The Florida panther (Puma councilor coryi) is a well-known example of “inbreeding depression.” Genetic problems arose as the population became very small, leading to reduced male fertility and noticeably kinked tails. The inflammation response of Santa Catalina Island foxes to ear mite infestation may be linked to genetics or epigenetics and is currently being investigated by Alexandria DeCandia at the Smithsonian.

biologist examines island fox ear during health check

Though geneticists have raised concerns about island foxes, there is no evidence of current genetic problems.

Today genetic research can delve deeper into DNA and health-related issues than it could 26 years ago. See FIF Grant for Transcriptomic Research

Leung’s research will help us understand the evolutionary impact of recovering from a small founding population. Has there been genetic drift in the fox populations on these two islands? What has changed or not changed in island fox genes?

To examine these changes, the lab at UC Riverside is also creating the first island fox reference genome. The island fox pictured here is fox “25205” on Santa Rosa Island. Blood samples from this island fox will be used to assemble the first complete island fox genome.

Genetic research has entered a golden age and donors like you are helping uncover important genetic information to help island foxes survive into the future.

Conservation Working Dogs and Zoos Helping Wildlife

islandfoxnews@gmail.com (Friends of the Island Fox, Inc and Eclipse-1 Media) — Tue, 11 Feb 2025 14:55:00 -0800

photo courtesy of TNC and WD4C

Meet “Moose” a hard-working canine with the nonprofit organization Working Dogs for Conservation (WD4C).

Moose recently completed a tour of duty on Santa Cruz Island as part of a multi-organizational effort to find a better way to gather information on island spotted skunks.

Island spotted skunks only live on Santa Rosa and Santa Cruz Islands. As island foxes recovered on these islands, island spotted skunks seemed to have declined. There is concern for these rare little skunks and a lack of understanding about their relationship with island foxes. Do island foxes directly impact island spotted skunks? Do they compete for similar resources?

Friends of the Island Fox has supported several research investigations into this relationship:

In 2024, the question arose about western spotted skunks in captivity that might participate in research studies as a control for island spotted skunks. FIF’s Education Director, Keri Dearborn, did an internet search and found “Boo” a female western spotted skunk at the Sequoia Park Zoo. Boo and her two brothers had been orphaned when they were very young. Though they were rescued, they became imprinted on humans and couldn’t be returned to the wild. Boo was living at the Sequoia Park Zoo in Eureka and her two brothers were at the Turtle Bay Exploration Park near Redding.

While Thomaier’s field cameras have documented island spotted skunks, to-date identifying individual skunks in images has been very difficult. Island spotted skunks push off radio collars and typically avoid capture.

Lara Brenner, Island Scientist with The Nature Conservancy, had been working with a conservation dog to sniff out invasive Argentine ant colonies on Santa Cruz Island. Could a conservation working dog locate island spotted skunk dens? Finding scat and dens would be less invasive than capturing skunks and might open up a whole new way to determine their numbers.

Moose gets suited up for work

Moose had experience tracking grizzly bears and locating their dens. Could he do the same job for tiny island spotted skunks? Protocol for a test was put in place. Because island foxes are susceptible to canine diseases and because island foxes can be a source of disease for dogs, Moose was up-to-date on all of his vaccinations.

The two zoos collected soiled bedding and feces from the three western spotted skunks. The fragrant material was sent to a WD4C training location in Montana, where Moose learned to identify spotted skunk scent. Would the western spotted skunk scent be close enough to the island spotted skunk scent for Moose to be successful?

Toward the end of 2024, Moose and his handler traveled to Santa Cruz Island. Moose “hit the ground running,” Brenner says. As a conservation working dog, he wears a special harness with bells and a GPS locator. Brenner explains that the GPS locator “is so that we can record his tracks and understand [his] search effort… i.e. how far does Moose have to go and how long does he have to sniff before he finds a skunk?”

On the first day, Moose signaled his handler that he’d found an island spotted skunk den.

Working the hillsides with a canine nose, detection dogs are more efficient than people and have a higher success rate locating a target species. Over three weeks, Moose found several den sites, including this one with an island spotted skunk at home, and 12 scats.

Island spotted skunk in den (courtesy of TNC)

Can DNA from the scats identify individual island spotted skunks? Can genetic meta-barcoding of scat samples identify specific dietary items for island spotted skunks and island foxes? We’re just at the tip of learning how working dogs like Moose can contribute to island conservation?

courtesy of TNC and WD4C

This project is a multi-institutional collaboration between Sequoia Park Zoo, Turtle Bay Exploration Park, The Nature Conservancy, Working Dogs for Conservation, and Friends of the Island Fox. The biggest credit goes to the four-footed collaborators: the three western spotted skunks who are helping their wild counterparts and a very talented working dog named Moose.

Reaching a New Milestone - 440 Radio Collars

islandfoxnews@gmail.com (Friends of the Island Fox, Inc and Eclipse-1 Media) — Wed, 29 Jan 2025 18:54:00 -0800

When does 1+1 = 440?

When an eight-year-old Island Fox Ambassador joins forces with a long-time island fox donor to fund FIF's 440th radio-tracking collar.

Rose was along for the ride when her sister Joy chose Channel Islands National Park as one of the parks she'd like to visit as part of the "Every Kid Outside" National Park pass for 4th graders. Visiting from her family home in North Carolina, little sister, Rose became an island fox fan.

The sisters had sewn projects to raise funds for their trip, but rather than spend her earnings on herself, Rose determined to help island foxes.

LeAnn from Wisconsin has been supporting island foxes since 2020. Nearly every month, she sends what she can. Over the course of a year, her selfless efforts add up.

Together Rose and LeAnn have funded Friends of the Island Fox's 440th radio collar. Their collar will be refurbished this spring and fitted on an island fox during the summer/fall 2025 health checks.

$220 refurbishes an island fox radio collar to monitor their survival. More about collars

Protecting island foxes takes a community of concerned people. From students to adults, local Californians to people across the U.S. and around the world, island foxes are thriving in the wild because YOU CARE.

You can become an Island Fox Ambassador, too!

Training Biologists to Be Investigators When an Island Fox Dies

islandfoxnews@gmail.com (Friends of the Island Fox, Inc and Eclipse-1 Media) — Mon, 20 Jan 2025 18:25:00 -0800

Dr. Jessica Sanchez overviews Necropsy Workshop

In November 2024, Friends of the Island Fox sponsored the 3rd "Island Fox Necropsy Workshop" in collaboration with the Santa Barbara and San Diego Zoos. This workshop was held to train island managers and field biologists to investigate island fox mortalities and determine cause of death. In this blog post, wildlife veterinarian and FIF board member, Dr. Jessica Sanchez, describes how necropsies are preformed and why they are such an important part of island fox conservation.

Necropsy tool kit

In the field of wildlife biology, understanding the reason animals die is an important first step to conserving populations. We must know what the problem is before we can start to address it. Tracking causes of death (AKA "mortality") also helps us learn more about the biology of a species–for example, the common diseases they get, their average life expectancy, the survival rate of their young, etc. By performing necropsies regularly on animals that die, we can: 1) learn what a normal, baseline mortality rate is and the common causes of death, and 2) more quickly detect if something abnormal is happening, such as the canine distemper outbreak on Santa Catalina Island.

The determination of cause of death is the expertise of pathologists, who dissect carcasses in what are called "necropsies" (the equivalent of a human autopsy). Epidemiologists study the patterns of disease in populations and help determine if a given mortality is expected for a population, or if something new/abnormal is happening, such as a newly introduced disease or an epidemic (higher than normal rates of disease).

Island fox with radio-tracking collar

On the Channel Islands, managers place radio-collars on a subset of the fox populations every year. These collars allow biologists to track animals and learn about their biology and behavior, but also to detect when they have died. The collars allow us to detect these deaths and retrieve the carcasses quickly, often from places where they would otherwise be hard to find (like deep in the woods, buried under vegetation, or even in a golden eagle nest!) Because we can retrieve these carcasses quickly, they are less likely to be degraded by the environment, giving pathologists the best chance to determine the cause of death.

Once in the pathology lab, scientists will look at the entire carcass for signs of the cause of death. They are true detectives, looking for signs of injury from being struck by a car, talon marks from a golden eagle, or pneumonia from infection. After examining the carcass visually (a "gross necropsy"), they collect tissues for microscopic examination. These tissues are stored in special chemicals that preserve the structure of the cells, so the pathologist can look at them under the microscope. This is how we identify bacterial or viral infections, abnormal protein buildup, cancers, and more. (Cancer in island foxes). They also collect swabs and blood samples to test for antibodies against disease ("serology"), use genetic material to identify pathogens like viruses and bacteria ("polymerase chain reaction" or PCR), or test for toxicants like rodenticides. For unusual or complicated cases, several experts may get involved, including virologists, immunologists, toxicologists, and epidemiologists.

Sometimes, sending a carcass off-island to a pathologist is not practical. In these cases, it is important that island biologists can perform "field necropsies" on the island. They can perform the gross necropsy and collect key samples to send off-island to the pathologist and laboratory for further investigation. These may not be as detailed as a necropsy from a pathologist, but they allow us to gather important information on cause of death and save tissues that could be important for future research.

Dr Leslie Woods leads the workshop

In November, twenty island biologists and researchers gathered at the Santa Barbara Zoo for training in performing necropsies. Drs. Leslie Woods (UC Davis) and Patty Gaffney (San Diego Zoo) are board certified veterinary pathologists who have worked with island foxes for decades. They led teams through performing full necropsies and collecting important tissues for further examination in the laboratory. We discussed common cause of death in island foxes and the signs to look for on gross necropsy.

Accurately identifying sample slides

Participants also learned about sample storage and human safety when it comes to handling blood, tissues, and chemicals. FIF and the Island Fox Conservation Working Group plan to continue workshops like this periodically to train new staff and refresh the skills of field staff who are so important for the daily monitoring of these fox populations. They are our eyes and ears out on the island, looking for any new or emerging threats to the populations.

PPE is necessary to when working with animals that have died

Trainings like this highlight how important long-term monitoring and surveillance is for wildlife conservation, especially for a species such as the island fox which evolved isolated on an island and is under constant risk from introduced disease and invasive species. Radio-collaring foxes is critical for us to detect mortalities ASAP so we can retrieve the carcass as quickly as possible before signs of the cause of death start to degrade. It also helps us gather baseline information on survival rates of different age classes and sexes. Performing regular necropsies, even in the absence of an outbreak or other crisis, allows us to collect an invaluable archive of health and disease information about this species. Island fox researchers have built a database from hundreds of island fox necropsies going back 25+ years, which current and future researchers can use for studies on genetics, disease, reproduction, diet, and more. (Island Fox Research)

Thank you for supporting island fox research. Your support enables FIF to host workshops like this to train future generations of biologists to protect the island fox. - Dr. Jessica Sanchez

See Dr. Jessica Sanchez in action performing an island fox health check.

A huge thank you to all those who helped facilitate this workshop:

Santa Barbara Zoo, San Diego Zoo, UC Davis and the CA Animal Health and Food Safety Lab

Date with a Fox - "Lewis" of the Santa Barbara Zoo

islandfoxnews@gmail.com (Friends of the Island Fox, Inc and Eclipse-1 Media) — Tue, 12 Nov 2024 16:51:00 -0800

Meet Lewis at the Santa Barbara Zoo!

In September, FIF and Santa Barbara Zoo Animal Care Staff did a live talk via ZooLife with a video camera watching Lewis in his habitat.

If you missed this daytime event, you an still see Lewis in action.

How do zoos care for these tiny predators? How do they encourage natural behaviors?

Watch FIF &

Animal Care Staff from the Santa Barbara Zoo for

"Date with a Fox"

"Date with a Fox" is FIF's quarterly FREE virtual program (Past "Date with a Fox" programs).

You'll hear directly from the folks that care for Lewis and you'll be able to see him active in his habitat.

Remember this Island Fox Face?

"Sylvie," the San Nicolas Island fox was injured and required special orthopedic surgery nearly a year ago. In June, she found a permanent home at the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens in Palm Springs. Watch the video of her introduction to Beau, a senior citizen island fox from San Clemente Island. Sylvie is spayed and they are a companion pair.

Your donations made her recovery possible.

FIF 2024 Research Grant Investigating Link Between Island Fox Genetics and Health

islandfoxnews@gmail.com (Friends of the Island Fox, Inc and Eclipse-1 Media) — Fri, 18 Oct 2024 14:13:00 -0700

Meet Kimberly Schoenberger, recipient of FIF’s 2024 Island Fox Research Grant and a PhD candidate at the University of Southern California (USC) Dornsife College of Marine and Environmental Biology.

Schoenberger is initiating the first investigation of island fox genetics using transcriptomics. This leading-edge research uses RNA (the copier of DNA) to look at a species’ genetic material and evaluate it for protein production and vital cell functions. Transcriptomics provides insight into how genes turn on or off in cells and how this may influence health or disease.

The project will analyze three important aspects of island fox genetic expression: 1) what are the genetic differences between the six island fox subspecies; 2) how do different environmental conditions and demographics impact gene expression; and 3) will identify genes that are being influenced by disease or parasite exposure.

(As Catalina Island foxes were recovering from a severe population low, they experienced high levels of cancer due to an extreme immune system response to ear mites. This condition does not occur on other islands. Dr. A. DeCandia’s microbiome investigation identified a connection with specific bacteria (elaborated on by Jasmine Lu paper). Husbandry efforts currently control the ear mites, but the epigenetic link between the inflammation and eventual cancer remains unknown.)

Disease and parasites pose some of the greatest current threats to island fox survival. This project could provide valuable insight into which island fox subspecies have the greatest genetic vulnerabilities and help inform conservation measures.

Another important element of Schoenberger’s project is that it integrates directly into the current protocols for health checks. Biologists are currently in the field across the Channel Islands counting island foxes, providing health checks, and administering vaccinations. As part of the 2024 health checks, some individual island foxes will provide a blood sample for transcriptomics. Schoenberger’s genetic study will compliment and build on the individual island fox data currently being collected on diet, microbiome, territory, and health.

Schoenberger was able to travel out to Santa Rosa Island and engage with the National Park biologists as they took samples. She also met individual island foxes that will be part of her investigation.

At USC, Schoenberger explains that she puts the blood samples through a centrifuge “to separate RNA from other particles.”

The samples then go through a chemical processing to isolate and purify the RNA for sequencing.

Schoenberger says: “Transcriptomics can allow insights into gene expression patterns that underlie population health and disease by providing molecular-level understanding of island fox physiology and how they function and respond to differing environmental conditions.” Friends of the Island Fox is thrilled to support Kimberly Schoenberger’s research which will provide a baseline on the differences between populations and “shed light on key genes that are affected by environmental differences and may be crucial for adaptation and survival of the island fox.”

Your donations make this research possible.

photo courtesy of P Bronstein

Island Foxes Teaching the Next Generation of Field Biologists

islandfoxnews@gmail.com (Friends of the Island Fox, Inc and Eclipse-1 Media) — Thu, 12 Sep 2024 15:33:00 -0700

For the past two years, Friends of the Island Fox has had the honor of funding all of the new and refurbished fox tracking collars for Santa Cruz Island–but this summer, these collars were able to support more than just island fox monitoring and research.

As part of Paso Robles High School's Field Studies Collaborative program, a group of 25 students ranging in age from 15–18 spent a week on Santa Cruz Island, learning about its history and ecosystems. The program includes student presentations, expert workshops on a variety of topics, and field experience, like vegetation sampling and plant identification.

This past year, FIF board member Justin Purnell expanded the program to include trapping and working with island foxes, giving students an opportunity for hands-on experience working with the island's (very adorable) apex predator.

Justin isn't new to Paso High's program. Taking the class, during his junior year at Paso High, inspired his own path forward in wildlife biology. Since then, he has been a volunteer and chaperone on the trip, which is now in its 34th year.

The students (and other chaperones) were blown away by the experience of working with the island foxes. For many of the students, it was their first time seeing wildlife up close–and the impact cannot be overstated. Some were moved to tears and many of them expressed an interest in continuing their education in not only wildlife biology, but a host of other careers that support conservation.

Here are some of their reactions, in their own words:

"Working with those foxes was such an amazing experience and changed my life. I thought I had my future figured out, but seeing what Justin does on the island threw a wrench in my plans. Now I think I want to go to college and study forestry. I would never have looked into or even thought about this as my career path if I didn't go on this trip." - Hannah, 16
"It was hard to believe that doing something so special as a career could be more than a dream, but after getting to experience working with the foxes firsthand, I now know that doing work like this could be my reality." - Jordan, 17
"It was incredible to see the foxes close up and to be a small part of helping to preserve this endemic species. This is one of the coolest things I've ever gotten to do, and it really drove home for me the importance of preserving nature. I get emotional thinking about it! I am forever grateful for this experience." - Ava, 15
"When I was younger, I was absolutely obsessed with animals and was set on working with them as an adult. As I grew up, I lost faith that I would be able to have a stable career working with wildlife. Watching Justin work was super emotional because I felt that love and interest in wildlife return. This trip totally changed my plans for my future–I am now planning to go into wildlife conservation." - Divy, 17

These experiences, and the impacts that can ripple out from them, are the reason that we do this work. We are happy that our funding of the collars was able to help support this experience for Paso High's field studies program and are excited to find other ways to support both the island foxes and the next generation of wildlife conservationists. Article by Justin Purnell