CameronThe adorable icon of Channel Islands National Park, the island fox! Their recovery as a species is an interesting tale of food chains and human intervention, bad and good. Prior to intensive ranching activity on the islands, the fox had few natural predators, but the decimation of the fish-eating bald eagle populations due to DDT allowed mammal-predating golden eagles to move into their ecological niche, feeding on both human-introduced feral pigs and the island fox. Moreover, grazing animals from the ranching industry had cleared most of the protective scrub from the island, leaving the fox exposed.
In 1999, the island fox population on Santa Rose was down to 15. After eliminating feral pigs, reintroducing bald eagles, planting native flora, and a successful captive breeding program, there are now over 2,500 foxes on Santa Rosa island!
#fox #islandfox #channelislands #nikon #cute #animals
In 1999, the island fox population on Santa Rose was down to 15. After eliminating feral pigs, reintroducing bald eagles, planting native flora, and a successful captive breeding program, there are now over 2,500 foxes on Santa Rosa island!
#fox #islandfox #channelislands #nikon #cute #animals
Jacques Fortier
Michael Perry
Noah Rosenthal
