More than a decade after being listed endangered, three Channel Island fox subspecies are no longer considered to be on the verge of extinction and have been removed from the U.S. endangered species list.
The delisting of the San Miguel, Santa Rosa and Santa Cruz Island fox from the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife brings a total of 37 species to recovery.
The announcement was released Thursday by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dan Ashe, National Park Service Director Jon Jarvis, Nature Conservancy Science Director Scott Morrison and Rep. Lois Capps, D-Santa Barbara.
“The island fox recovery is an incredible success story about the power of partnerships and the ability of collaborative conservation to correct course for a species on the brink of extinction,” U.S. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell said in a statement.
In the late 1990s, the three miniature native island fox species populated more than 90 percent on four of the six Channel Islands, according to the USFW.
The number of foxes lowered after an outbreak of canine distemper and their golden eagle predators, whose population was decimated by pesticide DDT exposure, according to USFW.
The Fish and Wildlife Service reports fox populations have dropped from 450 to 15 on San Miguel Island, from 1,780 to only 15 individuals on Santa Rosa Island, and from more than 1,400 to 55 on Santa Cruz Island.
San Miguel, Santa Rosa and Santa Cruz island foxes are fully recovered, according to USFW.
Four types of the foxes were listed in 2004 as endangered — now, all subspecies have been downlisted, with the Santa Catalina Island Fox changed from endangered to threatened.
“It’s remarkable to think that in 2004, these foxes were given a 50 percent chance of going extinct in the next decade. Yet here we are today, declaring three of the four subspecies recovered and the fourth on its way,” Ashe said.
“That’s the power of the ESA – not just to protect rare animals and plants on paper, but to drive focused conservation that gets dramatic results.”
There were an estimated 700 foxes on San Miguel Island, 1,200 on Santa Rosa Island, and 2,100 on Santa Cruz Island, as of 2015, according to USFW.
“The decline of the island fox, one of America’s rarest mammals, was rapid and severe,” said Jarvis. “Captive rearing, an unprecedented emergency action was critical to saving the species. Efforts to restore balance to the island ecosystem ensured their survival.”
The rapid spread of disease remains a threat to the animals, however, USFW and Channel Islands stakeholders have created a plan that focuses on golden eagle management and disease response, according to USFW.
The delisting efforts were a collaborative partnership between USFW, the National Park and the National Conservancy.
“This dedication gives me hope that through continued efforts and perseverance we will be able to ensure that these wonderful foxes are thriving for generations to come,” Capps said.
“This effort truly serves as a model for how communities and government can rally together to support endangered species.”
— Noozhawk staff writer Brooke Holland can be reached at bholland@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
