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California

Channel Islands and Catalina Island foxes

The Santa Cruz Island fox, one of the subspecies of fox native to California’s Channel Islands, on Santa Cruz Island.

The Santa Cruz Island fox, one of the subspecies of fox native to California’s Channel Islands, on Santa Cruz Island.

  (Jabin Botsford / Los Angeles Times)

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The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on Friday proposed taking three subspecies of fox native to California’s Channel Islands off the endangered species list. The foxes have made a remarkable recovery since being placed on the list in 2004.

Channel Island foxes

A Santa Cruz Island fox. Wildlife officials have proposed delisting the San Miguel, Santa Rosa and Santa Cruz Island foxes, which were classified as endangered in 2004 after suffering catastrophic declines mainly because of predation by Golden eagles.

  (Jabin Botsford / Los Angeles Times)

Channel Island foxes

Santa Cruz Island, south of Santa Barbara, is one of the Channel Islands on which fox subspecies have made a comeback.

  (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

Catalina Island foxes

As part of Catalina Island Conservency’s monitoring, a fox is trapped in Avalon in 2012 for treatment and monitoring. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is now proposing to downlist the foxes on Santa Catalina Island from endangered to threatened.

  (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

Island foxes

The Catalina Island fox has rebounded since its population crashed to about 100 in 1999 because of an outbreak of canine distemper.

  (Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

Island foxes

A Santa Catalina Island fox pup dashes into the wilderness after being released on Santa Catalina Island in 2003.

  (Kevork Djansezian / Associated Press)

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