Island fox

Island fox[1]
Temporal range: Holocene 7,300 years ago-Present

Vulnerable  (NatureServe)[3]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Canidae
Genus: Urocyon
Species:
U. littoralis
Binomial name
Urocyon littoralis
(Baird, 1857)
Google Range Map

The island fox (Urocyon littoralis) is a small fox species that is endemic to six of the eight Channel Islands of California. There are six subspecies, each unique to the island it lives on, reflecting its evolutionary history. They are generally docile, show little fear of humans, and are easily tamed. Island foxes played an important role in the spiritual lives of native Channel Islanders. They have been likely semi-domesticated as pets, used as pelts, or for other functions, like pest control.[4]

  1. ^ Wozencraft, W. C. (2005). "Order Carnivora". In Wilson, D. E.; Reeder, D. M. (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 583. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.
  2. ^ Coonan, T.; Ralls, K.; Hudgens, B.; Cypher, B.; Boser, C. (2013). "Urocyon littoralis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2013: e.T22781A13985603. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-2.RLTS.T22781A13985603.en. Retrieved 9 March 2022.
  3. ^ "NatureServe Explorer 2.0". explorer.natureserve.org. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  4. ^ Booth, Derek; Allan Gillespie (1971). "Quaternary Research and Education". Quaternary Research. Editorial. 1 (3): 283–284. Bibcode:1971QuRes...1..283.. doi:10.1016/0033-5894(71)90066-4. S2CID 251090119.