You’d never know it today, but one of the world’s smallest species of foxes almost became extinct about 30 years ago. Known as the Channel Islands fox, it’s found only on six of the eight islands in California’s Channel Islands off the coast of Los Angeles.
Thousands of foxes once lived there. But by the late 1990s, fewer than 200 remained in the wild. The foxes were declared endangered in 2004. The National Park Service, scientists, veterinarians, and volunteers worked together to bring them back from the brink of extinction. Today more than 8,000 foxes live across the islands.
The Channel Islands lie off the coast of Los Angeles, California. They’re home to one of the world’s smallest species of fox. The Channel Islands fox lives only on six of the eight islands. You’d never know it today, but 30 years ago, it almost became extinct!
Thousands of wild foxes once lived in the Channel Islands. But by the late 1990s, fewer than 200 were left. The foxes were declared endangered in 2004. Scientists, park rangers, veterinarians, and volunteers worked together to bring them back. Today more than 8,000 foxes live in the islands.