Friends of the Island Fox

Friends of the Island Fox

By Friends of the Island Fox, Inc and Eclipse-1 MediaNatural Sciences
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Friends of the Island Fox episodes

  • FIF 2026 Research Grant Application

     From genetics and territorial home range to dietary patterns and microplastics in the body, we are learning more every year about island fox biology, health, and the role they play in the island ecosystem.

    Friends of the Island Fox is accepting applications for our 

     

    2026 Island Fox Research Grant

    Applications will be accepted for amounts up to $7,000

    Deadline:   June 15, 2026

    Download Grant Application

     

    How will you add to island fox science? 

     See past research grant recipient projects.

     

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  • Friends of the Island Fox Research Grant 2025


    Friends of the Island Fox 

    is currently accepting applications through June 15 

    for the FIF 2025 Research Grant

     

    Download Grant Application

    In 2025, Friends of the Island Fox is

    offering up to $7,000 in support to research projects benefiting greater
    understanding of the island fox and the Channel Island ecosystem.

    From the genetic impacts of near extinction and specific genetic influences on health to drought impacts on fox diet and counting island spotted skunks, FIF supports research to improve the understanding of island fox survival and the complexity of the Channel Island ecosystem.

    See prior grant winning projects.

    It's all Science for Fox Sake!

     

    Scientific data is vital for making informed conservation decisions. Your donations help gather scientific knowledge and build the next generation of scientists and field biologists. 

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  • FIF Research Grant Application 2024


    Friends of the Island Fox is currently taking applications 

    through June 30 for the 

    FIF 2024 Research Grant

    Download Application

    From the complex relationship between island foxes and island spotted skunks, to diet, microbiome impacts on health, and changing territory sizes, research projects are revealing the complexities of the Channel Island ecosystem and the role of island foxes in island ecology.

    In 2024, Friends of the Island Fox is offering up to $7,000 in support to research projects benefiting greater understanding of the island fox and the Channel Island ecosystem.

     

    Last year's grant recipients are using wildlife cameras to quantify island spotted skunk populations and investigating the impact of individual island fox behavior on the island ecosystem.

    It's Science, for Fox Sake! And we encourage all applicants to apply.

     

    2023 grant recipient, D. Thomaier

    Past Research Grant Recipients and Projects

    Grant Recipients are asked to provide public updates on their work - "Date with a Fox" programs, hear from the researchers

    Published science on island foxes and island spotted skunks

      Your Donations Help Fund this Important Science!

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  • Stable Isotopes Document Decade of Dietary Change in Island Foxes


    Juliann Schamel has been researching island fox diet using stable isotopes in whisker samples since 2018. Friends of the Island Fox has supported the processing of whisker samples through several Research Grants. In November of 2023, Schamel presented the following poster of her latest work at the California Islands Symposium.

    Using Stable Isotopes to Assess a Decade of Dietary Resource Use in Two Sympatric Island Endemics: The Island Fox and the Island Spotted Skunk (link to complete poster)

    Island foxes and island spotted skunks live together on two islands, Santa Rosa and Santa Cruz. When island fox numbers crashed due to predation by golden eagles, island spotted skunk numbers appeared to increase dramatically. In 2011, on Santa Rosa Island, there were still fewer than 90 island foxes in the wild. During annual health checks, whisker samples were collected from both island foxes and island spotted skunks in a northern area of the island and stored for later analysis of what food resources each species was using.

    In 2011, island spotted skunks out numbered island foxes in the wild. Stable isotope analysis shows that the skunks and foxes were using different resources. 

    J. Schamel, 2023 poster 

    Carbon and nitrogen isotopes travel up the food chain leaving a specific isotope signature for plant and animal resources. Literally, you are what you eat and isotopes from a mammal's diet are laid down chronologically in hair or fur. A single island fox whisker can provide 5–6 months of weekly diet data. On the graph above, native terrestrial plant foods, like manzanita berries, are high in Carbon and low in Nitrogen. A deer mouse is the accumulation of its own, mostly plant diet; it has a mid-range Carbon and Nitrogen signature. In the graph above, the blue data points represent island fox diet and the orange data points represent island spotted skunk diet. 

    In 2011, when island fox numbers in the wild were low, their diet tended

    to be higher on the food chain or trophic level: deer mice, birds and
    reptiles. The data suggested separate diet niches for island foxes and island
    spotted skunks. The skunks were eating primarily, lower level prey, like insects, and some plant foods.

    J. Schamel, 2023 poster

    In 2014, continuing drought influenced wildlife survival; island fox and island spotted skunks were nearly even in number on Santa Rosa Island. Island foxes expanded their diet, including marine resources, and island spotted skunks preyed more on deer mice and higher level prey. The two predators began competing for resources.

    J. Schamel, 2023 poster

    By 2018, the island fox population had recovered, but island spotted skunks appeared to decline in number. (Counting island spotted skunks) As island fox density increased across the island, they dramatically broadened their diet–from native fruit through a range of prey species. The spotted skunks maintained a more narrow diet, but they were now in constant competition with island foxes. What will this mean for the two species?

    Schamel's work also revealed that individual island foxes are becoming specialized in their diet.

    J. Schamel, 2023 poster
     

    In the graphic above, each circle of data points represents an individual island fox and its diet. Some individuals appear to be specializing in fruit and insects, while others are eating predominately terrestrial prey. How is island fox diet continuing to change?

    Save the date of April 30th at 6:30 pm PT 

    Juliann Schamel will talk about her work on 

    FIF's "Date with a Fox" webinar

    sign-up for FIF's e-newsletter to receive an invitation

    Measuring out a whisker sample

    Whisker samples continue to be collected for both species. 

    designed by island biologist, Stacy Baker

    When you purchase an island spotted skunk pin, 

    you send a sample of island spotted skunk whisker 

    to the mass spectrometer to reveal stable isotopes.


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  • FIF Research Grant Application Deadline Approaching

     

    Are island spotted skunks genetically different enough from mainland spotted skunks to warrant species status? FIF 2022 Research Grant recipient Julia Owen is probing the island spotted skunk genome.

     

    Are island foxes crossing into the territory of other island foxes to access beach foods on Santa Rosa Island? FIF 2021 Research Grant recipient Katie Elder and recipient Juliann Schamel continue to investigate island fox territory size and diet. 

    Are you investigating island foxes, prey species,

    Channel Island ecosystem dynamics, public education and attitudes toward
    island fox conservation, or any topic relating to island fox survival and a healthy island ecosystem?

    Apply for FIF's 2023 Island Fox Research Grant

    Download Application

    Grants will be considered for up to $7,000


    Application Deadline August 28 



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  • FIF Research Grant 2023
    Friends of the Island is taking applications through August for the FIF 2023 Research GrantDownload APPLICATION From dietary investigation linked with territory use to microbes affecting island fox health, new science is revealing the complex world of island foxes and the Channel Island ecosystem. This year FIF will be offering up to $7,000 in support toward research projects benefiting greater understanding of island foxes and the Channel Islands. Last year's grant project is working to reveal the Spotted Skunk Genome and how the island spotted skunk is related to mainland populations. Island spotted skunk origins may help support evolving information on how island foxes initially arrived on the Channel Islands. More on current and past FIF Funded Research FIF grant winners are asked to provide public updates on their work.  See presentations by Fox Researchers for "Date with a Fox" programs Recently published island fox science Important island fox research is funded by DONORS LIKE YOU. It's Science for Fox Sake!   
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  • Everything You Wanted to Know About Island Fox Pups
    island fox pup, courtesy of I. Rose Across the Channel Islands, island fox parents are finding hidden-away spots for a den where females can give birth to pups. Most island fox pups are born in April. How big are island fox pups at birth? Small - about the size and weight of two AA batteries. What do you call baby island foxes? Pups or kits. At birth their natal fur is a cocoa brown and their ears appear small and rounded. The pup pictured was born at a zoo in 2006–at that time there was a small breeding population in a few zoos. Island fox dens are not disturbed in the wild. When do pups emerge from the den? Typically in June. When pups come out into the world they have replaced their baby fur with a coat that looks like their parents. Island fox fur How many pups are in a litter? Typically, 2–3 pups are born in a litter. Play between siblings is an important part of learning to hunt and interact socially. If food resources are abundant, an island fox pair can have up to 5 pups. In years of drought, few pups are born. Drought year, 2021 What sounds do pups make? LISTEN to the sounds of a young island fox pup. What do they eat? Like all mammals, island fox pups initially nurse milk from their mother. Gradually, they eat prey brought to them by both of their parents. The parent above is bringing 3 island deer mice back to the den. Both parents teach the pups to hunt and find plant foods. Island fox diet Are island foxes born knowing how to hunt and find food? No. All of the island foxes currently in captivity were pups that were separated from their parents and did not learn how to provide for themselves in the wild. Island fox pups need their parents to teach them how to hunt and find food. Video - Island fox pup reunited with mother  
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  • FIF Research Grant Deadline for 2022 Approaches
      Small pieces of island fox whisker can reveal big data on island fox diet and behavior.  Analyzing stable isotopes in slivers of island fox whisker, Juliann Schamel (Research grant recipient 2018 and 2019) has been uncovering the range of diet eaten by island foxes, drought impacts on their diet, and a new understanding of how some island foxes use marine resources. Your scientific research could also benefit island fox survival and the management of rare and endangered species. Friends of the Island Fox is accepting applications for the 2022 Island Fox Research Grant through August 29, 2022. Application More about current island fox research and recent grant recipients. Your donations help support vital island fox research. 
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  • FIF Taking Applications for 2022 Research Grant
    This is a GPS radio collar being prepped to be worn by an island fox this summer. Katie Elder was FIF's 2021 Research Grant recipient and she will be investigating territory size on Santa Rosa Island. More on her work Friends of the Island Fox is taking applications for our 2022 FIF Research Grant now through August 29, 2022. Application What will you uncover about island foxes? Research in island fox ecology is an investment in the future and island fox survival. Not only is this work important for island foxes and the Channel Islands, but also for other endangered species with small population sizes in confined geographic habitats. An island doesn't have to be surrounded by water, it can be a confined habitat surrounded by desert, a city, or some other physical barrier. Population viability calculations used for island foxes have been applied to the Sierra Nevada red fox. See more on Current FIF Funded Research Projects Recently published island fox discovery  Discussion on island foxes and island spotted skunks Update on island fox microbiome research
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  • Island Foxes and Beach Foods
    In 2018 Juliann Schamel was the recipient of Friends of the Island Fox's first Research Grant. Her investigation of island fox diet through stable isotopes in whiskers has evolved and deepened to look for connections between diet and surviving drought conditions.  In 2019 FIF continued to fund Schamel's research as she followed the foxes and the potential of "beach foods" in their diet. It is no coincidence that the island fox above is in a beach area.  If you look closely at the pile of kelp washed up on the beach, or "beach wrack," you'll see island fox foot prints all around it. photo courtesy of Nick Schooler, UCSB Combining her stable isotope research with collaborators at the University of California, Santa Barbara, Schamel has revealed that some island foxes are making use of food resources connected to sandy beaches. Tiny arthropods called "beach hoppers" live in the sand and emerge to eat the kelp that washes up on the beach. Look closely and you will see a group of them feeding on the edge of the kelp blade pictured.  Some island foxes are eating these tiny, quick moving creatures. If you've turned over a clump of beach wrack and seen little hopping critters, commonly referred to as sand fleas, you've seen beach hoppers. They are not fleas at all; they are more closely related to shrimp. Juliann Schamel recently presented a poster at the 2022 Wildlife Society Conference. POSTER And her paper Diet of a threatened endemic fox reveals variation in sandy beach resource use on California Channel Islands with Henry M. Page, Marine Science Institute, UCSB, et. al. was published in PLOS ONE. Read the Paper Your support for FIF helped fund this important research. The island fox and the beach hopper demonstrate an intertwining of terrestrial and marine ecosystems on the Channel Islands.
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About Friends of the Island Fox

From the publisher's feed

Reference materials on Channel Island fox: its biology, behavior, habitat, research, endangered status and conservation efforts. Home of Friends of the Island Fox a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. FIF is…