Santa Cruz Island Fox (Urocyon littoralis santacruzae)
Kingdom: Animalia
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Canidae
Listing Status:
General Information
This is the smallest fox species known from the United States. Adult males weigh 2.00 kilograms on average, while adult females weigh 1.88 kilograms. Body length, including head and tail, ranges from 59 to 79 centimeters. Tail length alone ranges from 11 to 29 centimeters. Height at the shoulder is from 12 to 15 centimeters. Fur is greyish-white and black with cinnamon underfur on the dorsal side, and with pale white, yellow, and rusty-brown on the ventral surface. The chin, lips, nose, and areas around the eyes are lined in black while the sides of the rostrum are grey. The ears, neck, and sides of the limbs are cinnamon-colored. The tail has a contrasting thin black stripe on the dorsal side with a mane of stiff hairs. The underside of the tail is a rusty color. Fur color may differ among islands and be highly variable among individuals, ranging from overall greyish to honey brown and red. Island grey foxes molt once a year during the fall months from August to November. At that time, the fur coat fades in color and the fur tips curl at the ends. Young foxes tend to have a paler but thicker dorsal fur coat compared to adults. In addition, the ears are darker in color compared to adult foxes.
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This map represents our best available information about where a species is currently known to or or is believed to occur; however, it should NOT be used as an official species list for Section 7 Consultation purposes. To obtain an official species list for this purpose, please visit the Information, Planning, and Conservation (IPaC) System (click here: http://ecos.fws.gov/ipac)
- States/US Territories in which the Santa Cruz Island Fox, U.S.A(CA) is known to or is believed to occur: California
- US Counties in which the Santa Cruz Island Fox, U.S.A(CA) is known to or is believed to occur: View All
| Status | Date Listed | Lead Region | Where Listed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 03/05/2004 | California/Nevada Region (Region 8) | U.S.A.(CA) |
» Recovery
Recovery Plan Information Search| Date | Title | Plan Action Status | Plan Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 09/14/2012 | Draft Recovery Plan for Four Subspecies of Island Fox (Urocyon littoralis) | View Implementation Progress | Draft |
| Date | Citation Page | Title | Document Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 09/14/2012 | 77 FR 56858 56859 | Notice of availability: Draft Recovery Plan for Four Subspecies of Island Fox | |
| 05/21/2010 | 75 FR 28636 28642 | Initiation of 5-Year Reviews of 34 Species in California and Nevada; Availability of 96 Completed 5-Year Reviews in California and Nevada |
» Critical Habitat
| Date | Citation Page | Title | Document Type | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11/09/2005 | 70 FR 67924 67929 | Final Determination Concerning Critical Habitat for the San Miguel Island Fox, Santa Rosa Island Fox, Santa Cruz Island Fox, and Santa Catalina Island Fox | Final Rule | Final designated |
| 10/07/2004 | 69 FR 60134 60138 | Endangered and threatened wildlife and plants; proposed designation of critical habitat for the san miguel island fox, santa rosa island fox, santa cruz island fox, and santa catalina island fox, proposed rule | Proposed Rule | Not Required |
To learn more about critical habitat please see http://criticalhabitat.fws.gov
» Conservation Plans
No conservation plans have been created for Santa Cruz Island Fox, U.S.A(CA)
» Petitions
No petition findings have been published for the Santa Cruz Island Fox, U.S.A(CA).
» Life History
No Life History information has been entered into this system for this species.
» Other Resources
NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and Canada. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.
ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.
