Island fox  (Urocyon littoralis)

Description

The island fox is the smallest North American canid, found only on the California Channel Islands. A descendent of the mainland gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) (2), the island fox evolved into a unique species over 10,000 years ago, retaining similar markings to its ancestor but evolving to be just two-thirds of the size (3). The dorsal coat of the island fox is a grizzled mix of greyish-white and black, while the underside is a dull white. The ears, neck and the sides of the legs are usually cinnamon-coloured, and the chin, borders of the lips and the area between the eyes and nose are black. The tail has a well-defined, black, narrow stripe along the top, greyish sides and is rusty-coloured underneath (4). Males are significantly heavier than females (2), while young foxes normally have a paler and thicker fur coat than adults, and their ears are a darker colour (4). Island foxes moult twice a year, gaining a winter pelage in October to November, which is replaced with a less dense summer pelage during March to May (5).

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