A fox from San Nicolas Island, part of the Channel Islands, will have a new home on the mainland after she was recently treated at the Santa Barbara Zoo for a broken leg.
The injured fox was discovered while biologists were conducting an annual population survey of the threatened San Nicolas Island Fox in September 2023, according to zoo officials.
The team determined the fox was too badly injured to remain on the island, so after receiving special authorization from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, she was transferred to the Santa Barbara Zoo to be treated by veterinarians.
The zoo is currently home to a pair of island fox brothers and zoo officials say they have extensive experience in caring for orphaned and injured island foxes.
However, in December, it was determined that the fox's broken leg was not healing as hoped and she required off-site surgery.
Zoo officials say the surgery was successful and the fox is now recovering.
The young fox, however, will not be able to return to San Nicolas Island because she could pose a health risk to other foxes on the island that have not been exposed to diseases and other pathogens that are common on the mainland.
Because the Santa Barbara Zoo is already home to two island foxes, officials say it cannot house the injured fox permanently. Instead, she will be placed at an Association of Zoos and Aquariums accredited facility.
"Santa Barbara Zoo has worked with conservation partner agencies for many years to preserve this species on the Channel Islands. We are happy to provide care for this young fox while she recovers from her injury. She will be a wonderful ambassador for her species on the mainland, helping to educate the public about island foxes, their exceptional island ecosystems, and the threats that they face," Santa Barbara Zoo Vice President of Animal Care and Health Dr. Julie Barnes said in a press release.
The San Nicolas Island fox is one of six island fox subspecies that are found only on the Channel Islands.
