The Hopeful Story of a Doomed Fox

What is a characteristic of the Island Fox?

• It is a large predator.

• It is afraid of humans.

• It is completely wild.

• It primarily eats fish.

Where can the unique Island Fox species be found?

• Southern California mainland

• The Channel Islands

• Los Angeles

• New Zealand

What was the purpose of DDT?

• A drug to cure diseases.

• A pesticide to get rid of mosquitos.

• A chemical used for cleaning.

• A natural, organic compound created to enrich soil

Why did the population of bald eagles decrease ? 

• The eagles migrated away.

• The number of deaths became less than the number of births.

• The number of deaths became greater then the number of births.

How did DDT pollution indirectly affect the Bald Eagle population on the Channel Islands?

• It poisoned the eagles directly.

• It made their eggshells too thin, causing them to break.

• It reduced their primary food source, fish.

• It caused them to migrate away from the islands.

What was the primary cause of the Island Fox population decline in the early 1990s?

• Malaria outbreaks

• Overhunting by humans

• Predation by Golden Eagles

• Habitat destruction by farmers

How did they eventually capture the Golden Eagles for relocation?

What was a key strategy used to increase the population of Island Foxes after their decline?

• Introducing new predators to control feral pigs.

• Relocating all remaining foxes to the mainland.

• Implementing a captive breeding program.

• Spraying pesticides to eliminate disease-carrying insects.