Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Listing the San Miguel Island Fox, Santa Rosa Island Fox, Santa Cruz Island Fox, and Santa Catalina Island Fox as Endangered

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose endangered status pursuant to the Endangered Species Act (Act) of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), for four subspecies of island fox (Urocyon littoralis): San Miguel Island Fox (Urocyon littoralis littoralis), Santa Rosa Island Fox (U. l. santarosae), Santa Cruz Island Fox (U. l. santacruzae), and Santa Catalina Island Fox (U. l. catalinae). Island fox populations on these four islands have experienced precipitous declines since 1995. The three island fox subspecies inhabiting the northern Channel Islands (San Miguel, Santa Rosa, and Santa Cruz) have declined due to predation by golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos). Island foxes on San Miguel and Santa Rosa islands have been effectively extirpated in the wild; captive breeding efforts are underway on both islands. On Santa Cruz Island, the island fox population decreased from 1,300 to less than 100 animals; captive breeding efforts on Santa Cruz will begin in the fall of 2001. The Santa Catalina Island fox population experienced a precipitous decline in 1999 as a result of an outbreak of canine distemper virus; fewer than 200 Santa Catalina Island foxes are thought to remain in the wild.