On the last night of our backpacking trip at Santa Cruz Island of Channel Islands National Park, we spent the night at Scorpion Canyon Campground. Scorpion Canyon Campground is found on the eastside of Santa Cruz Island, a short walk away from Scorpion Anchorage, a small harbor. Scorpion Anchorage is one of two main harbors on the island and is near a prime location to see the rare island fox.
The rare island fox are endemic to the Channel Islands, which means they are only found on these islands and nowhere else in the world. But how did they get here on these small islands? They arrived from the closest land mass, the mainland, specifically, Southern California.
Having descended from mainland Gray Foxes, these island foxes have lived in isolation for thousands of years and have evolved to be much smaller, about a third smaller than its ancestor. At about a foot in height, the island fox is comparable to a housecat. They share a similar color pattern with gray foxes, with a mostly gray head and body with some rusty reddish brown markings.
Scorpion Canyon and the surrounding trails is one of the best places to see island foxes. At the time of our visit in April, Scorpion Canyon Campground was teeming with island foxes. They hung around the campground, walked through people’s campsites and played in the high grass. You don’t need to find them, they will likely find you.
You’ll see them walking near the food storage containers while you’re eating lunch, looking for food that was negligently dropped by campers, and will steal any unattended food in the blink of an eye.
They appear to be unafraid around humans, showing very little fear when people walk by or are in close proximity. Our friends and I walked around the campground and would see them several feet away, just minding their own business. They seemed very docile and more curious than timid.
Throughout our stay, we saw them approaching camper’s tents and backpacks. If you plan on visiting, I’d definitely keep an eye on your belongings!
Island foxes are downright the cutest little animals. If you have a chance to see them, you’re in for a real treat!
