The gray fox is essentially a nocturnal animal, and while seldom recognized, it has a yapping bark. The gray fox sometimes referred to as the "tree fox" can scramble-up a tree quickly, and is the only member of the dog family capable of climbing.

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While doing a nature photo session one afternoon. I came across this Gray Fox at Santa Margarita Lake. He was very beautiful but he could not open his eyes for some reason. Poor guy!

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For thousands of years the Santa Cruz Island fox roamed the island free from predators—until golden eagles from the mainland began nesting on the island in the 1990s. Attracted by the abundance of feral pigs on the island, the golden eagles also preyed on the island fox. Naïve to aerial predators, the foxes made easy targets, resulting in a rapid decline in population.

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At just four pounds and the size of a small house cat, the Santa Cruz Island fox has historically been the island’s top predator for thousands of years. However, history changed as introduced species and human disturbances took their toll on the island, driving the native fox population to near extinction.

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Island Fox Recovery

In 2002, the Conservancy and partners initiated an Island Fox Recovery Program—including captive breeding, monitoring foxes closely in the wild and vaccinating against canid diseases—to safeguard the limited remaining population against extinction.

Biologists identified mating pairs, then carefully captured and housed them in a captive breeding facility, designed to mimic their natural environment.
In six seasons, 85 pups were produced by the program and released to the wild.
Due to the successful recovery of fox populations in the wild, the captive breeding program was phased out in 2007.
The wild island fox population now stands at more than 1,300.

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