Darwin's fox

Darwin's fox or Darwin's zorro (Lycalopex fulvipes) is an endangered canid from the genus Lycalopex, which is distantly related to wolves and whose members are not true foxes. It is also known as the zorro chilote or zorro de Darwin in Spanish and is endemic to Chile, where it lives in the temperate rainforests of Nahuelbuta National Park, the Cordillera de Oncol, Cordillera Pelada, and Chiloé Island. It is a small, dark-colored species that is distinguished from other Lycalopex by its shorter legs, broader head, and darker pelage. Darwin's fox was first collected from San Pedro Island off the coast of Chile by the naturalist Charles Darwin in 1834, after whom the species is named. It was long held that Darwin's fox was a subspecies of the South American gray fox (Lycalopex griseus); however, in 1990, a small population of Darwin's fox was discovered on the mainland in Nahuelbuta National Park and subsequent genetic analysis confirmed that the fox is a distinct species. The species is thought to number under 1,000 mature individuals, with most found on Chiloé Island and smaller populations on the mainland. Once considered Critically Endangered, it was reclassified as Endangered in 2016. Its main threats come from domestic and feral dogs, which spread diseases and attack foxes, along with human disturbance and ongoing habitat loss from agriculture and forestry activity. Conservation efforts focus on managing disease risk through vaccination and establish protected area. Future conservation strategies may involve using genetic tools.