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Possible contemporary evolution in an endangered species, the Santa Cruz Island fox
Author(s) -
Swarts H. M.,
Crooks K. R.,
Willits N.,
Woodroffe R.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
animal conservation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.111
H-Index - 85
eISSN - 1469-1795
pISSN - 1367-9430
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-1795.2008.00229.x
Subject(s) - endangered species , ecology , predation , population , nocturnal , biology , eagle , predator , critically endangered , geography , zoology , habitat , demography , sociology
An ability to mount rapid evolutionary responses to environmental change may be necessary for species persistence in a human‐dominated world. We present evidence of the possibility of such contemporary evolution in the anti‐predator behaviour of the critically endangered Santa Cruz Island fox Urocyon littoralis . In 1994, golden eagles colonized Santa Cruz Island, CA and devastated the predator‐naïve, endemic island fox population by 95% within 10 years. In 1992, just before the arrival of golden eagles, foxes showed substantial diurnal activity, but diurnal activity was 37.0% lower in 2003–2007, after golden eagle colonization; concurrently, overall activity declined and nocturnal activity increased. Moreover, on nearby Santa Catalina Island, where golden eagles were absent but where the fox population recently crashed due to a disease epidemic, remaining foxes were significantly more diurnally active than were those on Santa Cruz Island. The weight of evidence suggests that the change in activity pattern was a response to predation, not to low population density, and that this was probably a heritable rather than a learned behavioural trait. This behavioural change may allow for prolonged island fox persistence, but also potentially represents a loss of behavioural diversity in fox populations.