What was blamed for the catastrophic decline of island foxes on three of the park’s islands in the 1990s?
A Pollution
B Golden eagles
C Loss of habitat
On San Miguel, Santa Rosa, and Santa Cruz islands in Channel Islands National Park, a big drop in numbers of the foxes was attributed to a rise in golden eagles, which hunted them. In 1999, a recovery program began which included relocating the golden eagles, while reestablishing fish-eating bald eagles, whose decline had allowed the golden eagles to gain a foothold on the islands.
The correct answer is Golden eagles.