Iowa Department of Natural Resources furbearer biologist Vince Evelsizer said his team received a phone call in early December that a trapper found a live gray fox in southern Iowa. He rushed down with the state wildlife veterinarian and Dave Hoffman, a wildlife research technician, to find a healthy adult female.
Iowa listed the gray fox as a Species of Greatest Conservation Need in 2015 based on 25 years of population decline. The DNR launched a multi-year study in 2022 to identify why numbers have dropped and better understand what could help the canine rebound.
After recording the gray fox’s weight and collecting blood samples for disease testing and DNA analysis, they outfitted her with a tracking collar and released her where she was found.
“We’ve been tracking her since that time, thanks to some help from DNR staff and one or two private landowners down there,” Evelsizer said. “Everything is going well so far with tracking that second gray fox, which we’re calling GF2.”
