Cozumel fox (SciiFii)

The Cozumel fox ("TBA") is a species of small gray fox native to the island of Cozumel, Mexico, hence its name. The species was once either extinct or on the brink of extinction due to human activities, however, it has since been brought back from extinction or near extinction by SciiFii and reintroduced to Cozumel. The Cozumel fox is up to 80% smaller than its relatives on the neighbouring Yucatan peninsula and has been isolated for over 5,000 years. The Cozumel fox has gray fur on its head, a ruddy red coloring on its sides, white fur on its belly, throat and the lower half of its face, and a black stripe on the dorsal surface of its tail. In general the coat is darker and duller hued than that of the gray fox. Before the first molt pups are woolly and have a generally darker coat than adult foxes. A brown phase, with the grey and black fur of the body replaced by a sandy brown and a deeper brown, may occur in some populations. The Cozumel fox molts once a year between August and November. The Cozumel fox eats fruits, insects, birds, eggs, crabs, lizards, and small mammals, including deer mice. The Cozumel fox tends to move around by itself, rather than in packs. It is generally nocturnal, although with peaks of activity at dawn and dusk. Activity also fluctuates with the season: It is more active during the day in summer than it is in winter. The Cozumel fox typically forms monogamous breeding pairs, which are frequently seen together beginning in January and through the breeding season, from late February to early March. The gestation period is 50–63 days. The female Cozumel fox gives birth in a den, a typical litter having one to five pups, with an average of two or three. Pups are born in the spring and emerge from the den in early summer; the mother lactates for 7–9 weeks. Sexual maturity is reached at 10 months, and the females usually breed within the first year. Cozumel foxes live for 4–6 years in the wild and for up to 9 years in captivity. The conservation status of the Cozumel fox is Endangered due to some habitat loss, hurricanes, loss of groundwater, and introduced predators (boa constrictors and feral dogs), however, thanks to the conservationists, the Cozumel fox is a protected species and its population trend is increasing.