An endangered California Channel Island Fox pup nicknamed "Garth" has a new home in the Santa Barbara Zoo, after being rescued and cared for by Navy biologists.
The three-month-old fox was given an official send-off Monday at Naval Base Coronado before heading to his new home in Santa Barbara. Garth couldn't be released into the wild because he was abandoned by his parents and therefore had virtually no survival skills.
Navy personnel rescued Garth on San Clemente Island, the California Channel Island Fox's native habitat. Navy biologist Melissa Booker says the Navy has learned to co-exist with the endangered fox:
"People have visions of bombardment ranges, but that is not it at all. In fact, we have more foxes on the island than we ever have before, even though the tempo of training has increased. People are really good at looking for them on the roads and making sure there isn't anything for them to get tangled in."
Garth will make his home at the Santa Barbara Zoo's Channel Island Fox exhibit.
