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Is the source of the distemper that infected Catalina Island’s foxes known?

April 26, 2017Catalina distemper Foxes Infected Island known source

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Is the source of the distemper that infected Catalina Island’s foxes known?

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No. The source is unknown. There are a number of possibilities: since distemper is always present, a weak strain could have mutated into a dangerous strain; or, something in the environment could have weakened the immune system of our fox, making the weakened distemper present deadly; or, a dog infected with distemper and brought to the Island could have been the source. We will never know for sure.