On this day in 1973, the Endangered Species Act was signed into law. Over the past 49 years, it has helped Interior and our partners preserve plants and wildlife for future generations. The island fox only lives on six of the eight @ChannelIslandsNPS off the coast of southern California, the only place on Earth where these foxes are found. In the late 1990s, the subspecies experienced precipitous declines as a result of predation by non-native golden eagles. These island foxes have recovered to self-sustaining levels thanks to intensive multi-partner recovery efforts. This was the fastest successful recovery for any Endangered Species Act-listed mammal in the United States. From the island fox to the bald eagle, we are thankful for ALL the species this law has helped recover and save. Photo by Aaron Echols / NPS ALT TEXT: An island fox soaks in some sun while standing on a cliff.