Urocyon

Extinct species

Cozumel fox

The Cozumel fox is a critically endangered small gray fox found on the island of Cozumel, Mexico. The last reported sighting was in 2001, but surveys focusing on this species have not yet been carried out. In September 2023, a live Cozumel fox was rescued from a road and subsequently released.The photos taken of this fox were released to the public on June 8th of 2026, being the first photos ever taken of the species.

The Cozumel fox has not been scientifically described, but is a dwarf form, like the island fox. Compared to the island fox, however, it is slightly larger, being up to three-quarters the size of the gray fox. No skins or complete skulls of the Cozumel fox exist in any museum exhibitions, so scientists have mainly examined sub-fossils collected during archaeological excavations of Mayan civilizations who inhabited the island about 1,500–500 years ago. Upon evaluating bones from about 12 adult individuals, scientists have concluded that the Cozumel fox is extremely small – approximately 60-80% the body size of other mainland specimens.

The fox had been isolated on Cozumel for at least 5,000 years, and probably far longer. These dates would indicate that Urocyon had colonized the island before the first arrival of humans there.