the initial Swift fox Reintroduction

A Landmark Conservation Initiative Led by the Cochrane Ecological Institute

The reintroduction of the swift fox (Vulpes velox) to Canada stands as one of the country’s most successful examples of wildlife restoration. Once extirpated from Canadian grasslands by the 1930s, the species made a historic return thanks to the pioneering efforts of the Cochrane Ecological Institute (CEI) in partnership with the Governments of Canada, Alberta, and Saskatchewan.

In 1972, the CEI established Canada’s first and only swift fox captive breeding program, importing swift foxes from the United States. The institute’s founders, Clio and Miles Smeeton, recognized the critical need for ecosystem restoration and set out to breed and reintroduce this native canid back into its former prairie habitat.

From the outset, CEI's program was rooted in long-term ecological thinking: not only reintroducing a species but restoring ecological balance to the grassland biome. The institute began researching optimal breeding, release, and monitoring methods—laying the groundwork for future success.

By the late 1970s, CEI had partnered with:

• Environment Canada

• Alberta Fish and Wildlife

• Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment

Together, these organizations supported the development of the Canadian Swift Fox Recovery Team, which was formalized in 1978. CEI’s early research was essential in establishing science-based protocols for reintroducing the species, including habitat selection, soft-release techniques, and post-release monitoring.

 Between 1983 and 1997, more than 1,000 captive-bred swift foxes were released into southern Alberta and southwestern Saskatchewan. Every one of these animals came from CEI’s dedicated breeding program, making the institute the sole contributor of swift foxes to the Canadian recovery effort.

These reintroductions occurred across protected prairie regions and Crown lands, with foxes undergoing careful health assessments and being fitted with radio collars to track their survival and reproduction.

Alongside the releases, CEI and its partners conducted:

• Population monitoring through radio telemetry

• Survivorship and dispersal studies

• Behavioral observations to assess adaptation

• Genetic research to monitor diversity and reduce inbreeding

These data provided critical feedback to refine future releases and help guide grassland management practices across provincial borders.

The project is now widely regarded as one of Canada's most successful species reintroductions. Swift foxes are once again breeding in the wild, and in 2009, the species' conservation status was upgraded from Extirpated to Threatened by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC).

The work undertaken by CEI was instrumental in achieving this milestone. Without their early and sustained efforts, the swift fox might have remained absent from Canadian grasslands.

A key strength of the swift fox reintroduction program was its foundation in collaborative partnerships with Indigenous Nations, whose traditional knowledge and connection to the land were—and remain—integral to the species' successful return.

The CEI has participated in two other swift fox reintroduction programs, you can read more about these below

🪶 Blackfeet Tribe (Montana, USA)

In 1998, the Cochrane Ecological Institute (CEI) was formally invited by the Blackfeet Tribal Fish & Wildlife Department (Browning, Montana) to co-develop and implement the first swift fox reintroduction program in the United States. This initiative took place on Blackfeet Tribal lands from 1998 to 2002 and was the product of deep, mutual respect and shared conservation goals. CEI contributed all captive-bred swift foxes and helped guide release and monitoring efforts.

This transboundary partnership was grounded in sovereignty, collaboration, and ecological restoration, blending CEI’s scientific expertise with Blackfeet stewardship and deep knowledge of the land. The program was partially funded by Defenders of Wildlife, and the first foxes were successfully released in the fall of 1998.

🪶 Blood Tribe (Alberta, Canada)

Closer to home, CEI also partnered with the Blood Tribe (Kainai Nation) to design and implement swift fox release efforts on traditional Blackfoot territory in Alberta. These efforts contributed not only to species recovery but also to the revitalization of cultural relationships with native wildlife.

The involvement of Indigenous communities brought invaluable insight into local ecology, land use, and respectful animal stewardship. It also ensured that reintroduction efforts respected cultural values and contributed to shared goals of land healing and biodiversity protection.