San Joaquin Kit Fox by Ikumi Yano

San Joaquin Kit Fox (Vulpes macrotis mutica)

San Joaquin Kit Fox: Courtesy of http://www.biologicaldiversity.org

Description & Ecology

San Joaquin kit fox: defenders.org

The San Joaquin Kit Fox is native to the grasslands, scrub lands, and wetlands of the Central Valley in California. They are part of the Canidae family. Kit foxes are the smallest canid species in North America, but San Joaquin kit foxes are the largest subspecies in size. With large ears, narrow noses, slim bodies, long bushy tails, and long legs, San Joaquin kit fox males can average about 5 pounds (2kg) and are about 32 inches. Females are smaller on average. Their coats vary from a tan color in the summer to a silver-grey color in the winter. Kit foxes are nocturnal and live in dens during the year for shelter which provides warmth during the winter and to cool off during the summer. They may build their own dens, but they also will modify existing burrows constructed by other animals. They consume small mammals (i.e mice, squirrels, rabbits, ground-nesting birds, insects) and their predators include: red foxes, coyotes, domestic dogs, bobcats, and large raptors. They typically do not have the need to drink water because their prey provides enough liquid for them to live. They birth about 2 – 6 pups in February or March, and the pups emerge from the den when they are about a month old. They are capable to breed at one year of age. The average lifespan of a kit fox is approximately 5.5 years.

Geographic & Population Changes 
(Date/Type of Listing)

Figure 1. Population distribution.  

The San Joaquin kit fox was declared as endangered on 3/11/1967 in the California/Nevada Region or wherever found. The San Joaquin kit fox’s range was extensive before 1930. It inhabited much of the west side of California’s San Joaquin Valley (see Figure 1). Today, the largest populations are located near western Kern county, Elk Hills, and the Carrizo Plain Natural Area in San Luis Obispo County. The land that they once inhabited has become extremely fragmented due to human activity, and many have been forced to the edges of San Joaquin Valley and in the surrounding areas of the coastal ranges in Sierra Nevada. It is believed that since 1930, the kit fox range has been reduced to more than half the original range. Because of habitat reduction, there are fewer than 7,000 San Joaquin kit foxes left in the area.

Cause of Listing & Main Threats

Figure 2. Undeveloped areas of San Joaquin Valley. 

Figure 3. San Joaquin kit fox population.

Much of the area has been lost and degraded due to oil overexploitation, development of agricultural practices leading to land extensive land conversions (i.e livestock grazing, wind turbines, crops, vineyards, orchards, irrigated pastures), and irregular precipitation patterns due to climate change. By 1979, it was estimated that only 6.7% of San Joaquin Valley remained undeveloped. They are also threatened by the pesticides expelled in the areas of intensive agricultural use, industrial projects, and residential areas. All these factors have constricted the San Joaquin kit foxes into fragmented habitats, which are not only reduced in size, but also quality. These habitats are not the optimum for San Joaquin kit fox survival, and the alarming decline in population has caused them to be on the endangered species list amongst many other species.

Description of Recovery Plan

San Joaquin kit fox pups. Photo: defenders.org

The US Fish & Wildlife service developed a Recovery Plan for the San Joaquin kit fox in 1998. Its aim is to implement a recovery plan for the San Joaquin kit fox to promote long term conservation and permanent recovery of the endangered species. To protect kit fox habitats, the recovery plan seeks to expand existing natural land by resorting retired farmland in the agricultural parts of California. It also aims to enhance habitat and maintain movement corridors to promote genetic diversity among the different populations of kit foxes. The recovery plan also outlines the process to determine the current geographic distributions of kit foxes to seek out potential habitat in the expanded areas. In addition to determining the current distribution, the recovery plan also intends to establish a population monitoring program to conduct further research about population movements, genetic features of different populations, and interactions with other species that share the same habitats. Because data on San Joaquin kit foxes are limited, the primary focus of the recovery plan is to protect the existing land and collect data about the San Joaquin kit fox in order to help find the most effective conservation methods to protect the population.

What can you do?

There are several ways you can do your part in protecting these cute animals:

• Don’t feed kit foxes: despite their similar appearance to domestic dogs, they have a complete different diet.
• Don’t fill or destroy any burrows you find: these burrows may be home to kit foxes and their pups.
• Put away any sports nets used for recreational reasons: kit foxes often are estranged in nets that are left out during the night.
• Avoid using any traps or rodent poisons in kit fox habitats: these are harmful and fatal to kit foxes who often get injured from traps and consuming rodent poison.
  
  

Other Resources:

• Adopt a Kit Fox! https://secure.defenders.org/site/SPageNavigator/wagc_kitfox.html
• More information about the 1998 Recovery Plan: https://ecos.fws.gov/docs/recovery_plan/980930a.pdf
• Get involved to protect San Joaquin Valley: http://www.carangeland.org/get-involved/http://www.carangeland.org/get-involved/

References:

"Basic Facts about San Joaquin Kit Foxes." Defenders of Wildlife. Defenders of Wildlife, n.d. Web. 5 Nov. 2017.

Brown, N.L, C.D Johnson, P.A Kelly, and D.F Williams. "San Joaquin Kit Fox - Vulpes Macrotis Mutica." Endangered Species Recovery Program. CSU Stanislaus, Endangered Species Recovery Program, n.d. Web.

Endangered Species Facts (2010): n. pag. Endangered Species Facts. U.S Environmental Protection Agency, Feb. 2010. Web.

“Keep Me Wild: Kit Fox." California Department of Fish and & Wildlife. Office of Communications, Education and Outreach, n.d. Web.

“Saving the San Joaquin Kit Fox." Center for Biological Diversity. Center for Biological Diversity, n.d. Web.

“San Joaquin Kit Fox: Vulpes Macrotis Mutica." Sacramento Fish & Wildlife Office. U.S Fish & Wildlife Service, 16 Sept. 2016. Web.