San Joaquin Kit Fox - Benjamin Holland

San Joaquin Kit Fox

(Vulpes macrotis mutica)

Photo by Defenders of Wildlife

Summarize Description and Ecology of Organism

Photo by Mark Chappell

The San Joaquin kit fox, the smallest member of the canid species (dog-like mammals), measures on average a foot and a half and weighs about five pounds.  Though it has a small body, it has large ears that measure nearly three to four inches long which allow the kit fox to have outstanding hearing and effectively disperse heat.  Depending on the season, the fox’s fur color changes between tan, during the summer, and gray, during the winter.  Typically, the San Joaquin kit fox feeds on small rodents such as mice, rats, and squirrels, along with rabbits and some plants.  In the wild, they usually live for seven to years and begin to mate about a year after being born.

Geographic and Population Changes

Image by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Until the 1930s, the San Joaquin kit fox roamed a majority of the San Joaquin Valley and, though there is no official statistic of historical populations, they were fairly common and could be found most places in the Central Valley; however, over the years as communities have expanded and human populations have grown exponentially, the foxes' population has begun to dwindle and, as of now, there are estimated to be less than 7,000 of these foxes alive today.  This fox relies on different shelters and dens for living and housing themselves and their offspring throughout the year.  Typically, they will either move into a different animal's den that has been abandoned or dig their own.  This helps the fox to avoid predators and high temperatures in the arid landscapes they live in.  The fox constantly changes their den and moves around their biome.  Some scientists estimate that a single fox will move between up to thirty shelters in a year and hypothesize that this is in order to avoid one of their main predators, the coyote.  The San Joaquin kit fox has been referred to as an umbrella species which means that their preferred habitat is the same as many other species who are currently endangered or at risk of endangerment.  Because of this, helping to protect the kit fox's habitat will inherently help protect the other species as well.  

Listing Date, Type, Cause and Main threats to its continued existence

Photo by Alamy

In 1967, under the Endangered Species Act of 1966, the San Joaquin kit fox was listed by the federal government as an endangered species and highlighting that this fox was "threatened with extinction." California followed and in 1971, added the San Joaquin kit fox the  

California Endangered Species Act.  Finally, in 1983, it was added to the Upland Species of the San Joaquin Valley Recovery Plan.

Initially the San Joaquin kit fox was listed as an endangered species due to its population declining from a boom in development during the 1930s which replaced a large portion of the fox's habitat with land for agricultural and industrial and causing the remaining habitat to become fragmented.  Along with the lack of inhabitable area for the kit fox, as human population has grown, so have interactions with humans which have led to many kit foxes being hit by cars, shot, or poisoned.  Over time, there have been many efforts to help the fox recover its population and be removed from the endangered species list, yet even with it being watched over for the past fifty years, the San Joaquin kit fox remains endangered.

Description of Recovery Plan

Image by the Los Padres Forestwatch

Though the San Joaquin kit fox has been identified as endangered for many years, it's population still remains relatively low and it's status has remained endangered for years.  The main plan for recovery established in the "Upland Species of the San Joaquin Valley Recovery Plan" is to protect habitat and set up conservation areas across the Central Valley.  Given that the San Joaquin kit fox has a wide range and inhabits a majority of the regions in the valley, they are seen as an umbrella species and by protecting them, it will also help other species at risk in the Central Valley.  Because of this, the fox is given higher priority in conservation efforts and its betterment has a greater effect than on just its population and many organizations have acquired land in order to save it as an area to not be developed.  Along with preserving land from being developed, other methods have been researched such as relocation to different areas, providing additional food, and controlling the population of coyotes, a main predator of the kit fox; however, they haven't proved to be as effective.  As of right now, conservationists are mainly focusing their energy on preserving land and preventing development in crucial regions inhabited by the San Joaquin kit fox and focusing on three main populations located in the San Luis Obispo County, western Kern County, and between west Fresno county and east San Benito county.  While this recovery plan has been slow going and this fox has remained on the list of endangered species for many years, there are many studies that have been conducted and that are being conducted to better understand how to save the San Joaquin kit fox.

What can you do?

Photo by California Dept. of Fish and Wildlife

A big issue with kit foxes arises when the animal, which is typically fearful and cautious, loses this fear and begin to venture into cities and towns which can lead to many more dangers for foxes.  In order to prevent this, it is best to limit contact with the animals and not provide them with any incentive for venturing towards an urban area.  A great way to do this is through not feeding the animals.  Though they hunt for their own food, if easier food is available they will consume whatever is easiest.  In order to prevent this, you can:

-Keep pet food inside and eliminate water sources

-Not leave bird feeders out when they can’t be watched

-Pick up and dispose of fruit that has fallen from trees

Image by WildlifeHelp

-Lock garbage and other food waste

Often times kit foxes and other wild animals eat from poison traps meant to kill rodents and end up dying because of it.  It is imperative not to leave any poison traps outside in areas inhabited by kit foxes.

One final way that you can make a difference and prevent the San Joaquin kit fox from danger is by putting away nets.  When the foxes do eventually venture into more urban environments they sometimes get caught in soccer, volleyball, and other nets lying around which can result in their injury and death.

Works Cited/Other resources

• San Joaquin Kit Fox, Center for Biological Diversity, www.biologicaldiversity.org/species/mammals/San_Joaquin_kit_fox/index.html. March 6th, 2018
• Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife. “Species Profile for San Joaquin Kit Fox (Vulpes Macrotis Mutica).” Species Profile for San Joaquin Kit Fox (Vulpes Macrotis Mutica), ecos.fws.gov/ecp0/profile/speciesProfile?spcode=A006. Febraruy 20th, 2018
• U.S. Enviornmental Protection Agency, "Endangered Species Facts: San Joaquin kit fox." February 2010
• U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, "Recovery Plan for Upland Species", 1992, https://ecos.fws.gov/docs/recovery_plan/980930a.pdf, March 6th, 2018
• “Keep Me Wild: Kit Fox.” California Department of Fish and Wildlife, www.wildlife.ca.gov/Keep-Me-Wild/Kit-Fox.
• Patton, A. 2008. "Vulpes macrotis" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed March 08, 2018 at http://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Vulpes_macrotis/
• “San Joaquin Kit Fox.” Los Padres ForestWatch, 2 Feb. 2018, lpfw.org/our-region/wildlife/san-joaquin-kit-fox/.
• “1967 Endangered Species List.” Conserving the Nature of America, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 11 Mar. 1967, www.fws.gov/en+dangered/species/faq-first-species-listed.html.
• “Endangered Species Recovery Program.” EXECUTIVE SUMMARY, esrp.csustan.edu/publications/pubhtml.php?doc=sjvrp&file=execsum.html.