English Name: -(small) Kit-Fox / San Joaquin Kit Fox (be carefull, in old publications he is also called a sand fox (vulpes pallida))

other names

Ger:
-Kitfuchs
-(be carefull, in old publications he is also called a Großohrfuchs(Octocyos megalotis))
Frz:
-Renard vèloce
Russ:
-Amerikanskij korsak
US:
-wolf fox
-often called Sand fox (but that's Vulpes pallida)

Group

-Vulpes (real foxes)

Lathin Name:

- Vulpes macrotis mutica (San Joaquim Kit Fox)/ Vulpes macrotis neomexicanus / Vulpes velox macrotis(San Joaquim Kit Fox)

-Vulpes macrotis macrotis

appearance:

-redfoxlike, ears huge, coloring more pale.
-average body length of 51(35-45) cm (20 inches) (w/o tail)
-tail length of 30,5(20-30) cm (12 inches)
-stand between 22,5 cm (9 inches) and 30,5(25-30) cm (12 inches) at the shoulder J (Grinnell et al. 1937, Hall and Kelson 1959, in brackets: Prof.Dr.Dr.H.Dathe/Dr.P. Schöps 1986)
-average weight of adult males is 2,210 kg(1,5-3) (4.9 LB) (Grinnell et al. 1937, in brackets: Prof.Dr.Dr.H.Dathe/Dr.P. Schöps 1986 1986).
-ears conspicuously large and covered on the inner side by dense, stiff white hairs that almost cover the auricle opening.
-Summer pelage of adults ranges between lightly buff to buffy gray dorsally and white ventrally; winter pelage is grizzled gray dorsally rusty to buffy yellow laterally and white ventrally.
-long cylindrical tail is light buff to buffy gray and has a conspicuous black tip (Grinnell et al. 1937, Hall and Kelson 1959)
-The comparatively large ears of this otherwise small fox are conspicious. It is almost exclusively nocturnal, and it can run quickly on short stretches if it is being pursued; and it can follow a zigzag course at great speeds, hence the name swift.(Vulpes velox hebes = swift-fox)
-A graceful and slender animal with large ears. Its coat is grayish-yellow above and white underneath; the round bushy tail is black-tipped, total length is 20 inches, weight 3 to 5 pounds.

Geographic Range:

-Southwestkanada, western part of the USA to Northmexico.
-In 1969 the San Joaquin Kit Fox could be found from Los Banos, Merced Country, on the west side of the valley, and White River south of Porterville, Tulare Country, on the east side, south to Kern and San Luis Obispo countries.
-Surveys between 1972 and 1975 extended the known contemporary range of the Kit Fox into Monterey, Contra Coasta, Alameda, San Joaquin, Santa Clara, Santa Barbara and Stainislause countries (Jensen 1972, Morrell 1975 Swick 1973b, Waithman 1974).
-By 1975 adjusted estimates based on an average of a 48% population decline was experienced in seven countries where acreage losses were quantifiable.
- range is in extreme western Utah and into desert areas of Nevada and Arizona but reports and indications that this species expanding its range; may rarely occur near Capitol Reef.

Habitat:

-Tundra, Taiga, Wälder, Parc- and Kulturlandschaft bis 1800m
-Preferred habitats include areas where soils are relatively stone free to depths of about 1 to 1.5 m (3 to 4.5 ft). The flat topography of valley bottoms was the preferred original habitat ( Grinnell et al. 1937), but substantial populations have always inhabited the surrounding foothills where slopes do not exceed ( Morrell 1972, O'Farrell and McCue 1981, O'Farrell et al. 1980).
-open prairie east of the Rocky Mountains from Canada to Texas, as well as the semi-arid and coastal regions from California to northern Mexico.
-The San Joaquin Kit Fox is a State and Federally listed endangered species because of its limited range in the southern San Joaquin Valley and surrounding foothills.
-Ecosystem: Desert and Chaparral.

Behaviour:

Activity: Nightactive. (Most activities commence near sunset and continue sporadically throughout the night (Morrell 1972). )
- Kit Foxes are essentially nocturnal although some diural activity takes place around the den especially when puppies are present (Egoscue 1956, Morrell 1972).
-Kit foxes are active above ground throughout the year (Morrell 1972).
-mature vixens return to large, multiple-hole natal or pupping dens, and clean and enlarge them ( Morrell 1972)
-Some pairs remain monogamous, and may mate for life, while others change partners frequently ( Egoscue 1956, 1962; Morrell 1972)
-Pups do not emerge above ground until they are one month old at which time they have probably been weaned ( Egoscue 1956, Morrell 1972).
-The fox digs its own den in sandy soil, or it takes advantage of the extensive prairie dog towns and silver fox dens.
-cooperation of the male fox in the reating of the young
-The natal or pupping den is large with multiple entrances and several chambers. They may use 60+ den sites in the course of a year, it keeps the coyotes guessing! Timid and curious, some foxes are seen around urban and agricultural areas.

Reproduction

- Mating: Sep.- Oct. dogs join the vixens in October and November (Dec-Feb, in south earlier acc. to Prof.Dr.Dr.H.Dathe/Dr.P. Schöps 1986)
- birth after: 49 to 55 days (51-62)
- birth-time: Feb.-Apr. (late February or early March ( Egoscue 1962, Morrell 1972)/ Jan.-Feb.)
- litter size: 1-7 (normal: 4-5(3-5))
- weaned after: 10 weeks
- grown up in: 22 or more months ( Morrell 1972) / 7 month (acc. to Prof.Dr.Dr.H.Dathe/Dr.P. Schöps 1986)
- Vixens are monestrous and have only one litter per year.
- young become independent in the course of the summer
- leave parental territory in the autumn.

Food Habits:

-carnivorous
-Major prey items (identified in scats and prey remains around dens): Kangaroo rats, black-tailed hares, and desert cotton tails (Grinnell et al. 1937, Hawbecker 1943, Knapp 1978, Laughrin 1970, Morrell 1972).
-several other species of small mammals such as Pocket Mice, Deer Mice, Western Harvest Mice, California Ground Squirrel, Antelope Squirrels, birds, a few reptiles, insects, and perhaps some vegetable material ( Grinnell et al. 1937, Haubecker 1943, Knapp 1978, Laughrin 1970, Morrell 1972)
-In captivity, other subspecies of adult Kit Fox consume about 175 g ( 6 oz ) of fresh meat per day and sub-adults require about 85 g ( 3 oz) ( Egoseue 1962, Weigand 1965).
-In agricultural areas, however, desert cottontails may be the main food ( Knapp 1978).
-San Juaquin Kit Fox are thought to satisfy their water requirements from their prey and do not need sources of drinking water ( Egoscue 1956, Morrell 1972).
- Like all foxes, the kit fox takes advantage of a wide variety of foods. Grasshopper mice (Onychomys) and western chipmunks (Eutamias) play an important dietary role; insects, ground-brooding birds, and vegetable matter round the diet out.
-Generally carnivorous, they prey on kangaroo rats, pocket mice, rabbits, reptiles and insects. Kit fox are prey to coyotes, bobcats and eagles.

Specialities :

-The kit fox digs its own den.

others :

- -Enemies: The Joaquin Kit Foxes are killed by: coyotes, probably by golden eagles ( Grinnell et al. 1937, Knapp 1978).
-They die of starvation in years of poor prey availability (Morrell 1972).
-Some desert Kit Fox have also suffocated after being trapped in den cave-ins ( O'Farrell and Gilbertson 1979).
-Morality resulting from human activities appears to be significant, and deaths from automobiles are the greatest source of reported mortality ( Morrell 1975).
-Kit Foxes are shot indiscriminately, taken in traps set for other fur bearers, trapped and suffocated in dens during land-clearing, impacted by off road vehicles ( ORU's), and poisoned after consuming poisoned rodents or toxic bait placed to kill rodents and lagornarphs ( Grinnell et al. 1937, Hegdalet al. 1979, Jenson 1972, Laughrin 1970, Morell 1972, 1975, Swick 1973 ).
-In the case of many of these foxes, we know very little of their interrelationships, their precis distribution, their ecology, and their behavior. None of them exhibits the multi-faceted adaptation to the environment, or the wide distribution, of the red fox.

-In former times, a distinction was drawn between two species: the swift fox (Vulpes velox hebes) in the Eastern portion of the range, and the kit fox (Vulpes macrotis mutica) in the Western portion of the range. Since both are geographically represented in the same range, and apart from the kit fox's somewhat lighter coat color, very difficult to distinguish, they are now classified as one species, with a number of varerities
-Blood Characteristics of San Joaquin kit fox (Vulpes velox macrotis) at Camp Roberts Army National Guard Training Site, California (by: William G. Standley and Patrick M. McCue.)

ABSTRACT: Hematology, serum chemistry, and prevalence of antibodies against selected pathogens in a San Joaquin kit fox population (Vulpes velox macrotis) were investigated at Camp Roberts Army National Guard Training Site, California, in 1989 and 1990. Samples from 18 (10 female, 8 male) adult kit foxes were used to establish normal hematology and serum chemistry values for this population. Average values were all within the normal ranges reported for kit foxes in other locations. Three hematology parameters had significant differences between male and female values; males had higher total white blood cell and neutrophil counts, and lower lymphocyte counts. There were no significant differences between serum chemistry values from male and female foxes. Prevalence of antibodies was determined from serum samples from 47 (26 female, 21 male) adult kit foxes and 8 (4 female, 4 male) juveniles. Antibodies were detected against five of the eight pathogens tested: canine parvovirus, Toxoplasma gondii, Leptospira interrogans, canine distemper virus, and canine hepatitis virus. Antibodies were not detected against Brucella canis, Coccidioides immitis, or Yersinia pestis.
(1992. U. S. Dept. of Energy Topical Report, EG&G/EM Santa Barbara Operations Report No. EGG 10617-2160. 17 pp. Reprints are available from the National Technical Information Service, U.S. Department of Commerce, 5285 Port Royal Road, Springfield, VA 22161. )
-State-listed Threatened in California and Federally listed Endangered

Links

San Joaquin Kit Fox.

Mammals of Socorro County, New Mexico (Kit Fox).

Kit Fox (Vulpes macrotis) and Swift Fox (Vulpes velox) Bibliography