Saving the San Joaquin Kit Fox

Sami Jones
Bio 227-01

 San Joaquin Kit Foxes

Summarize Description and Ecology of Organism

https://www.flickr.com/photos/donaldquintana/14045774834

San Joaquin kit foxes are the smallest species of canine in North America. they have small, slender bodies and large, close set ears. Their bushy tails are tapered at the end, have long, lean legs and they typically measure about 30 centimeters tall. Average length and weight for adult males is 80.5 centimeters and 2.3 kilograms while that of females is 76.9 centimeters and 2.1 kilograms. Coat color varies between a gray silver and tan rust color depending on season and location. Kit foxes tend to live in arid grasslands and for the most part,  they become active at night.They used dens to hide from unstable conditions and predators, as well as to mate and give birth. They prey on various types of squirrels, mice and rats, hares and small ground nesting birds. 

Geographic and Population Changes 

http://esrp.csustan.edu/gis/

Kit foxes previously occupied most of the San Joaquin Valley. However, local surveys, research projects and individual sightings suggest they now inhabit some areas of the valley floor and the foothills surrounding costal ranges, Sierra Nevada and Tehachapi mountains. with in the valley their range extends from southern Kern County to the Alameda and San Joaquin counties on the west side and Stanislaus County on the east side. They also inhabit some patches of natural land throughout Fresno, Madera, Tulare, Kings, Kern and Merced as well as some river water sheds and interior costal ranges along the central coast. There is no historical documentation of kit fox populations and no comprehensive surveys have been done but is believed that their are fewer than 7000 kit foxes left in the valley. 

Listing Date and Type of Listing

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service listed the San Joaquin kit fox as endangered in 1967 and   the California Department of Fish and Wildlife listed them as threatened in 1971. The recovery plan was written in 1998 and the current status is still endangered.

Cause of listing and Main threats to its continued existence

http://www.fws.gov/sacramento/es_kids/San-Joaquin-Kit-Fox/es_kids_san-joaquin-kit-fox.htm

Kit fox populations are declining due to various reasons, both natural and human induced. Humans have had a large impact due to shooting, trapping, poisoning, roadkills, etc. However, the largest detriment to these foxes is the degradation, destruction and fragmentation of habitats as lands are being converted for agriculture and urban purposes. In addition, climate problems such as drought and flooding, as well as disease and invasion by competing species of red fox, have been connected with the decreasing population. It is likely that isolated populations may become extinctions.

Description of Recovery Plan

Protection of the kit fox is key because it is an umbrella species and therefore protecting it will, in turn, help to conserve the other species within it’s habitat. A key aspect to recovery is the conservation of three core populations within Kern County, San Luis Obispo County and between Fresno and San Benito Counties as well as the surrounding satellite populations. It is also necessary to establish links between populations so that foxes can move among them and repopulate areas more prone to local extinction.Another complimentary approach is to provide farmers with incentives to maintain suitable habitats on their land as well as the retirement of farmland to reduce and eliminate drainage issues. Doing both will provide bridges between populations and even potentially restored habitats. The second major aspect to recovery is to acquire recent and more relevant data regarding the species demographics and the interactions with other species. This information will make managing the community as a whole more efficient.

Personal Action

There are currently local organizations, such as Defenders of Wildlife, working toward recovery of the the kit fox. These organizations need support in order to keep up their research and conservation efforts. Click the link for more information on ways to take action.

Sources

<http://www.fws.gov/sacramento/es_kids/San-Joaquin-Kit-Fox/es_kids_san-joaquin-kit-fox.htm>

<http://ecos.fws.gov/tess_public/profile/speciesProfile?spcode=A006>

<http://ecos.fws.gov/docs/recovery_plan/980930a.pdf>

<http://www.defenders.org/magazine/fall-2014/worth-defending>

<http://www.fws.gov/sacramento/es_kids/San-Joaquin-Kit-Fox/es_kids_san-joaquin-kit-fox.htm><https://www.flickr.com/photos/donaldquintana/14045774834>

<http://esrp.csustan.edu/gis/>