July 26, 2023

San Joaquin Kit Fox: If Friend Shaped, Why Friend Endangered?

7,000

That's how many San Joaquin Kit Foxes are left, just 7,000.

At only 5 pounds, the San Joaquin Kit Fox is the smallest member of the dog family in North America.

As nocturnal animals (that spend most of the day in dens), kits have large ears, pigmented eyes, and hairy soles that make them well-adapted to the hot climate of their habitat.

The kit fox lives in California's San Joaquin Valley, home to desert and grasslands.

Their remaining habitat is in the southern and western areas of the valley. The kit fox's habitat was cut in half by 1930!

Carrizo Plain National Monument in western Kern County and the Tejon Ranch are the largest remaining intact habitats.

Fun Fact: Kit foxes start breeding at just 1 year old and only give birth to 2-6 pups at a time. The adult pair (kit parents) stay together for an entire year to take care of the pups.

Cause of Decline

Urban Development

Vehicle collisions and habitat fragmentation are the leading causes of the species' decline.

Oil & Gas Drilling

The harvesting of these resources has destroyed the habitat of San Joaquin Kit Foxes.

Agriculture and Farms

Pesticides and Rodenticides have killed both kit foxes and their prey in the Central Valley. Leaving not only the population in decline but the amount of food in decline for the surviving foxes. Meaning agriculture is both, directly and indirectly, killing off the species.

Additionally, the increase in livestock grazing has slowly chipped away at the available land for kit foxes. Coyote control has had no effect in saving the kit fox.

Coyotes

As prey to coyotes, kit foxes are being hunted by the animal while also being in competition for other food sources.

Fun Fact: If they've had an adequate amount of prey, San Joaquin Kit Foxes can go days without water.

So What & Why Care

Because. I. Said. So.

Now go to the 5 ways you can help section right now.

Was the angry kit fox not enough to convince you?

Well, kit foxes are vital for controlling the populations of insects, birds, reptiles, and small mammals. In order to maintain a healthy ecosystem kit foxes need to be protected.

The kit fox is referred to as an opportunistic hunter. Primary prey includes white-footed mice, pocket mice, ground squirrels, rabbits, ground-nesting birds, sometimes insects, and most importantly kangaroo rats.

Fun Fact: Kit foxes travel an average of 9 miles in search of prey. Would you walk that far for food?

Current Conservation Efforts

The San Joaquin Kit Fox was federally listed as endangered in 1967 and in California by 1971.

Approximately 152,809 acres (in 1987 and 2007) have been identified for kit fox protection, but the amount of land under actual protection is undetermined.

The 1998 San Joaquin Valley recovery plan has had minimal impact on helping reduce the decline of the species.

$14 million in federal conservation grants have been used to purchase habitat to protect the San Joaquin Kit Fox in eastern Contra Costa County.

A notice of intent to sue the Bureau of Land Management was filed in 2009 after the department approved a new oil and gas lease in a sensitive kit fox habitat. Another notice of intent against the California Department of Pesticide Regulation was filed in 2013 as unintended poisings continued to kill off San Joaquin kit foxes and their prey.

There was a petition in 2010 for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to designate critical habitat for the species but nothing was done.

However, despite these efforts, the species is still declining.

How Geospatial Tools Can Help

Geospatial tools are crucial for finding habitats with level loose-textured soil that allows for denning. San Joaquin Kit Foxes are den animals and must live in areas that accommodate that.

Establishing critical habitat for the kit fox is absolutely key to stopping its spiral toward extinction,” said Ileene Anderson, a biologist with the [Center for Biological Diversity]. “Existing conservation mechanisms are clearly not working. The Fish and Wildlife Service has the obligation to protect crucial lands so kit foxes can survive and recover.”

Fun Fact: Kit foxes dig more than 60 different dens a year to keep predators guessing.

How You Can Help!

1. Are you a homeowner in San Joaquin?

Please make sure to:

Use wildlife-resistant containers

Secure lids on trash cans

Use simple but effective deterrent methods

Keep your furry friends inside at night
Secure chicken coops with fencing
Eliminate potential den sites (after confirming the space is unused!)

Use wildlife-smart landscaping

Remove bird feeders from the yard and plant native flowers instead
Pick up fallen fruit and cover compost piles
DO NOT feed other wildlife

Find more tips here.

2. Donate to the Endangered Kit Fox Project

$2,000,000 have been secured for kit fox habitat restoration. Please join the cause and donate, even if it's just $5.

Donate Now

3. Buy Items off the SaveAFox Rescue Amazon Wishlist

I understand not knowing where your money goes when donating can be frustrating, so here's an alternative! You'll know exactly what your money was used for with this option. There are also lots of affordable options if you want to spend less than $10.

Amazon Wishlist

YouTube

4. Sponsor Poblano and Jalapeno

That's right, I'm making y'all open your wallets. These kit fox brothers are at the Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center. Create a more personal connection with a species and sponsor these brothers today!

Sponsor Now

5. Spread Awareness, Starting with Your Little Ones

I've noticed some of you are older and maybe have kids, nieces/nephews, or friends with little ones. Please look into purchasing one of these books and educate our youth on kit foxes! Inspiring our youth can help increase awareness and action for the next generation.