Diet

What does the Kit Fox eat?

Kit fox are primarily carnivores which will feed on rodents, pikas, birds, jackrabbits, insects and reptiles such as snakes or lizards. Occasionally they will feed on fruit.

These animals obtain much of their water from their food and can go for periods without free water. When it is available they will drink.

Learn more about the Kit Fox in this video from CDFW on YouTube

Range

Where do you find the Kit Fox?

North America is the native home of the kit fox. Here they can be found in Mexico and the southern United States.

In the US they occur in the following states - Utah, Texas, Oregon, New Mexico, Nevada, Idaho, California, Arizona and Colorado.

In some areas their range will overlap with that of the related swift fox. In some areas it is thought they interbreed.

Habitat

Where can the Kit Fox survive?

They are found in arid and semi-arid habitats including areas of shrubland, grassland and savanna. They also use agricultural areas such as orchards.

These animals will seek shelter in a den. They may dig this themselves or they may taken over a den dug by a species such as the prairie dog, badgers or ground squirrels. Some have been found sheltering in man-made structures such as storm drains.

Where they dig their own burrow it is formed among a creosote bush or other plant to make it more stable.

Credit: Public Domain

Reproduction

How does the Kit Fox produce its young?

New pairs mostly form during October and November ahead of the breeding season during December and January.

A female will give birth to a litter of between 4 and 5 young known as cubs following the 49-55 day gestation period. Large litters may include up to 9 cubs. She will give birth in a den. During the time she is suckling the young she does not leave the den and relies on the male to bring her food.

Young can leave the den after three or four months and begin to move around the territory with their parents.

Female cubs have been observed to delay their movement away from the birth den to help raise the next litter of cubs.

Behavior

What does the Kit Fox do during its day?

These animals will maintain a territory. This is variable in size across their range. Animals which live in deserts require a larger territory as it needs to contain enough food for them to feed.

Pairs will often live together but the bonds holding them together are loose and pairs regularly split up and join with other partners.

Despite living together they will often separate to feed.

Kit foxes are primarily nocturnal. This allows them to avoid the heat of the day and the predators which are active by day.

Credit: Public Domain

Predators and Threats

What stops the Kit Fox from surviving and thriving?

Natural predators of the kit fox include coyotes.

Food competition also has a major impact on their survival. Competitors include bobcats, other foxes such as the red fox and birds such as the golden eagle.

Numbers of the kit fox are decreasing across their range. No major studies have been conducted on the full population size of the kit fox.

A major threat to the survival of the kit fox is habitat conversion. They are seeing their habitat converted for use in agriculture and also for housing developments. An emerging threat is the increase in commercial solar developments.

An increase in road development through their range is seeing an increase in reports of vehicle strikes.

Small numbers are captured for sale in to the pet trade. Some are also harvested for their fur.

Another emerging threat is mange which is a disease that often proves fatal.

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Quick facts

This species has been subject to many studies in to their taxonomy and the number of subspecies which occur. It is commonly agreed that the population found in San Joaquin Valley of California and isolated from others will warrant subspecific designation as, V. m. mutica. At present the most widely accepted taxonomy lists two species.

Credit: Public Domain