True foxes belong to the genus Vulpes, within which we recognize 12 different species. These mammals live mainly in the northern latitudes of America, Asia, Europe and also Africa. Although they are classified as carnivores, their diet is actually omnivorous and very varied. Foxes are generally the smallest canids of the group.
In this AnimalPlanet fact sheet, we would like to introduce you to the kit fox (Vulpes macrotis), a special species also known as Kit fox.Read on to learn about kit fox characteristics, habits, and conservation status.
Origin
- America
- United States
- Mexico
Characteristics of the Miniature Fox
The kit fox is a real fox and as such has characteristics that set it apart from other fox species. Let's take a look at the characteristics of the kit fox:
- Among the canines of North America, it is the smallest of the group. Not including the tail, the kit fox is about half a meter long.
- The tail is between 0.25 and 0.35 meters long.
- Males are slightly larger than females.
- The weight is between 1.6 and 2.7 kg.
- The kit fox's most distinctive feature are its large ears, which measure between 7 and 9 cm and are set very close together on the head. These are very useful because they allow them to dissipate heat and have extraordinary hearing.
- The color of the kit fox can vary from yellowish to gray, the dorsal area being generally darker, while the limbs and the inner area of the ears are lighter.
- As is common with foxes, the kit fox also has distinctive spots on its face and at the end of its tail.
How many types of kit fox are there?
For some time, the species Vulpes velox (swift fox) and Vulpes macrotis (mini fox) were thought to be identical, but molecular studies have established that they are different.
On the other hand, up to 8 kit fox subspecies have also been proposed, but on which there is no consensus. However, there is significant agreement on the recognition of a subspecies called Vulpes macrotis mutica, occurring in the San Joaquin Valley of California, and the grouping of the other species into the subspecies Vulpes macrotis macrotis.Currently, these taxonomic aspects have not been formalized.
Mini Fox Habitat
The kit fox is native to Mexico and the United States. Its range includes the Baja California Peninsula, northern Sonora and Chihuahua, as well as western Nuevo León and as far north as Zacatecas. In the second case, it is present in southern California, western Colorado and Texas, and from north to south in Oregon and Idaho.
In this sense, kit fox habitat includes both arid and semi-arid areas, desert-like scrubland, chaparral, and grassland. It prefers areas with low ground cover and likes to live between 400 and 1,900 meters above sea level.
Habits of the Miniature Fox
Now that you know where the kit fox lives and what its main characteristics are, let's see how it lives and what its habits are.This fox is mainly nocturnal or possibly crepuscular. He spends his day in the den, especially when it is too hot. It tends to share its den with members of its family, and since it is not a territorial species, it is common for the dens of several kit fox families to overlap.
It generally establishes development zones that vary between 2.5 and 11.5 km. During the night, it can cover an area which can go up to 14 km2. Burrows are essential for foxes because they shelter from the heat, they maintain humidity and it is also the place where they rest, protect and where they raise their young. Thus, the kit fox can make its own den or steal that of other animals, which it modifies and adapts. Over the course of a year, they are able to use up to 11 dens spread across their territory.
Furthermore, and this is a curious fact about foxes, kit foxes, like all species, communicate mainly by means of certain vocalizations, which they perceive thanks to their acute hearing.
Kit fox diet
Although, like all foxes, it is included in the order of carnivorous animals, it actually follows an omnivorous diet. This is what the kit fox eats:
- Prairie Dog
- Kangaroo Rat
- Black-tailed hare
- Rabbit
- Carrion
- Insects
- Lizards
- Snakes
- Landbirds
- Tomatoes
- Various fruits
In the following article we talk more in depth about what foxes eat.
Reproduction of the miniature fox
The kit fox is generally a monogamous animal, so it tends to keep the same partner all its life. So when the time has come for a female to become independent, she searches for her den, in which she will later host her mate.
Mating takes place once a year from October and November, while births take place from December to March. Gestation lasts between 49 and 55 days. Litters range from 1 to 9 cubs, with the usual average being 4. Foxes, whether they are common foxes or other species, are animals that invest time in raising their offspring. Their young are weaned around 3 months.
A particular characteristic is that females delay their independence from the family group for up to a year in order to help in the upbringing and care of newborns, indeed it has been observed that foxes are protectors of foxes that are not their own.
Conservation status of the kit fox
" The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classifies the kit fox as Least Concern, but the species is subject to special considerations in some areas.For example, in Mexico it is considered vulnerable, in San Joaquin (USA) it is classified as endangered, while in California it is classified as threatened."
Among the threats to the kit fox is its commercialization as a pet, which is totally inappropriate, since it is a wild animal. Also, in some parts of the United States, it is bred for the terrible use of its fur. However, in both countries, certain actions are taken for the conservation of the animal, such as the prohibition of its use in the fur industry and its development in protected areas.
Pictures of Dwarf fox or Kit fox
