Kit Fox
Description:
Kit foxes (Vulpes macrotis) belong to the family Canidae, which also includes wolves, coyotes, red foxes and Gray foxes. It is the smallest member of the canid family in North America. Mature adults measure 15 to 20 inches in length with a 9 to 12 inch long tail. They stand 11 to 12 inches high at the shoulder, and adults weigh from 3 to 4 pounds. The color of the kit fox is pale gray, tan or sandy with a slightly darker back. It has a cream colored throat, belly and inner ears. A black or brown patch is always located up each side of the muzzle, and the tail has a dark tip.
Habitat:
Kit fox habitat is usually sparsely vegetated flat areas in the desert or prairie. The low growing shrubby communities provide excellent cover for the kit fox. Being nocturnal, kit foxes emerge from their dens at sundown to hunt. Moving in irregular pattern, they hunt in thick vegetation. Rolling hills and gully washes offer additional cover for both travel and hunting.
Diet:
Even though kit foxes are in the order Carnivora, they are opportunistic omnivores. Black-tailed jackrabbits, cottontails and kangaroo rats are the main food items eaten by kit foxes; but they also eat grasshoppers, horned toads, lizards, rodents, ground nesting birds, grasses and fruits. Water is obtained from the body fluids of their prey.
Interesting Facts:
Unlike myths that portray the kit fox as skittish, shy and wary, many observers report them to be curious and alert. This behavior frequently puts them at risk when they inhabit areas near human populations. Because their home range is typically dry and hot, water and energy conservation is a high priority. Kit foxes avoid high daytime temperatures by limiting most of their activities to the cool nights.
