34-470: Kitfox or kit fox may refer to: Kit fox , a North American mammal species Kitfox Games , a Canadian computer games developer Kit Fox Hills , a mountain range in California, United States Denney Kitfox , an American kit-built aircraft design Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with
68-532: A 74% mortality rate in pups within the first year. Fennec fox The fennec fox ( Vulpes zerda ) is a small crepuscular fox native to the deserts of North Africa, ranging from Western Sahara and Mauritania to the Sinai Peninsula . Its most distinctive feature is its unusually large ears, which serve to dissipate heat and listen for underground prey. The fennec is the smallest fox species. Its coat, ears, and kidney functions have adapted to
102-664: A fox kit at around 40 km/h in front of the car, but the fox was easily exhausted. Kit foxes are opportunistic omnivores and scavengers , possibly regulated by prey abundance, but primarily carnivorous . In the Californian deserts, its primary prey is Merriam's kangaroo rat ( Dipodomys merriami ). Other common prey species include lagomorphs , rodents and insects . Kit foxes also consume birds, reptiles, carrion, fish, and rarely, plant material, such as tomatoes ( Lycopersicon esculentum ), cactus fruits ( Carnegiea gigantea ) and other fruits. Different kit fox families can occupy
136-460: A single chamber. Captive individuals reside in family groups consisting of several members. Fennec foxes exhibit playful behavior, especially among younger individuals. The fennec fox is omnivorous, feeding on small rodents , lizards ( geckos and skinks ), small birds and their eggs, insects, fruits, leaves , roots and also some tubers . It relies on the moisture content of prey, but drinks water when available. It hunts alone and digs in
170-447: A small basis, and can even inhabit urban areas. They are found at elevations of 400 to 1,900 meters (1,300 to 6,200 ft) above sea level. Kit foxes are mostly nocturnal and sometimes crepuscular; they escape heat stress during the day by resting in underground dens. Kit foxes normally forage on their own. Kit foxes are not exceptionally territorial, preferring to live in pairs or small groups of relatives. Dens are used during
204-400: A trait that improves traction on loose sandy surfaces as well as protection against extreme temperatures; muzzles and vibrissae are generally black to brown. The tail is bushy and gray, with a black tip, and the caudal gland has a pronounced black spot. Unlike the gray fox , it has no stripe along the length of its tail. Its color ranges from yellow to gray, and the back is usually darker than
238-477: Is a clear need for more subspecific clarification, most available data suggest that kit foxes in the San Joaquin Valley of California are likely to warrant a subspecific designation, V. m. mutica , due to geographical isolation, and that any other kit foxes may be included in a second subspecies, V. m. macrotis . The endangered San Joaquin kit fox ( Vulpes macrotis mutica ) was formerly very common in
272-471: Is a fox species that inhabits arid and semi-arid regions of the southwestern United States and northern and central Mexico. These foxes are the smallest of the four species of Vulpes occurring in North America and are among the smallest of the vulpines worldwide. It has also been called a North American counterpart of the fennec fox due to its large ears. Some mammalogists classify it as conspecific with
306-450: Is distributed throughout the Sahara, from Morocco and Mauritania to northern Sudan , through Egypt and its Sinai Peninsula . It inhabits small sand dunes and vast treeless sand areas with sparse vegetation such as grasses, sedges and small shrubs. Fennec foxes are primarily nocturnal, displaying heightened activity during the cooler nighttime hours. This behaviour helps them escape
340-602: Is southwestern Colorado. It can be found south through Nevada, Utah, southeastern California, Arizona, New Mexico, and into western Texas. Kit foxes inhabit arid and semi-arid regions encompassing desert scrub , chaparral , halophytic regions, and grasslands . Generally, areas with sparse ground cover are favored. Vegetation habitats vary with the regional fauna, but some examples are sagebrush Artemisia tridentata and saltbrush Atriplex polycarpa . Loose textured soils may be prioritized for denning. Kit Foxes can also be found in agricultural areas, in particular orchards, on
374-510: Is the smallest canid species. Females range in head-to-body size from 34.5 to 39.5 cm (13.6 to 15.6 in) with a 23–25 cm (9.1–9.8 in) long tail and 9–9.5 cm (3.5–3.7 in) long ears, and weigh 1–1.9 kg (2.2–4.2 lb). Males are slightly larger, ranging in head-to-body size from 39 to 39.5 cm (15.4 to 15.6 in) with a 23–25 cm (9.1–9.8 in) long tail and 10 cm (3.9 in) long ears, weighing at least 1.3 kg (2.9 lb). The fennec fox
SECTION 10
#1732859269043408-510: The San Joaquin Valley and through much of Central California . Its 1990 population was estimated to be 7,000. This subspecies is still endangered, after nearly 50 years of being on the Endangered Species List. Officially, this subspecies was listed March 3, 1967. On September 26, 2007, Wildlands Inc. announced the designation of the 684 acre (277 ha) Deadman Creek Conservation Bank, which is intended specifically to protect habitat of
442-426: The copulation tie lasts up to two hours and 45 minutes. Gestation usually lasts between 50 and 52 days, though sometimes up to 63 days. After mating, the male becomes very aggressive and protects the female, and provides her with food during pregnancy and lactation . Females give birth between March and June to a litter of one to four pups that open their eyes after 8 to 11 days. Both female and male care for
476-495: The desert environment with high temperatures and little water. It mainly eats insects , small mammals and birds . The fennec has a life span of up to 14 years in captivity and about 10 years in the wild. Its main predators are the Verreaux's eagle-owl , jackals and other large mammals. Fennec families dig out burrows in the sand for habitation and protection, which can be as large as 120 m (1,300 sq ft) and adjoin
510-501: The swift fox , V. velox , but molecular systematics indicate that the two species are distinct. Interbreeding between the two species does occur where their ranges overlap (eastern New Mexico and western Texas), but this hybridization is quite restricted in scope. Subspecific designations for the species are not fully addressed. As many as eight subspecies have been recognized, although further analyzes have not found support for any subspecies differentiation. However, although there
544-565: The San Joaquin kit fox. However, the population continues to decline mostly due to heavy habitat loss. Other factors include competition from red foxes and the extermination of the wolf from California, which has left the coyote as the dominant meso-predator in kit fox territory, bringing an imbalance in ecosystem relationships. The kit fox is one of the smallest species of the family Canidae found in North America. It has large ears, between 71 and 95 mm (2.8 and 3.7 in), that help
578-410: The burrows of other families. Precise population figures are not known but are estimated from the frequency of sightings; these indicate that the fennec is currently not threatened by extinction. Knowledge of social interactions is limited to information gathered from captive animals. The fennec's fur is prized by the indigenous peoples of North Africa, and it is considered an exotic pet in some parts of
612-640: The causes. African horned owl species such as the Pharaoh eagle-owl prey on fennec fox pups. Anecdotal reports exist about caracals , jackals , and striped hyenas also preying on the fennec fox. But according to nomads, the fennec fox is fast and changes directions so well that even their Salukis are hardly ever able to capture it. In North Africa, the fennec fox is commonly trapped for exhibition or sale to tourists. Expansion of permanent human settlements in southern Morocco caused its disappearance in these areas and restricted it to marginal areas. As of 2015,
646-404: The coat vary geographically. In general, the dorsal color is grizzled or yellowish-gray. The grizzled appearance is the result of guard hairs that are typically black-tipped or with two black bands separated by a white band. The guard hairs are less than 50 millimetres (2.0 in) long, and particularly prominent in the middle of the back. The soles of the legs are protected by stiff tufts of hair,
680-565: The day, but sometimes can emerge to bask and, when pups are young, to play. In comparison to many canids that pants only at the resonant frequency of the thorax, kit foxes pants at a rate proportional to the ambient temperature before the rate exceeds the resonant frequency. In doing so, kit foxes exercise the economics of water at the cost of energy. The apparent velocity of kit foxes is essentially an illusion created by their limited size and cryptic coloration , and their incredible ability to evade and change directions. An accurate account clocked
714-478: The ears are whitish, but darker on the back. The ear to body ratio is the greatest in the canid family and likely helps in dissipating heat and locating vertebrates . It has dark streaks running from the inner eye to either side of the slender muzzle. Its large eyes are dark. The dental formula is 3.1.4.2 3.1.4.3 × 2 = 42 with small and narrow canines . The pads of its paws are covered with dense fur, which facilitates walking on hot, sandy soil. The fennec fox
SECTION 20
#1732859269043748-423: The entrance. The male seems to do most of the hunting during this period, and later, both parents provide food until the pups start to forage with them at three to four months of age. Survival and mortality rates of kit foxes can vary significantly year to year. In captivity, they have lived 10 to 12 years; while the average lifespan of a wild kit fox is 5.5 years. One Californian study of 144 kit fox pups showed
782-460: The extreme Saharan heat and reduces water loss through panting. A fennec fox digs its den in sand, either in open areas or places sheltered by plants with stable sand dunes . In compacted soils, dens are up to 120 m (1,300 sq ft) large, with up to 15 different entrances. In some cases, different families interconnect their dens, or locate them close together. In soft, looser sand, dens tend to be simpler with only one entrance leading to
816-612: The fennec fox is classified as Least concern on the IUCN Red List . It is listed in CITES Appendix II and is protected in Morocco and Western Sahara, Algeria, Tunisia and Egypt, where it has been documented in several protected areas. The fennec fox is bred commercially as an exotic pet . Commercial breeders remove the pups from their mother to hand-raise them, as tame foxes are more valuable. A breeders' registry has been set up in
850-431: The final selection is made. No nest as such is built, but new entrances and tunnels can be added to the den. As with most canids, copulation ends with a "tie" during which the penis is locked in the female's vagina. Females are monoestrous . Male and female kit foxes usually establish mating pairs during October and November, and they mate from December to January-February. Gestation lasts probably around 49–56 days, and
884-449: The fox dissipate heat and give it exceptional hearing (much like those of the fennec fox ). This species exhibits little sexual dimorphism , with the male being slightly larger. The average species weight is between 1.6 and 2.7 kg (3.5 and 6.0 lb). The body length is 455 to 535 mm (17.9 to 21.1 in), with a long tail (about 40% of total length), adding another 260–323 mm (10.2–12.7 in). The color and texture of
918-532: The litters are born in February or March; litter size is usually four or five, and the sex ratio is roughly even. They do not emerge from the den until they are at least four weeks old, and are weaned after about eight weeks and become independent at five to six months old. They become sexually mature at 10 months. Both parents take part in raising and protecting their young. Pups emerge from the den at about one month of age and spend several hours each day playing outside
952-412: The majority of its coat; its belly and inner ears are usually lighter. It has distinct dark patches around the nose. The ears are tan or gray on the back, turning to buff or orange at the base. The shoulders, the lower sides, the flanks, and the strip about 25 mm wide across the chest range in color from buffy to orange. The northernmost part of its range is the arid interior of Oregon. Its eastern limit
986-653: The pups. They communicate by barking, purring, yapping and squeaking. Pups remain in the family even after a new litter is born. The pups are weaned at the age of 61 to 70 days. Adults rear pups until they are around 16 to 17 weeks old. The oldest captive male fennec fox was 14 years old, and the oldest female 13 years. Captive fennec foxes are susceptible to canine distemper virus , displaying fever, mucopurulent ocular discharge, diarrhea , severe emaciation , seizures, generalized ataxia , severe dehydration , brain congestion, gastric ulcers and death. Stress because of capture and long-distance transportation are thought to be
1020-566: The same hunting grounds, but do not generally go hunting at the same time. Kit foxes are also known to cache food and eat human food. Black-tailed jackrabbits represent the upper size limit of prey. The kit fox is a socially monogamous species, and the mated pair remains together throughout the year. However, polygamous mating relationships have been observed. Female foxes begin searching for natal dens in September and October and usually usable dens are visited and cleaned of debris before
1054-675: The sand for small vertebrates and insects . Some individuals were observed to bury prey for later consumption and searching for food in the vicinity of human settlements. In the Algerian Sahara, 114 scat samples were collected that contained more than 400 insects, plant fragments and date palm ( Phoenix dactylifera ) fruits, remains of birds, mammals, squamata and insects. Fennec foxes mate for life. Captive fennec foxes reach sexual maturity at around nine months and mate between January and April. Female fennec foxes are in estrus for an average of 24 hours and usually breed once per year;
Kitfox - Misplaced Pages Continue
1088-474: The title Kitfox . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kitfox&oldid=1060010090 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Kit fox The kit fox ( Vulpes macrotis )
1122-407: The world. Its name comes from the species' Arabic name: fanak ( فَنَك ). The fennec fox has sand-colored fur which reflects sunlight during the day and helps keep it warm at night. Its nose is black and its tapering tail has a black tip. Its long ears have longitudinal reddish stripes on the back and are so densely haired inside that the external auditory meatus is not visible. The edges of
1156-420: The year for daytime resting, escaping predators, avoiding extreme heat, preserving moisture, and carrying and rearing young. Kit Foxes will dig their own dens, but they can also modify and use the burrows of badgers, ground squirrels, prairie dogs, and kangaroo rats. Dens are spread across the home range, and an individual fox usually uses more than 11 dens in a given year. They normally rest in their dens during
#42957