Answer. Rodenticides are a threat as well. Why is the Kit Fox endangered? The San Joaquin kit fox (Vulpes macrotis mutica) is an endangered species that lives only in the San Joaquin Valley of central California. 1994). Learn about the ways WWF works to conserve a future where people live in harmony with nature. The average male San Joaquin kit fox measures about 32 inches in length (of which 12 inches is the length of its tail). More than 95% of their potential habitat has been developed or converted to agricultural use. 1 decade ago. Swift fox facts The swift fox is a very small fox weighing only 4 to 6 pounds. State protection would afford this cute, keystone creature a better chance at surviving the California energy-development boom. It is an uncommon to rare, permanent resident of arid regions of the southern portion of California. There are so many reasons why this little fox can make a huge difference if wiped out. This publication is designed to help farmers avoid kit foxes. To defend the desert kit fox and its dry, scrubby, but ecologically vital habitat, in March 2013 the Center petitioned California to protect the desert kit fox as threatened under the California Endangered Species Act. Relevance. U.S.A. The San Joaquin kit fox (Vulpes macrotis mutica) is an endangered species that lives only in the San Joaquin Valley of central California. The little canid has seemed like a permanent member of the endangered species list through nearly half a century. Heather H. Lv 7. Rodenticides are a threat as well. Endangered Spec U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ies Facts San Joaquin Kit Fox Vulpes macrot is mutica . Natural mortality causes such as prey to coyotes, habitat quality, climate change, disease, starvation, droughts, and flooding add on to the reasons why they became endangered. It turns out summer is a bad time to survey plants, but San Joaquin kit foxes, the smallest foxes in North America, are most active at this time of the year. San Joaquin Kit Fox (1 MB PDF) from the California Dept. State protection would afford this cute, keystone creature a better chance at surviving the California energy-development boom. In 2004, each of the park's island fox subspecies were federally listed as endangered. In 1999, Channel Islands National Park began an island fox recovery program that included captive breeding and reintroduction of foxes, removal of resident golden eagles, re-establishment of bald eagles, and removal of non-native ungulates. The kit fox has very large ears.