San Joaquin Kit Fox
Vulpes macrotis mutica
Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Introduction
Status
Ecological Requirements
RCIS Regions: San Antonio Valley, Mid-Inner Coast Range
RCIS Natural Communities: Annual Grassland, Valley Oak Woodland, Blue Oak Woodland (CDFW 2020; USFWS 1998a)
Use and modify dens constructed by other mammals and human-made structures (culverts, roadbeds, etc.) for breeding and shelter (USFWS 1998a)
Prefer loose-textured sandy soils in open areas for burrowing and to support a suitable prey population (CDFW 2020; USFWS 1998a)<br />Can be found in heavily modified habitats such as irrigated pastures, vineyards, and grazed grasslands, and are known to live in and adjacent to towns (USFWS 1998a)
Nocturnal carnivore that requires a stable prey base consisting of kangaroo rats, California ground squirrels, insects, etc. (USFWS 1998a, 2010)<br />Requires large areas (average home range in Monterey County is 5,782 acres) of relatively undisturbed habitats with adequate connectivity (USFWS 2010)
Threats include vehicle-impact mortality, disease (e.g., canine distemper, parvovirus, and sarcoptic mange), and predation (USFWS 2010).
Full species account available: USFWS Recovery Plan for Upland Species of the Upland San Joaquin Valley, California (USFWS 1998a)
RCIS Conservation Target: High (wide ranging species, requires large home range)
Associated Non-Focal Species
Range and Modeled Habitat
Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment
San Joaquin kit fox (SJKF) is estimated to have an Overall Climate Change Vulnerability Score of “Less Vulnerable” under low emission scenarios (RCP4.5), and of “Moderately Vulnerable” under high emission scenarios (RCP8.5) (Stewart et al. 2016), as shown in Table 5 24.. By 2070–2099, approximately 26 to 99 percent of known occurrence locations may remain suitable, and potential suitable dispersal area could increase by approximately 13 to 33 percent (Stewart et al. 2016) (Table 5 24.). Species distribution models show stability and increases in habitat suitability for San Joaquin kit fox in the southern portions of the RCIS area.
Conservation Strategies
San Joaquin Kit Fox Goals, Objectives, and Actions
There are 29 proposed actions. For complete goals, objectives and actions explanations see the complete table of conservation strategies in the RCIS PDF.
Species Goals, Objectives, and Actions
Goal SJKF 1
Promote persistence of San Joaquin kit fox population in the RCIS area through protection, restoration, and enhancement of habitat and habitat corridors.Objective SJKF 1.1
Protect known occurrences and allow for expansion by protecting 107,000 acres of suitable habitat. Measure progress towards achieving this objective in the acres of habitat and adjacent/equivalent acres protected.Action SJKF 1.1.1
Acquire parcels with known breeding occurrences and suitable habitat for San Joaquin kit fox and adjacent dispersal habitat through fee title purchase or conservation easement. Focus acquisitions to protect or expand large blocks of land that are at least 10,000 acres in size (USFWS 2010).
Action SJKF 1.1.2
Acquire parcels to protect broad dispersal corridors (landscape linkages) through large landscape blocks supporting known breeding occurrences of San Joaquin kit fox and adjacent dispersal habitat through fee title purchase or conservation easement (USFWS 1998a, 2010). Focus acquisitions near Camp Roberts and Fort Hunter Liggett (Salinas-Pajaro Region) to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service -designated core populations in the Carrizo Plain Natural Area and San Joaquin Valley to enhance habitat connectivity (USFWS 1998a).
Objective SJKF 1.2
Enhance occupied and suitable San Joaquin kit fox habitat in the RCIS area. Measure progress towards achieving this objective in acres of habitat and adjacent/equivalent acres enhanced and occupied by San Joaquin kit fox. Habitat enhancements should focus on the Salinas-Pajaro Region, centered on Camp Roberts and Fort Hunter Liggett and corridors from this region to the Carrizo Plain and San Joaquin Valley (USFWS 1998a, 2010).Action SJKF 1.2.1
Support stable mammalian and insect prey populations by reducing small mammal eradication efforts (e.g., reducing rodenticide use) and modifying grazing practices (USFWS 2010)
Action SJKF 1.2.2
Conduct movement studies of San Joaquin kit fox to identify areas to improve population connectivity (USFWS 2010).
Action SJKF 1.2.3
Design new infrastructure projects, such as renewable energy facilities, to ensure maintenance of enough prey base, den sites, and habitat connectivity (USFWS 1998a).
Action SJKF 1.2.4
Manage suitable vegetation structure (e.g., mowing, revegetation with low-growing and less dense native plants, controlled grazing) to encourage San Joaquin kit fox occupancy.
Goal SJKF 2
Support stability and recovery of San Joaquin kit fox populations in the RCIS area through measures to reduce direct mortality factors.Objective SJKF 2.1
Reduce predation-related mortality factors. Measure progress towards achieving this objective by the reduction of predation-related San Joaquin kit fox deaths detected compared to present day.Action SJKF 2.1.1
When designing creation, restoration, or enhancement projects, consider creating different levels of vegetation cover to prevent competition (and possible predation) from coyotes and red fox (USFWS 2010). Dense shrub cover leads to increased vulnerability of San Joaquin kit fox to coyote detection (USFWS 2010). The two species consume similar prey but in different proportions. Reducing resource competition, by supporting sustainable prey populations, will reduce predation on the San Joaquin kit fox. (USFWS 2010).
Objective SJKF 2.2
Minimize vehicle-related mortality factors. Measure progress towards achieving this objective by the reduction of vehicle-related San Joaquin kit fox deaths detected.Action SJKF 2.2.1
Develop and install wildlife crossing infrastructure improvements in transportation corridors with high number of vehicle-related San Joaquin kit fox mortality.
Objective SJKF 2.3
Minimize pathogen-related mortality factors. Measure progress towards achieving this objective by the reduction of pathogen-related San Joaquin kit fox deaths detected.Action SJKF 2.3.1
Fund disease monitoring, surveillance, and testing of San Joaquin kit fox carcasses that are detected whose cause of death is attributed to pathogens such as canine distemper, parvovirus, and sarcoptic mange.
Regional Goals, Objectives, and Actions
Goal RC 1
Sustain resilient, connected natural communities for the full range of native species, habitats, and ecological functions in the RCIS area through the protection of large blocks of continuous habitat supporting sensitive species.Objective RC 1.1
Protect and preserve existing intact non-marine habitats and resources and allow for expansion of habitat by protecting suitable or occupied habitat. Measure progress towards achieving this objective by the number of acres of habitat and adjacent/associated acres protected.Action RC 1.1.1
Acquire parcels with suitable habitat through fee title purchase or conservation easement.
Action RC 1.1.2
Conduct surveys using eDNA and/or traditional survey methods in suitable or potentially suitable habitat to locate undocumented occurrences of focal species and other conservation elements and opportunities for habitat protection, enhancement, restoration, and creation (USFWS 2008).
Action RC 1.1.3
Create and sustain long-term funding for protected areas maintenance.
Action RC 1.1.4
Establish an incentive program for private landowners to protect occurrences and manage habitat.
Action RC 1.1.5
Protect populations from impacts from construction, vegetation management, and/or activities, including by surveying areas such as roads/trails and implementing species protection measures.
Objective RC 1.2
Enhance occupied and suitable habitat. Measure progress towards achieving this objective by number of acres of habitat enhanced and/or occupied.Action RC 1.2.1
Manage current and future recreation access including off-road vehicles, biking, equestrian, foot traffic, and unleashed pets to reduce impacts and disturbance to sensitive species and habitats. Ensure recreation is compatible with suitable and future potentially suitable habitat and adjacent areas, and areas of known occurrences. Enforcement and fencing may be used to prevent illegal off-road vehicle use (USFWS 2010).
Action RC 1.2.10
Work with private landowners and stakeholders to research species biology, threats, populations, densities, and/or ranges.
Action RC 1.2.11
Create/enhance connections between ecologically required habitat types, such as between aquatic breeding and upland dispersal habitats.
Action RC 1.2.2
Control non-native invasive species from occupied and/or suitable habitat, and areas designated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as critical habitat throughout the RCIS area.
Action RC 1.2.3
Reduce/eliminate pesticide, rodenticide (especially first- and second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides), and herbicide use, including for roadside vegetation removal projects as part of integrated pest management efforts in identified suitable habitat, and sensitive natural communities. Promote alternative pest reduction methods, such as promoting natural predator populations (Ventura County Public Works Agency 2017).
Action RC 1.2.4
Minimize impacts from native and non-native predator populations that have increased due to anthropogenic factors, including through educational outreach and trainings on how to safely coexist with native predators and predator removal programs where appropriate.
Action RC 1.2.5
Reduce anthropogenic impacts on habitat, including infrastructure construction and maintenance, inappropriate grazing, uncontrolled grazing, or overgrazing, off-road vehicles, foot traffic, fire suppression, recreational development and activities, non-native plants, and sand mining
Action RC 1.2.6
Manage infrastructure construction and maintenance projects, including transportation, solar energy facilities and projects on military properties, to be compatible for sensitive species.
Action RC 1.2.7
Manage grazing, including the installation of wildlife-friendly fencing, to ensure it is compatible with suitable and future potentially suitable habitat and adjacent areas, and areas of known occurrences. Grazing in sensitive natural communities, public lands should be reduced.
Action RC 1.2.8
Reduce trash dumping in areas with suitable and future potentially suitable habitat and adjacent areas, and areas of known occurrences.
Action RC 1.2.9
Enhance and restore native vegetation in occupied habitat and suitable but unoccupied habitat.
Goal RC 2
Promote persistence of species and important natural communities through the establishment and improvement of habitat connectivity in the RCIS area.Objective RC 2.1
Establish and improve habitat connectivity between large blocks of suitable habitat. Measure progress towards achieving this objective by the number of improved connectivity corridors used by sensitive species.Action RC 2.1.1
Install, repair, and improve infrastructure, such as adding large culverts, under crossings, overcrossings, bridges, directional fencing, scuppers, barrier breaks, roadside animal detection systems, sound barriers, limiting lighting at constructed or natural linkages and remove existing barriers to promote wildlife movement and reduce road mortality (Yap and Rose 2019). Focus on areas with high numbers of vehicle-related mortality, areas with high Area of Conservation Emphasis Terrestrial Connectivity rankings and include areas to create corridor redundancy.
Action RC 2.1.2
Enhance habitat on either side of crossing structures, including protecting adjacent areas, restricting human activity nearby, etc.
Action RC 2.1.3
Create and sustain long-term funding for long-term management of crossings, including acquisition and maintenance of adjacent habitat where suitable.
Action RC 2.1.4
Work with transportation districts or others to collect and analyze roadkill data to identify hotspots where mortality occurs to inform the design of wildlife crossing infrastructure improvements (Yap and Rose 2019).