San Joaquin Kit Fox Overview

This chapter introduces the San Joaquin kit fox, providing an overview of its evolution, taxonomy, and ecology. It describes the fox's size, adaptations, and conservation status, noting that its appearance is similar to other kit foxes, with some exceptions. The San Joaquin kit fox is small, roughly the size of a house cat or Boston terrier, with a thick winter coat and slender features in the summer. The chapter describes the kit fox's pelage that is grizzled gray, with buffy highlights, and black-tipped tail. The kit fox exhibits mild sexual dimorphism, with males typically being larger and heavier than females, and their weight varies with seasonal changes and prey abundance.