San Joaquin Kit Fox and Red Fox

The San Joaquin Kit Fox (Vulpes macrotis mutica) is the smallest canine in all of North Americ. But ttheir ears are perhaps the largest in relation to their bodies of all the North American canines. Their satellite ears are not just endearing but serve to detect the smallest of noises alerting these tiny predators to the location of prey, such as the salt marsh harvest mouse. The kit fox used to be found all over the San Francisco Estuary and California's Central Valley, but due to urbanization and the introduction of invasive species, they were listed as endangered in 1967. The nonnative red fox in particular is an invasive species responsible for the kit fox's decline, as their similar preferences in prey have led to unprecedented competition for food. Although still endangered, as of 1998 these species have been categorized as an “umbrella species,” categorizing the kit fox as critical components to the healthy functioning of local wetland habitats.