Endangered Species of California: The San Joaquin Kit Fox

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Recommended: The protection of endangered species

When we hear about an endangered species we auto, automatically think of great blue whales, African elephants, polar bears, pandas, etc. These are highly publicized by the media and documentary makers. People are aware of this endangered species but not of the less popular endangered species that are in our own backyard. Based on published historic range and population there is roughly 317 animal and plant species endangered in California. The endangered species are protected under the federal and state Endangered Species Act. Under this act species are protected from being taken from their environment, creates a safe habitat for animals to thrive again, restore population numbers, etc. One of the animals in central California that is listed as being endanger is Vulpes macrotis mutica, commonly known as the San Joaquin kit fox. The San Joaquin Kit Fox habitat has been listed by the United States National Wildlife Services as endangered since March third, 1967. The kit fox has been in the endangered, due to its inability to adapt to the changes in their habitat due to humanity. After 46 years a healthy San Joaquin kit fox population is yet to be achieved.
The San Joaquin Kit fox is a subspecies of the kit fox, the smallest Canidae species—includes dogs, wolves, and foxes— in North America. The kit fox is the size of a house cat, however is the largest in the subspecies. On average, the male measures about 32 inches in length and weighs about 5 pound, females are only slightly smaller than males. There idiosyncratic feature are their large ears that stand close together on top of their head. Their colors range from season to season but are mostly buff, yellowish grey or tan. The Kit fox was primarily found throughout the San Joaquin...

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...coast range habitat. The Federal Bureau has found it more important to obtain natural resources than protect crucial habitat.
The San Joaquin Kit fox has been listed has been listed as endangered since 1967 under the federal endangered list. San Joaquin Kit foxes are important in their ecosystem; they serve as a population control for smaller rodents the population has continued to decrease due to loss of habitat and degradation of the land caused by development. The efforts that have been made to protect this species are necessary for the species to avoid extinction. However, the efforts made to protect the species have yet to have positive results. Stricter regulations on development need to be implement, for example banning franking. If larger parcels of natural habitat are not obtain for the San Joaquin kit fox the population will not thrive and become extinct.

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