The enigmatic kit foxes in the Owyhee Canyonlands

Rare kit foxes reach their northern limit in the southeastern part of Oregon

Donald Quintana | Used by permission
Andy Baltensperger, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Biology, Eastern Oregon University

The rugged terrain of the Owyhee Canyonlands serves as the northernmost habitat of kit foxes (Vulpes macrotis). With their petite frame and curious demeanors, kit foxes embody the spirit of this remote wilderness, captivating the hearts of those fortunate enough to catch a glimpse of this elusive and understudied carnivore.

Resembling red foxes, but smaller and with larger ears, kit foxes are nicknamed for their small size and quick movements. With large ears and a bushy tail, they sport fur ranging from buffy-gray to yellowish-brown, accented by a white throat and abdomen. Adult kit foxes weigh 4 to 5 pounds, measure 2 to 3 feet in length and 12 inches tall at the shoulders. 

Kit foxes in the Owyhee Canyonlands are solitary and territorial animals, with individuals maintaining exclusive home ranges that they mark using scent and vocalizations. Breeding occurs annually, typically in late winter or early spring, with females giving birth to litters of 3-6 kits.

Shane Davila via ONDA | Used by permission
Sunrise over the Owyhee

A habitat shrouded in mystery

The Owyhee Canyonlands, sprawling across parts of Southeastern Oregon, Southwestern Idaho, and northern Nevada, boast a diverse and untamed landscape. From towering rock formations to steep canyon depths to expansive seas of sagebrush, this region offers a haven for an array of wildlife, including the enchanting kit fox.

These cunning canines are well-adapted to the harsh desert environment, utilizing keen senses to navigate the rocky terrain and sparse vegetation of the canyonlands, while their large ears help to dissipate heat. Their sandy-colored fur blends with the arid landscape, camouflaging them as they move stealthily to hunt for a variety of prey, including small mammals, birds, insects, and occasionally, plant matter.

Tim Hiller, Wildlife Ecology Institute | Used by permission
Kit fox in Malheur County, Oregon, July 2012

The secretive life of kit foxes

Despite their diminutive size, kit foxes are skilled hunters, preying on small mammals such as rodents, rabbits, and insects. Under the cover of darkness, they embark on solitary forays, relying on their acute hearing and sharp eyesight to detect the slightest movement in the shadows.

Kit foxes are primarily nocturnal creatures who thrive in what scientists say may become one of the last places in the lower 48 where you can still see the night sky without light pollution. They avoid the scorching heat of the desert sun by seeking shelter in underground dens during the day. These dens, often excavated in sandy soil or hidden among rocky outcrops, provide a cool retreat where they can rest and raise their young.

Rare footage of Kit Fox pups playing in the Eastern Oregon desert. Credit: Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife | Public Domain

Guardians of the Owyhee

As integral components of this desert ecosystem, which is home to more than 200 species, kit foxes play a vital role in maintaining balance within the Owyhee Canyonlands. By controlling populations of small mammals, they help to prevent overgrazing and ensure functional desert ecosystems.

However, despite their importance, kit foxes face numerous threats to their survival. Habitat loss and degradation, primarily driven by human activities such as land development and infrastructure expansion, pose significant threats to kit foxes and their prey base, while predation and competition from invasive species further imperil their declining population.

Staff | TPIN
Conservation Advocate Justin Boyles building grassroots support in Portland to permanently protect the Owyhee Canyonlands.

Conservation efforts and hope for the future

Along with a broad coalition, we’re working to safeguard the habitat of kit foxes and other wildlife that call this Oregon treasure home. With the effort to protect the Owyhee Canyonlands, we have the opportunity to manage and preserve an expansive, intact natural wonder — and the enchanting legacy of the kit fox — before it suffers irreparable damage and degradation.

You can help convince the Biden Administration to permanently protect more than 1 million acres of Oregon’s Owyhee — and the kit fox — by urging Sens. Wyden and Merkley to support President Biden in establishing an Owyhee Canyonlands National Monument before the end of 2024.

As we explore and appreciate the wonders of the Owyhee Canyonlands, let us remember the importance of preserving this precious ecosystem and the magnificent creatures, like the kit fox, that call it home. For in their existence lies the true essence of the wild, a reminder of the interconnectedness of all living things and the fragile beauty of the natural world.

Topics
Authors

Justin Boyles

Conservation Advocate, Environment Oregon Research & Policy Center

As the Conservation Advocate for Environment Oregon, Justin runs our campaign to protect and restore Oregon’s special places and the myriad wildlife that call them home. Justin has worked on campaigns to protect the Roadless Area Conservation Rule, clean up superfund sites along the Willamette River and promote solar energy in Oregon. In recent years, he was part of the Public Interest Network’s Creative and Editorial team where he developed campaign logos and materials connected to dozens of campaigns, turned deep-dive research into digestible interactive features for our websites, and created myriad tools for campaigns to help win real results for the environment and the public interest. Justin lives in Portland with his children where they regularly explore the diversity that Oregon’s environment has to offer: From the coast to the high desert and the many amazing rivers, lakes, forests and mountains in between.

Andy Baltensperger, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Biology, Eastern Oregon University

Dr. Andy Baltensperger is a Landscape Ecologist with a variety of research interests including biodiversity patterns, biogeography, mammalogy, distribution change, and machine learning models. He is pursuing new projects involving undergraduates in alpine ecology carnivore distribution modeling, and remote detection, as well as diversifying the EOU greenhouse and digitizing the herbarium.