SAN joaquin kit foxes (vulpes macrotis mutica) are threatened with extinction primarily due to profound habitat loss and degradation throughout their range

This $200,869 Cooperative Agreement awarded by the U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service Region 8 under the Central Valley Project Improvement Act (CFDA 15.648) supports research and conservation efforts focused on the San Joaquin kit fox, an endangered species in California. The project aims to: (1) determine the extent and impacts of sarcoptic mange disease on kit fox populations, and develop strategies to control or eliminate the disease; (2) assess exposure of kit foxes to canine distemper virus and identify associated factors; and (3) evaluate the overall disease risk to the conservation and recovery of the San Joaquin kit fox. This work will build upon a previous effort to address disease threats to this species. The agreement was awarded to the California State University, Stanislaus, which has expertise in environmental research and conservation programs. Findings from this three-year project will inform future metapopulation viability analyses and disease management strategies to support the long-term recovery of the San Joaquin kit fox.

These habitat impacts have increased fragmentation resulting in smaller, more isolated populations that are at enhanced risk of extirpation due to stochastic or catastrophic events such as disease epidemics. Disease had not been identified previously as a significant threat to SAN joaquin kit foxes. However, in 2013, sarcoptic mange was detected in kit foxes in the bakersfield, california, and the disease rapidly expanded into an epidemic with high FOX mortality rates. In early 2019, mange also was detected in kit foxes in the town of taft located approximately 50 KM west of bakersfield and significant FOX mortality has occurred. Also, in late 2018, a kit FOX was found dead in the panoche valley and cause of death was determined to be canine distemper virus (CDV). Several more foxes dying of CDV were found in early 2019. These were the first documented SAN joaquin kit FOX mortalities from this disease and IT is unknown whether the disease is present elsewhere in the range. We propose to (1) determine the extent of spread and population impacts of sarcoptic mange on SAN joaquin kit foxes, and develop and implement strategies to control or eliminate mange among kit foxes, (2) determine spatial patterns of exposure of SAN joaquin kit foxes to CDV and identify factors associated with exposure (e.g., proximity to domestic dogs, gray foxes), and (3) assess the magnitude of risk posed by disease to the conservation and recovery of SAN joaquin kit foxes. This project will mitigate current impacts to SAN joaquin kit FOX populations from sarcoptic mange, assess risk to kit foxes from canine distemper and other diseases, identify potential strategies for future disease management, and generate data that will inform a planned future metapopulation viability analysis. This project will extend and build upon a previous cvpcp-funded effort addressing disease in SAN joaquin kit foxes.