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Kit Fox

Vulpes macrotis

Mammal · family Canidae · order Carnivora

  1. G1
    Critically imperiled
  2. G2
    Imperiled
  3. G3
    Vulnerable
  4. G4
    Apparently secure
  5. G5
    Secure

NatureServe global rank G4: apparently secure[2].

Updated October 30, 2026. Published by Humblebee.

Endangered Species Act
Not listed[1]
NatureServe global rank
G4 Apparently Secure[2]
Native in
9 states[3]
Longest recorded life
15.8 years[4]

The Kit Fox is a small wild member of the dog family that lives in the dry western United States[5]. It is not listed under the Endangered Species Act, and NatureServe ranks it Apparently Secure worldwide[1][2].

Conservation status

The Kit Fox is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act[1]. NatureServe ranks it G4 (Apparently Secure) worldwide and N4 (Apparently Secure) in the United States[2][6]. The IUCN Red List category recorded by NatureServe is Least concern[7]. NatureServe also notes that the species is likely continuing to decline[8]. Some states give it a lower rank than the national one, and the table on this page shows them[9].

Status Value
Endangered Species Act[1] Not listed
NatureServe global rank[2] G4 (Apparently Secure)
NatureServe US rank[6] N4 (Apparently Secure)
IUCN Red List (via NatureServe)[7] Least concern

Where Kit Fox lives

NatureServe lists the Kit Fox as native in 9 states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Texas and Utah[3]. Most online sighting records come from California, Utah, New Mexico, Nevada and Arizona[10]. These records follow where people look and report, so they do not show how many animals live in each state[10].

Alaska: not recordedAKMaine: not recordedMEWisconsin: not recordedWIVermont: not recordedVTNew Hampshire: not recordedNHWashington: not recordedWAIdaho: native, state rank S2IDMontana: not recordedMTNorth Dakota: not recordedNDMinnesota: not recordedMNIllinois: not recordedILMichigan: not recordedMINew York: not recordedNYMassachusetts: not recordedMAOregon: native, state rank S1ORNevada: native, state rank S3NVWyoming: not recordedWYSouth Dakota: not recordedSDIowa: not recordedIAIndiana: not recordedINOhio: not recordedOHPennsylvania: not recordedPANew Jersey: not recordedNJConnecticut: not recordedCTRhode Island: not recordedRICalifornia: native, state rank SNRCAUtah: native, state rank S3UTColorado: native, state rank S1CONebraska: not recordedNEMissouri: not recordedMOKentucky: not recordedKYWest Virginia: not recordedWVVirginia: not recordedVAMaryland: not recordedMDDelaware: not recordedDEArizona: native, state rank S3AZNew Mexico: native, state rank S4NMKansas: not recordedKSArkansas: not recordedARTennessee: not recordedTNNorth Carolina: not recordedNCSouth Carolina: not recordedSCDistrict of Columbia: not recordedDCOklahoma: not recordedOKLouisiana: not recordedLAMississippi: not recordedMSAlabama: not recordedALGeorgia: not recordedGAHawaii: not recordedHITexas: native, state rank S1TXFlorida: not recordedFLPuerto Rico: not recordedPR
State presence as recorded by NatureServe[9].
Show state ranks (9 states)
StateRankMeaning
ArizonaS3Vulnerable
CaliforniaSNRNot Ranked
ColoradoS1Critically Imperiled
IdahoS2Imperiled
NevadaS3Vulnerable
New MexicoS4Apparently Secure
OregonS1Critically Imperiled
TexasS1Critically Imperiled
UtahS3Vulnerable

Habitat

The Kit Fox lives mostly in open desert, shrubland and grassland[11]. NatureServe also records savanna and salt flats as habitat types[11]. Young are born in an underground den, and a den usually has several entrances[12]. A fox may use more than one den, especially in summer[12].

Habitat types recorded by NatureServe[11]

Size, diet and lifespan

The Kit Fox is a carnivore[13]. Estimated diet is 60% warm-blooded vertebrates, 30% invertebrates and 10% reptiles and amphibians[14]. Typical length is 81 cm (32 in)[15]. Typical adult weight is 6 lb[16]. A litter is usually 4 pups[17].

Trait Value
Typical length[15] 81 cm (32 in)
Typical adult weight[16] 2.7 kg (6 lb)
Longest recorded lifespan (AnAge)[4] 15.8 years (captivity)
Litter or clutch size[17] 4
Gestation or incubation[18] 54 days
Female maturity[19] 365 days (about 1.0 years)
Food habits[13] Carnivore
Active[20] nocturnal
Migration[21] non-migrant

Estimated diet composition (EltonTraits 1.0)[14]

  • 60% warm-blooded vertebrates
  • 30% invertebrates
  • 10% reptiles and amphibians

When to look for it

The Kit Fox is nocturnal, which means it is active at night[22]. It is a non-migrant, though populations can differ[21]. Online observation records peak in January, June and December[23]. These records reflect when people look and report, not how many animals there are[23].

January: 312 recordsJanFebruary: 201 recordsFebMarch: 166 recordsMarApril: 180 recordsAprMay: 178 recordsMayJune: 230 recordsJunJuly: 217 recordsJulAugust: 176 recordsAugSeptember: 170 recordsSepOctober: 159 recordsOctNovember: 210 recordsNovDecember: 263 recordsDec
US observation records on GBIF by month, all years. The three months with the most records are highlighted. Records show when people look and report, not how many animals there are[23].
Show records by month
MonthRecords
January312
February201
March166
April180
May178
June230
July217
August176
September170
October159
November210
December263

Where to see it

National Park Service species lists record Kit Fox as present in 22 park units[24]. Present means the park has a confirmed record, not that sightings are common.

States with the most GBIF observation records: California, Utah, New Mexico, Nevada, Arizona[10]. These counts follow where people look and report, not population size.

Safety around this animal

These tips are quoted in summary from official agencies. We add no advice of our own. Follow local rules and the agency pages linked below.

From Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

  • In the United States, the animals most often found with rabies are bats, skunks, raccoons and foxes.
  • Rabies spreads mainly through bites and scratches. It is fatal once symptoms start but preventable with prompt care.
  • Contact with bats is the leading cause of human rabies deaths in the United States.
  • After a bite or scratch, wash it right away with soap and water and get medical care urgently. Keep wildlife wild by staying away.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention[25]

Questions people ask

Is the Kit Fox endangered?
It is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act[1]. NatureServe ranks it G4 (Apparently Secure) worldwide[2].
Where does the Kit Fox live?
NatureServe lists it as native in Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Texas and Utah[3].
What does the Kit Fox eat?
It is a carnivore, and its estimated diet is 60% warm-blooded vertebrates, 30% invertebrates and 10% reptiles and amphibians[13][14].
How big is a Kit Fox?
Typical length is 81 cm (32 in)[15]. Typical adult weight is 6 lb[16].

Facts and sources

  1. Kit Fox is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS ECOS data (checked 2026-10-30). USFWS ECOS
  2. NatureServe global conservation status rank for Kit Fox: G4 (Apparently Secure). NatureServe Explorer
  3. NatureServe lists Kit Fox as native in 9 US states and territories: Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, Utah. NatureServe Explorer
  4. Maximum recorded lifespan in AnAge: 15.8 years in captivity. This is a record, not a typical lifespan. AnAge
  5. Kit Fox (Vulpes macrotis) is a mammal in the family Canidae, order Carnivora. NatureServe Explorer
  6. NatureServe national rank in the United States: N4 (Apparently Secure). NatureServe Explorer
  7. IUCN Red List category as recorded by NatureServe: Least concern. NatureServe Explorer
  8. NatureServe notes on trend for Kit Fox. NatureServe Explorer
  9. NatureServe state ranks for Kit Fox (map and table on this page). NatureServe Explorer
  10. US states with the most GBIF observation records of Kit Fox: California, Utah, New Mexico, Nevada, Arizona. Record counts follow observer effort, not population size. GBIF
  11. Habitat types NatureServe records for Kit Fox: Shrubland/chaparral, Savanna, Grassland/herbaceous, Desert, Playa/salt flat. NatureServe Explorer
  12. NatureServe notes on habitat for Kit Fox. NatureServe Explorer
  13. Adult food habits recorded by NatureServe: Carnivore. NatureServe Explorer
  14. Estimated diet composition in EltonTraits 1.0: 60% warm-blooded vertebrates, 30% invertebrates, 10% reptiles and amphibians. EltonTraits 1.0
  15. Typical length recorded by NatureServe: 81 cm (32 in). NatureServe Explorer
  16. Typical adult weight recorded by NatureServe: 2.7 kg (6 lb). NatureServe Explorer
  17. Typical litter or clutch size in AnAge: 4. AnAge
  18. Gestation or incubation period in AnAge: 54 days. AnAge
  19. Age at female sexual maturity in AnAge: 365 days (about 1.0 years). AnAge
  20. Activity time in EltonTraits 1.0: nocturnal. EltonTraits 1.0
  21. NatureServe migration category for Kit Fox: non-migrant (populations can differ). NatureServe Explorer
  22. Adult activity patterns recorded by NatureServe: Nocturnal. NatureServe Explorer
  23. GBIF observation records of Kit Fox in the US by month (chart on this page). GBIF
  24. NPSpecies park lists recording Kit Fox as present (list on this page). NPS NPSpecies
  25. Safety guidance from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC

Status, range and habitat come from NatureServe Explorer (CC BY 4.0) and USFWS ECOS at the snapshot date. Listings change by federal rule. State lists are where NatureServe records the species, not a promise that you will see it there. Never name a place smaller than a state. GBIF and park records count observations and checklists. They show where and when people report the species, not how many animals live there.

NatureServe. 2026. NatureServe Explorer [web application]. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Available https://explorer.natureserve.org. (Accessed: October 30, 2026). Licensed under CC BY 4.0; SpeciesFacts selected and summarized it.