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Swift Fox

Vulpes velox

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 G3: vulnerable[2].

Updated October 30, 2026. Published by Humblebee.

Endangered Species Act
Not listed[1]
NatureServe global rank
G3 Vulnerable[2]
Native in
11 states[3]
Longest recorded life
15.9 years[4]

The Swift Fox (Vulpes velox) is a mammal in the dog family, Canidae[5]. It is not listed under the US Endangered Species Act, but NatureServe ranks it Vulnerable and records it as native in 11 US states and territories[1][2][3].

Conservation status

NatureServe gives the Swift Fox a global rank of G3, which means Vulnerable[2]. Its national rank in the United States is N3, also Vulnerable[6]. The IUCN Red List category recorded by NatureServe is Least concern[7]. The USFWS data checked on 2026-10-30 show it is not listed as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act[1].

Status Value
Endangered Species Act[1] Not listed
NatureServe global rank[2] G3 (Vulnerable)
NatureServe US rank[6] N3 (Vulnerable)
IUCN Red List (via NatureServe)[7] Least concern
Total population (NatureServe estimate)[8] 2500 to 1,000,000 individuals

Where Swift Fox lives

NatureServe lists the Swift Fox as native in Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Montana, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas and Wyoming[3]. Minnesota is ranked as extirpated or possibly extirpated, which means the fox is gone or may be gone from that state[9]. NatureServe also gives each state its own conservation rank[10]. A state list shows where the species is recorded, not a promise that you will see one.

Alaska: not recordedAKMaine: not recordedMEWisconsin: not recordedWIVermont: not recordedVTNew Hampshire: not recordedNHWashington: not recordedWAIdaho: not recordedIDMontana: native, state rank S3MTNorth Dakota: native, state rank S1NDMinnesota: extirpated or possibly extirpated, state rank SXMNIllinois: not recordedILMichigan: not recordedMINew York: not recordedNYMassachusetts: not recordedMAOregon: not recordedORNevada: not recordedNVWyoming: native, state rank S2WYSouth Dakota: native, state rank S3SDIowa: native, state rank SNRIAIndiana: not recordedINOhio: not recordedOHPennsylvania: not recordedPANew Jersey: not recordedNJConnecticut: not recordedCTRhode Island: not recordedRICalifornia: not recordedCAUtah: not recordedUTColorado: native, state rank S3CONebraska: native, state rank S2NEMissouri: not recordedMOKentucky: not recordedKYWest Virginia: not recordedWVVirginia: not recordedVAMaryland: not recordedMDDelaware: not recordedDEArizona: not recordedAZNew Mexico: native, state rank S2NMKansas: native, state rank S3KSArkansas: not recordedARTennessee: not recordedTNNorth Carolina: not recordedNCSouth Carolina: not recordedSCDistrict of Columbia: not recordedDCOklahoma: native, state rank S1OKLouisiana: 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[10].
Show state ranks (12 states)
StateRankMeaning
ColoradoS3Vulnerable
IowaSNRNot Ranked
KansasS3Vulnerable
MinnesotaSXPresumed Extirpated
MontanaS3Vulnerable
NebraskaS2Imperiled
New MexicoS2Imperiled
North DakotaS1Critically Imperiled
OklahomaS1Critically Imperiled
South DakotaS3Vulnerable
TexasS1Critically Imperiled
WyomingS2Imperiled

Habitat

NatureServe records Savanna, Grassland/herbaceous and Cropland/hedgerow habitat for the Swift Fox[11]. It lives in open prairie and dry plains, sometimes mixed in with winter wheat fields[12]. In Texas, foxes picked shortgrass prairie and mostly avoided farm fields and non-native grasslands[12]. Dens are burrows[12]. The fox may dig its own or use one made by another animal, usually in sandy soil on high ground[12].

Habitat types recorded by NatureServe[11]

Size, diet and lifespan

The Swift Fox eats meat, insects, plants and fruit[13]. One estimate puts its diet at 70% warm-blooded vertebrates, 20% reptiles and amphibians, and 10% invertebrates[14]. NatureServe notes that mammals and insects make up most of the diet, but feeding is opportunistic, and extra food is stored under snow in winter[15]. A typical length is 80 cm (31 in)[16]. A typical adult weight is about 6 lb[17]. Gestation lasts 55 days and females reach sexual maturity at 365 days[18][19].

Trait Value
Typical length[16] 80 cm (31 in)
Typical adult weight[17] 2.7 kg (6 lb)
Longest recorded lifespan (AnAge)[4] 15.9 years (captivity)
Litter or clutch size[20] 4.5
Gestation or incubation[18] 55 days
Female maturity[19] 365 days (about 1.0 years)
Food habits[13] Carnivore, Invertivore, Herbivore, Frugivore
Active[21] nocturnal, crepuscular
Migration[22] non-migrant

Estimated diet composition (EltonTraits 1.0)[14]

  • 70% warm-blooded vertebrates
  • 20% reptiles and amphibians
  • 10% invertebrates

When to look for it

The Swift Fox is nocturnal, which means active at night[23]. It is also crepuscular, which means active around dusk and dawn[21]. NatureServe lists it as a non-migrant, though populations can differ[22]. Observation records on GBIF peak in June, July and September[24]. Those records show when people look and report, not how many animals there are[24].

January: 53 recordsJanFebruary: 51 recordsFebMarch: 62 recordsMarApril: 71 recordsAprMay: 64 recordsMayJune: 211 recordsJunJuly: 359 recordsJulAugust: 61 recordsAugSeptember: 110 recordsSepOctober: 92 recordsOctNovember: 85 recordsNovDecember: 76 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[24].
Show records by month
MonthRecords
January53
February51
March62
April71
May64
June211
July359
August61
September110
October92
November85
December76

Where to see it

This species is protected or at risk, so we show its range only at the state level. We do not publish parks, nesting, spawning or wintering sites.

States with the most GBIF observation records: New Mexico, Montana, Nebraska, Colorado, Kansas[25]. 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[26]

Questions people ask

Is the Swift Fox endangered?
It is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act[1]. NatureServe ranks it G3, Vulnerable, worldwide[2].
Where does the Swift Fox live?
NatureServe lists it as native in 11 US states and territories, including Colorado, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Texas and Wyoming[3]. Minnesota is ranked as extirpated or possibly extirpated[9].
What does the Swift Fox eat?
It eats mammals, birds, insects, plants and berries, and its feeding is opportunistic[15]. One estimate is 70% warm-blooded vertebrates, 20% reptiles and amphibians, and 10% invertebrates[14].
How big is a Swift Fox?
A typical length is 80 cm (31 in)[16]. A typical adult weight is about 6 lb[17].

Facts and sources

  1. Swift 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 Swift Fox: G3 (Vulnerable). NatureServe Explorer
  3. NatureServe lists Swift Fox as native in 11 US states and territories: Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Montana, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Wyoming. NatureServe Explorer
  4. Maximum recorded lifespan in AnAge: 15.9 years in captivity. This is a record, not a typical lifespan. AnAge
  5. Swift Fox (Vulpes velox) is a mammal in the family Canidae, order Carnivora. NatureServe Explorer
  6. NatureServe national rank in the United States: N3 (Vulnerable). NatureServe Explorer
  7. IUCN Red List category as recorded by NatureServe: Least concern. NatureServe Explorer
  8. NatureServe estimate of total adult population (global, as a range): 2500 to 1,000,000 individuals. NatureServe Explorer
  9. NatureServe ranks Swift Fox as extirpated or possibly extirpated (SX or SH) in: Minnesota. NatureServe Explorer
  10. NatureServe state ranks for Swift Fox (map and table on this page). NatureServe Explorer
  11. Habitat types NatureServe records for Swift Fox: Savanna, Grassland/herbaceous, Cropland/hedgerow. NatureServe Explorer
  12. NatureServe notes on habitat for Swift Fox. NatureServe Explorer
  13. Adult food habits recorded by NatureServe: Carnivore, Invertivore, Herbivore, Frugivore. NatureServe Explorer
  14. Estimated diet composition in EltonTraits 1.0: 70% warm-blooded vertebrates, 20% reptiles and amphibians, 10% invertebrates. EltonTraits 1.0
  15. NatureServe notes on food for Swift Fox. NatureServe Explorer
  16. Typical length recorded by NatureServe: 80 cm (31 in). NatureServe Explorer
  17. Typical adult weight recorded by NatureServe: 2.7 kg (6 lb). NatureServe Explorer
  18. Gestation or incubation period in AnAge: 55 days. AnAge
  19. Age at female sexual maturity in AnAge: 365 days (about 1.0 years). AnAge
  20. Typical litter or clutch size in AnAge: 4.5. AnAge
  21. Activity time in EltonTraits 1.0: nocturnal, crepuscular. EltonTraits 1.0
  22. NatureServe migration category for Swift Fox: non-migrant (populations can differ). NatureServe Explorer
  23. Adult activity patterns recorded by NatureServe: Nocturnal. NatureServe Explorer
  24. GBIF observation records of Swift Fox in the US by month (chart on this page). GBIF
  25. US states with the most GBIF observation records of Swift Fox: New Mexico, Montana, Nebraska, Colorado, Kansas. Record counts follow observer effort, not population size. GBIF
  26. 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.