BASIC FACTS ABOUT SWIFT FOX

The Swift fox is the smallest canid species in North America, and is often smaller than the size of a domestic housecat. 

 

DIET

They will consume just about anything which is part of the reason that the Swift fox is able to survive. They primarily feed on small mammals and insects. Depending on the location, they may eat rodents, squirrels, and birds. They will also consume insects, fruit, nuts, and grasses when available. Swift foxes have been documented returning to sources where food was available for years to come. 

 

POPULATION

Swift fox population numbers in the wild are unknown, but they are found in less than 40% of their historic range.

 

THREATS

One of the main threats to the Swift fox is habitat loss as a result of the conversion of grasslands for agriculture. In the past, they were impacted by trapping and incidental poisoning intended for wolves and coyotes. As part of federal eradication campaigns, poisoning also reduced swift fox food sources, including prairie dogs and ground squirrels.

Climate change looms as an additional threat to the Swift fox. According to one projection, suitable grassland habitat for the species in Colorado and New Mexico could shrink by 27% to 63% under various emissions scenarios.

 

HABITAT & RANGE

The Swift fox is native to the Great Plains region of North America. Today the Swift fox can be found in fragmented, smaller populations in portions of Montana, South Dakota, Wyoming, Nebraska, Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Texas. Historically, their range included prairies in central North America, extending north to central Alberta, south to central Texas, and east-west from western Iowa to Colorado, Wyoming and Montana.

 

BEHAVIOR

They received the name "Swift" fox because they can reach speeds up to 30-40 mph. Swift foxes are nocturnal, vocal and non-territorial. They spend more time underground in their burrows than any other canid. Although they are social animals, they usually keep one mate throughout their lifetime.

 

BREEDING

The breeding season for Swift foxes depends on where they live, but is typically between December to March. The young grow very fast and by the time they are 7 weeks old they are weaned and dispersing on their own.

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