Kit foxes are the smallest members of the Canid family in North America. This means they are the smallest dog species you can see in the wild in the US and Mexico. They are similar to a small house cat in size and weigh an average of 3-5 pounds. The females are slightly smaller than the males.

Both genders usually have a gray-rusty colored coat with a black tip on their tail. A kit fox’s back is uaully darker than the rest of its coat and they have distinct dark patches around the nose.

Kit foxes have the classic fox-like appearance but have much larger ears that act like radiators to dissipate heat efficiently and give them excellent hearing. They don’t pant as much as dogs to keep cool, because they would lose too much water, so the ears do most of the work!

Kit foxes are found throughout the Southwestern United States and Mexico. Kit foxes live primarily in desert or dry grasslands of the Southwestern US and Mexico. They prefer open areas and even sand dunes.

They will dig dens in loose soil and around creosote bushes like the ones you see in the picture.

Kit foxes are carnivores and will prey primarily on small mammals and some reptiles, birds, and even insects. Common prey species include kangaroo rats like the one seen above, desert cottontail rabbits, black-tailed jackrabbits, mice, and squirrels.

Amazingly, kit foxes never need to drink water, as they get all of it from their prey. So in the wild, depending on the area they live, they may never take a drink in their entire life!

In order to escape the harsh desert heat, they usually hunt only at night when the desert comes alive. If you ever find yourself driving in the Mojave Desert at night, you will undoubtedly see small mammals darting across the road. If you get lucky, you may even see a kit fox in pursuit! 

Mating season for kit foxes runs from December through March. When the female is ready to mate, she will begin searching for a den for the new family. When searching, she makes sure to find one nearby other foxes to ensure good hunting. Once she finds one, she will clean it out and find a mate.

Once she finds a mate, she will usually keep the same mate for life, meaning kit foxes are monogamous.

Once pregnant, in around 50 days, she will give birth to an average of 4 pups. Both the male and female help to raise the pups. The male usually goes out and gets food while the female nurses her young.

Just like dogs, the pups will spend several hours a day outside the den playing. This play helps build coordination, social skills, and overall well-being. In 5 months, they are fully independent and will begin venturing out on their own. In 18 months, they will be ready to start their own family.

In the wild, kit foxes live an average of 8 years, and in captivity, have been known to live up to 12.