Desert Kit Fox (vulpes Macrotis Arsipus) Reproductive Parameters—Upper Chuckwalla Valley, California

Relatively little is known about desert kit fox (Vulpes macrotis arsipus) reproductive parameters in California when compared to the federally threatened San Joaquin kit fox (V. m. mutica). This paucity of regional information limits policy makers and resource manager's ability to accurately assess potential impacts to these populations. To address regional knowledge gaps I conducted a 2-year desert kit fox study in the Upper Chuckwalla Valley, California from 2012-2014. Sixteen radio collared desert kit fox females were monitored during the 2013 and 2014 reproductive season with eight females successfully reproducing each year. Mean litter size was 2.69 +/- 0.30 (SE, range 1-6) with a mean reproductive rate of 1.35. Mean litter size and reproductive rates during this study were within the known reported range for the species, but lower than previously reported in California.