Condition of San Joaquin Kit Foxes in Urban and Exurban Habitats

“1d; Cypher & Frost 1999).”

“An additional two studies showed that target species were both viable and performed better than in nearby greener environments (Cypher and Frost, 1999; Harveson et al., 2007).”

“Other North American carnivores associated with urban areas include the striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis), kit fox (Vulpes macrotis), gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus), and raccoon (Procyon lotor— Crooks 2002; Cypher and Frost 1999; Rosatte et al. 1991).”

“…have higher rates of survival and reproduction in urban areas because of, for example, the absence or low abundance of some types of predators (Cypher & Frost 1999), an increase in the availability of food or other resources supplied deliberately or accidentally by humans (Baker et al. 2000;…”

“Conversely, urban areas may represent potential refuges for some species (e.g., kit fox Vulpes macrotis mutica; Cypher and Frost 1999).”

“Indeed, foxes that subsist on or include HDF and agricultural crops in their diet have been found to have better body condition and size (Cypher and Frost 1999; Yom-Tov et al. 2007).”

“Although Cypher and Frost (1999) found differences in hematological and serological values between urban and nonurban kit foxes, including higher cholesterol levels among urban foxes, urban foxes have higher survival rates than nonurban foxes.”

“Kit foxes that subsist on human foods in urban habitats exhibit some diagnostic differences from rural populations, such as higher cholesterol levels [46], but there is no evidence that these differences are associated with negative health consequences.”

“Consequently, although previous research indicated that kit foxes were not negatively affected by human-altered habitats (Cypher and Frost 1999; Zoellick et al. 2002), swift foxes have a different evolutionary history and occupy a different biome; thus, they might be affected differently by…”

“Terrestrial animals that are subjected to desiccating conditions can also incur variation in hematocrit through loss of plasma volume (e.g., frogs, Hillman 1980; birds, Koike et al. 1983; mammals, Jain 1986; Buffenstein et al. 1999; Cypher and Frost 1999).”

“Kit foxes (Vulpes macrotis) in urban areas in California show less nutritional stress, increased body condition, and improved immune function when compared to foxes in a nearby nature reserve (Cypher and Frost 1999).”

“Urban San Joaquin kit foxes likely benefit from their utilization of anthropogenic food, which may explain the increased weight of urban juveniles (Cypher and Frost, 1999).”

“…114 20/1/10 16:23:44 Veterinary Record Case Reports 10.1136/vetreccr.b4763rep | Vet Rec Case Rep | 3 of 4 PapersShort CommunicationShort Communications (Cypher and Frost 1999), culpeo (Dusicyon culpaeus) (Martino and others 2004) and Argentine grey fox (Dusicyon griseus) (Martino and others 2004).”

“Although several of the larger populations of San Joaquin kit foxes have been well studied (e.g., Ralls and White 1995; Cypher and Frost 1999; Cypher et al. 2000) little information exists concerning between-population dynamics.”

“For example, the kit fox V. macrotis, which is similar in body size to the Indian fox, not only tolerates human-altered habitats in California, USA, (Zoellick et al. 2002) but also thrives in one urban area (Cypher and Frost 1999).”

“Kit foxes have been observed in the urban centers of Bakersfield, Taft and Coalinga for several decades.”

“Similarly, swift foxes in New Mexico also selected for similar western slope aspects and east-facing orientation for openings of den entrances (Harrison 2003). Conversely, Unger (1999) and Trapp (2004) found that gray wolves (Canis lupus L.”

“As one of the largest remaining, the until-recently stable subpopulation in Bakersfield [21, 57] is crucial for conservation and recovery as a hedge against catastrophic events in natural lands, a source of genetic diversity, and a potential source for reintroductions [21, 58].”

“Roads open to OHV recreation may provide opportunities for riders to engage in off-trail use, which can expand road networks over time (Matchett et al. 2004), especially in the arid and semi-arid Southwest where the vegetation structure allows for the ready expansion into roadless areas (Brooks and Lair 2005).”

“Prior to the epidemic, the urban Bakersfield population was stable (Cypher and Frost 1999) and had been well monitored (Cypher et al. 2016).”

“At the individual scale, resource provisioning can improve host body condition and immune responses, which can result in lower susceptibility to infection, shorter- lasting infections and better health outcomes for the host (Becker et al., 2015; Cypher & Frost, 1999).”

“Greater body mass in urban-dwelling individuals has 64 been reported in rats (15), foxes (16, 17), baboons (18), deer (19), and raccoons (20).”

“In Bakersfield, it is more common for kit fox social groups to have an extra adult, likely because of the abundance of anthropogenic food (Cypher and Frost, 1999; Newsome et al., 2010).”

“Mange may contribute to the extinction of Bakersfield San Joaquin kit foxes.(8,10,11) Although treatment of disease in free-ranging wildlife populations is difficult, acaricides can protect individual kit foxes from mange.”

“Although positive effects of supplemental feeding on body condition have been observed (Auman, Meathrel, & Richardson, 2008; Cypher & Frost, 1999; Jessop, Smissen, Scheelings, & Dempster, 2012; Otali & Gilchrist, 2004), few studies explore interactions between supplemental feeding, body condition,…”

“For instance, the nutritional stress, body condition and immune function of kit foxes was found to be enhanced in urban settings where food and water were copious [9].”

“Another study looking at kit foxes ( Vulpes macrotis ) found that foxes residing in urban habitats used more anthropogenic food sources leading to elevated cholesterol levels (Cypher and Frost 1999).”

“…resource supply, many hosts increase the production of defense- related enzymes, proteins, and gene expression, improving immune defense in hosts spanning animals (Becker et al., 2015; Cypher & Frost, 1999; Tourkochristou et al., 2021) and plants (Borer et al., 2022; Veresoglou et al., 2013).”

“However, food supplementation occasionally has positive impacts by increasing the health of individuals and strengthening their immune response to parasites, but it depends on food quality [64 – 67].”

“…in the form of food waste or unsuitable supplemental food, can result in elevated cholesterol and/or triglyceride levels in wildlife (Gavett and Wakeley 1986 ; Cypher and Frost 1999 ; Banks et al. 2003 ; Soto-Calderón et al. 2016 ; Monzón-Argüello et al. 2018 ; Castillo-Contreras et al. 2021 ).”

“One study showed differences in haematological and serological values between urban and non-urban kit foxes, including higher cholesterol levels among urban foxes (Cypher and Frost, 1999).”

“Urban SJKF are commonly heavier on average than their counterparts in non-urban areas [49].”

“Kit foxes (Vulpes 352 macrotis) in urban areas in California show less nutritional stress, increased body condition and improved 353 immune function when compared to foxes in a nearby nature reserve (78).”

“…the individual scale, food supplementation (or ‘provisioning’) can improve host body condition and immune responses, which can result in lower susceptibility to infection, shorter-lasting infections, and better health outcomes for the host (Becker, Streicker, & Altizer, 2015; Cypher & Frost, 1999).”

“Chapter 1 1.4.1 Resources Resource availability is perhaps the most important factor in the ecology of urban species; abundant and stable sources of food impact urban dwellers both at individual (Cypher & Frost, 1999) and population levels (Riley et al., 1998).”

“Many studies focused exclusively on the general impact of human activity (i.e., urbanization) and its effect on body mass (Cypher and Frost 1999; Auman et al. 2008; Graser et al. 2012).”