Canidae Author Don E. Wilson Author Russell A. Mittermeier text 2009 2009-01-31 Lynx Edicions Barcelona Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 1 Carnivores 352 446 book chapter http://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6331155 978-84-96553-49-1 6331155 29. Tibetan Fox Vulpes ferilata French: Renard du Tibet / German: Tibet-Fuchs / Spanish: Zorro tibetano Other common names: Sand Fox , Tibetan Sand Fox Taxonomy. Vulpes ferrilatus Hodgson, 1842 , near Lhasa, Tibet . Monotypic. Distribution. Widespread in the Tibetan Plateau from Ladakh in India , E across China including parts of the Xinjiang , Gansu , Qinghai , and Sichuan provinces and all of the Xizang . In Nepal , N of the Himalaya, especially in the Mustang area. Descriptive notes. Head-body 51-5-65 cm for males and 49-61 cm for females, tail 26-29 cm for males and 22-26 cm for females; weight 3-2—4-6 kg for males and 3-4-1 kg for females. Small and compact, with a soft, dense coat, a conspicuously narrow muzzle, and a bushy gray tail with a white tip. Tan to rufous-colored on the muzzle, crown, neck, back, and lower legs. The cheeks, sides, upper legs, and rump are gray. The back of the relatively short ears is tan to grayish tan and the inside is white. The undersides are whitish to pale gray. Habitat. Upland plains and hills from about 2500-5200 m . Found in treeless alpine meadow, alpine steppe, and desert steppe. Most of the range lies in semi-arid to arid environments with average annual precipitation of 100-500 mm , most of which occurs in summer. The climate is harsh, with temperatures reaching +30 °C in summer and dropping to —40°C in winter. Food and Feeding. Principal diet consists of pikas (Ochotona spp.) and rodents. An analysis of 113 droppings from north-western Tibet revealed 95% Plateau Pika (Ochotona curzoniae) and small rodents (Pitymus, Alticola, and Cricetulus spp.). A further 2-7% consisted of Tibetan Antelope (Pantholops hodgsoni), probably scavenged, and the remainder was made up of insects, feathers, Ephedra berries, and other vegetation. Other reported prey items in the diet include Tibetan Woolly Hare (Lepus oiostolus), and a lizard species (Phrynocephalus spp.). Himalayan Marmot (Marmota himalayana), musk deer (Moschus sp.), Bharal (Pseudois nayaur), and livestock were present in droppings from eastern Qinghai Province , China . The foxes mainly hunt alone by trotting through or stalking in Pika colonies. Activity patterns. Often hunts during the day, on account of the diurnal activity patterns of pikas and other main prey species. Movements, Home range and Social organization. Most aspects of the Tibetan Fox's reproductive and social behavior remain largely unknown. They are usually seen alone or in male-female pairs (of 90 foxes observed, all but six pairs were solitary), although one family of three adults and two juveniles was observed. Burrows are located at the base of boulders, along old beach lines, low on slopes, and other such sites. There may be one to four entrances to a den. Breeding. Mating is thought to occur in February, with 2-5 young born in May. Main habitat factors associated with the location of 54 summer dens were, in order of importance: distance to water, slope degree, position along the slope, small mammal den numbers, and vegetation type . Most dens were located in grasslands (96%) with moderate slope. Status and Conservation. CITES not listed. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. Species legally protected in several large Chinese reserves, but actual protection remains minimal, and there is no special protection outside reserves. Hunting pressure for fur is reported to be high on the entire Tibetan plateau since the 1960s. Over 300 foxes have been killed per year since the 1990s in Shiqu County, Sichuan Province , China . In general, Fox density appears to be low. Population abundanceis limited partly by prey availability and partly by human hunting pressure. Bibliography. Clark et al. (2008), Feng et al. (1986), Gao et al. (1987), Nowak (1999), Piao (1989), Schaller (1998), Schaller & Ginsberg (2004), Wang Zhenghuan et al. (2003), Wu Wei et al. (2002), Zheng (1985).