Vulpes pallida

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	MAMMALIA	CARNIVORA	CANIDAE

Scientific Name:

Vulpes pallida

Species Authority:

(Cretzschmar, 1826)

Common Name/s:

English	–	Pale Fox, African Sand Fox, Pallid Fox
French	–	Renard Pâlé
Spanish	–	Zorro Pálido

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Data Deficient ver 3.1

Year Assessed:

2008

Assessor/s:

Sillero-Zubiri, C. (IUCN SSC Canid Specialist Group)

Reviewer/s:

Hoffmann, M. & Cuzin, F. (Canid Red List Authority)

Justification:
The Palliid Fox is distributed in the semi-arid Sahelian region of Africa. Although apparently widespread, it is rare and almost nothing is known about the species' biology, ecology or threats. It is provisionally listed as Data Deficient, but with the availability of further information it may be shown the species warrants listing as Least Concern.

History:

2004	–	Data Deficient
1996	–	Data Deficient
1994	–	Insufficiently Known (Groombridge 1994)
1990	–	Insufficiently Known (IUCN 1990)

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	The Pallid Fox is distributed in the semi-arid Sahelian region of Africa bordering the Sahara, from Mauritania and Senegal through Nigeria, Cameroon and Chad to the Red Sea. Southern limit of geographical range extends into northern Guinean savanna zones.
Countries:	Native: Benin; Burkina Faso; Cameroon; Chad; Eritrea; Ethiopia; Guinea; Libyan Arab Jamahiriya; Mali; Mauritania; Niger; Nigeria; Senegal; Sudan
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	Widespread and present throughout range, but in most parts rare and seldom recorded. The Pallid Fox is one of the least known canid species.
Population Trend:	Unknown

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	Typically inhabiting very dry sandy and stony sub-Saharan desert and semi-desert areas, but extending to some extent southwards into moister Guinean savannas. Therefore, they have a very extensive distribution within an unstable and fluctuating ecological band lying between true desert and the Guinean savannas. May occur near human habitation and cultivated fields where food is more readily available than in natural habitats (Rosevear 1974).
Systems:	Terrestrial

Habitat and Ecology:

Typically inhabiting very dry sandy and stony sub-Saharan desert and semi-desert areas, but extending to some extent southwards into moister Guinean savannas. Therefore, they have a very extensive distribution within an unstable and fluctuating ecological band lying between true desert and the Guinean savannas. May occur near human habitation and cultivated fields where food is more readily available than in natural habitats (Rosevear 1974).

Systems:

Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	Unknown, although occasional persecution by chicken raiders may take place.

Major Threat(s):

Unknown, although occasional persecution by chicken raiders may take place.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Not listed on CITES Appendices. Likely to occur in a number of protected areas throughout the species' range, but no reliable information available. Gaps in knowledge This is one of the least known canid species, and studies on distribution, status, basic biology and ecological requirements are needed.

Conservation Actions:

Not listed on CITES Appendices. Likely to occur in a number of protected areas throughout the species' range, but no reliable information available.

Gaps in knowledge
This is one of the least known canid species, and studies on distribution, status, basic biology and ecological requirements are needed.

Citation:	Sillero-Zubiri, C. 2008. Vulpes pallida. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 10 February 2012.
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