A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE EFFECTS OF ARTIFICIAL LIGHT ON SAN JOAQUIN KIT FOXES IN URBAN AND NON-URBAN ENVIRONMENTS

Karnig Estenssoro; California State University, Bakersfield; kestenssoro@csub.edu; Lucas K. Hall

The San Joaquin kit fox (Vulpes macrotis mutica; SJKF) is a small carnivorous mammal that inhabits the San Joaquin Valley of Central California. Unfortunately, this subspecies of kit fox is currently listed as endangered. The primary reason for their endangerment is the loss of their natural habitat due to human activities. Despite urbanization being one of the causes of habitat loss, the urban populations of this endangered species have acclimated well to the urban environment. Bakersfield, CA has provided urban habitat for the SJKF, leading to a robust population. Artificial light at night (ALAN), common in urban environments, has been shown to impact wildlife behavior. Our aim is to understand how the SJKF behaviorally responds to the presence of ALAN in urban and non-urban environments. To achieve this, we will determine if kit fox activity changes in response to ALAN depending on the type of environment (urban and non-urban). This ongoing study aims to enhance our understanding of how small carnivores at an intermediate trophic level respond to light pollution. Additionally, understanding how endangered SJKF responds to anthropogenic stimuli will assist conservation efforts, including detecting movement patterns and habitat preferences concerning light pollution and the potential for "wildlife-friendly" lighting practices.

Poster Session    Student Paper