Corsac fox

Species of carnivore

The corsac fox (Vulpes corsac), also known simply as a corsac, is a medium sized fox found in steppes, semi deserts and deserts in Central Asia, ranging into Mongolia and northern China. Since 2004, it has been classified as least concern by IUCN, but populations fluctuate significantly, and numbers can drop tenfold within a single year.

The Corsac fox is a medium sized fox, with a head and body length of , and a tail long. Adults weigh from It has grey to yellowish fur over much of the body, with paler underparts and pale markings on the mouth, chin, and throat. During the winter, the coat becomes much thicker and silkier in texture, and is straw grey in colour, with a darker line running down the back. For a fox, it has small teeth and a wide skull. One source claims that this species can climb trees and has been domesticated in the past. It is reported to have keen eyesight and hearing and an acute sense of smell. It has a number of scent glands, some of which produce pungent odors, although not so extreme as those found in some other Vulpes species. The glands are found in the anal region, above the base of the tail, and on the paws and cheeks. Corsac foxes generally stay far away from human disturbances.

As an adaption to the arid climate in which they live, corsac foxes can forego food and water for extended periods of time. It scavenges for carrion and human refuse as well. Although predominantly carnivorous, it occasionally eats fruit and other vegetation, especially during winter when availability of animal prey is low. Natural predators of the corsac fox include gray wolf, Eurasian eagle owl, eagles, and (rarely, for pups) the upland buzzard. The Corsac fox is a nocturnal and nomadic hunter of the steppes. It does not have a defended territory, and unlike some foxes, sometimes forms packs. They are excellent climbers, but are rather slow runners and could be caught easily by a dog. While they are reported to be nocturnal in the wild, in captivity they are very active during the day. However, the closest related species to the corsac fox is probably the Tibetan sand fox. The immediate ancestor of the corsac fox is believed to be the extinct species Vulpes praecorsac, which lived in central Europe during the early Pleistocene. Very recent subfossil remains dating to 3000 to 1000 B. C. E. have in found in the Crimea and 0 to 1500 B. C. E. in the Donev River Basin in the northern Black Sea region. Fossils of the corsac fox have been recovered from the famous Denisova Cave, known for being the type locality of the Denisova hominins.

The major threat posed to the corsac fox is poaching, as it is a valuable fur bearing species and has been harvested by humans since the Bronze Age for subsistence and commercial purposes. Traditionally, the corsac fox is often hunted with trained domestic dogs, saker falcons, and golden eagles, as well as caught with traps set at burrow entrances, leghold traps, and firearms. In the late 19th century, up to 10,000 foxes were killed annually for pelt trade. The general population remains healthy, however, as the corsac fox has proven to be able to withstand great hunting pressures, and their habitats remain intact due to the low human population density in its range. Other threats include overgrazing by livestock and landscape development; the decline of marmots may also impact the species in some areas, as it often uses marmot burrows as daytime resting locations. The other main threat is natural disasters, which can cause the numbers of foxes to drop 90% in some areas, but the population often recovers quickly. as of 2014, the corsac fox is listed as least concern in the IUCN Red List.