Definitions Used + Conservation Efforts

Endangered - in imminent (about to happen/occur) danger of extinction

Extirpated - when a species are extinct in one area but are still alive in other areas

Threatened - likely to become endangered near the future if they are not protected

Special Concerns - a species that is uncommon or has an unique requirement for them to survive; they are not exactly endangered or threatened

The Swift Foxes are now endangered because of strychnine-poisoning, intensive trapping (in the past), and destruction of habitat - or so it is thought to be the primary causes of why the Swift Fox is endangered.

There are many conservation efforts to re-increase the population of the Swift Fox. These efforts have started shortly after the rapid decrease of the Swift Foxes from the Canadian prairies in 1938. One example of a conservation strategy that has began to increase the population of the Swift Foxes is a captive breeding program.

In 1973, a captive breeding program for the Swift Foxes began in Cochrane, Alberta. This program was meant to capture the remaining numbers of Swift Foxes left and breed them to increase the population of the species. The program, supported by Wildlife Preservation Trust of Canada (WPTC), has proved to be very successful in increasing the numbers of the Swift Fox.

With the number of Swift Foxes increasing, the organization started to release the Swift Foxes back into their natural habitats in the Canadian prairies in 1983. The program decided to start releasing the Swift Foxes in southern Alberta and Saskatchewan. Over 800 Swift Foxes have been reintroduced to the wild since 1983 but only about 250 Swift Foxes that have been released survived by 1991.

After keeping an eye on the Swift Foxes for two harsh winters, there were only around 120 - 150 Swift Foxes left from the 800 Swift Foxes that have been released. The result of this outcome could have had an relation with the doubling in population of the coyotes during the two harsh winters.

Researchers are still observing the Swift Foxes to find more information on why the Swift Foxes are becoming endangered and to find a more effective way to protect these animals.

Another conservation strategy that is being used is the protection of prairies where the Swift Foxes live. With the protection of their habitat, the Swift Fox will find all that it needs - ex) food, shelter, etc. - and will surely prosper. As a result, hopefully their population will increase. There has also been laws that ban the hunting/poisoning/killing of the Swift Fox. These laws prevent meaningless killing of the Swift Fox so that they will be safer from "unnatural" harm.