The San Joaquin kit fox (Vulpes macrotis mutica) is a small canid, distinguished by its size (four to six pounds), large ears, long legs, buffy tan color, and black-tipped tail.  It is the smallest fox in North America, and its distribution has been greatly reduced by agriculture and development.  It is federally listed as endangered, and state listed as threatened.

The PPCB lands are located between the Carrizo Plain, the Salinas River Valley, the San Joaquin Valley, and the San Juan Valley.  San Joaquin kit fox can move through the PPCB between core and satellite populations.  It is also habitat where San Joaquin kit foxes have established pupping dens.

The PPCB is located at the cross roads of the two core populations and one important satellite population of San Joaquin kit fox: Carrizo Plain Natural Area, western Kern County, and the Salinas-Pajaro population located at Camp Roberts and Fort Hunter-Liggett.  The Ciervo-Panoche Natural Area of western Fresno and eastern San Benito Counties is another core population, which is more than 100 miles distant, yet is connected by grazing lands (USFWS 1998, SJKF Recovery Plan).