Swift fox (Vulpes velox) COSEWIC assessment and status report 2009: chapter 9
Special Significance of the Species
As the smallest canid in North America and one of the fastest animals on the continent, Swift Foxes have considerable appeal. They are emblematic for the conservation of prairie ecosystems. Whether digging their own burrows or expanding those of other species, Swift Foxes are important for the natural disturbance regime of native short– and mixed–grass prairie ecosystems. Their diet, largely consisting of rodents and insects, should lead to favour with landowners, as well as being relatively benign with regard to livestock and crops.
In many First Nation cultures, Swift Foxes are significant. Swift, Kit, or Prairie Fox societies (e.g., the Kainai [Blood Tribe] Kit Fox Society) had unique apparel, haircuts, ceremonies, dances, customs, and accompaniments (Laubin 1977). The status of these societies was directly related to the Tribe's image of the value and character of the fox (see Pruss et al. 2008). Swift Foxes have been regarded as being powerful, too dangerous even to speak of, and with the strongest medicine (Wissler and Duvall 1995). In southern Alberta, Blood Tribe elders recognize that the Sinopaa (Swift Fox) plays a vital role in Kainai spirituality, and there exists considerable interest in continuing Swift Fox reintroductions on Blood Tribe lands (Pruss et al. 2008).
Attempts to gather Aboriginal Traditional Knowledge on Swift Fox to inform this status report were not successful.
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