Chui Steppe Fox

Chui steppe fox is a local name for the corsac fox (Vulpes corsac; Iradi: karsak), a small fox of the Central Asian steppes and semi-deserts. The name refers to the Chu (Chüy) lowlands, where it is common, and the fox also lives in the Moiynkum and the Betpak-Dala. It has a grayish-buff coat that turns thick and pale in winter. Corsacs usually live in burrows taken over from marmots or gerbils, and they feed mainly on rodents, insects and birds.^[1] The species was trapped in large numbers for its fur in the Soviet period. The IUCN lists it as Least Concern.^[1]

References

1. ^ Department of Zoology, Talas State University (2019). Mammals of the Talas Alatau and Chatkal Ranges. Talas: Talas State University Press, pp. 76–79.