Swift Fox Abundance along the Heartland Expressway Corridor in Nebraska

The swift fox (Vulpes velox) is a small canid currently listed as endangered in the state of Nebraska. Current and future construction of the Heartland Expressway Corridor (HEC) through the Nebraska panhandle may be a cause for concern for resident swift fox populations. Current swift fox presence along the roadway will be documented before construction continues. We surveyed for swift foxes with trail cameras in the summer of 2014 every 1.6 km along the length of the HEC, and identified associations of foxes with vegetation, land use and road -way type. We had four positive and three highly probable swift fox sightings in Dawes and Kimball counties with most documented observations along 2-lane roadway. Swift foxes were significantly associated with grassland vegetation compared to agricultural vegetation. Predator and major competitor presence was significantly greater along 4-lane sections of highway, potentially excluding swift foxes. Swift foxes appear present in low densities around the HEC. The area of primary concern as construction progresses is Dawes County, as construction has already been completed at the location in Kimball County where foxes were documented.