Common Name: South American Gray Fox; Chilla
Scientific Name: Lycalopex griseus
Conservation Status: Least Concern (Lucherini, 2016).
Habitat: Steppes, grasslands, and scrublands; Frequent low plains and low mountains and can tolerate hot and dry climates, humid temperatures, and the cold (Tierra del Fuego has a 7℃ annual temperature) (Lucherini, 2016).
Range: Swift foxes are native to North America. A reintroduction program has re-established its presence in the Southern Alberta and Saskatchewan areas of western Canada. Within the U.S. these foxes populate the Great PlainsWidespread on both sides of the Andes mountain range from northern Chile and south to Tierra del Fuego, an area shared by Argentina and Chile. These creatures have also been reported in southern Peru and some of the southern Atlantic islands, including the Falkland Islands (Lucherini, 2016).
Diet: Omnivore; birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles, eggs, carrion, insects, arthropods, seeds, grains, nuts, and fruit (Knop, 2003).
Threats: Pelt hunting; seen as lamb predators, as such many are illegally trapped primarily to prevent their predation on livestock (Lucherini, 2016).