Blanford's fox (Vulpes cana) habitat suitability in Saudi Arabia: Insights from camera trapping and ensemble species distribution modelling

The Blanford's fox (Vulpes cana) is a small canid species classified as Least Concern by the IUCN Red List. They predominantly inhabit mountainous regions in arid ecosystems across the Arabian Peninsula, Central Asia and North Africa. In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), the species has been recorded only in limited localities and its population is believed to be in decline. We present data from camera trapping surveys conducted between March 2020 and December 2022 to update and confirm the species' known distribution in KSA. We captured 470 independent captures of Blanford's fox at 21 survey sites, representing 191 spatially independent locations. We used ensemble species distribution modelling to predict areas of suitable habitat within their IUCN Red List distribution range. Our results suggest that the most favourable habitats for theBlanford's fox in KSA are in the rugged, mountainous areas along the southwestern Asir range. These findings provide insights into the species' distribution and may support future conservation efforts to maintain viable populations of Blanford's fox in KSA.