For the last few days, I have had the pleasure of sampling specimens
at the Natural History Museum of Utah. It is a marvelous museum, and the staff
and curators have granted me permission to sample nearly 100 historic kit fox
specimens from across western Utah. I have been sampling both skins and skulls
for DNA, which I will use to investigate how kit fox genetic diversity and
effective population size have changed over the past 50 (plus) years in western Utah.
The samples were collected from 1949 to 1970, with the majority of
the samples being from the early 1950’s. It is fortuitous to have such a
substantial reference collection to work with and I am grateful for the support
and collaborative nature of the museum. If you are ever in Salt Lake City, don’t miss out on the natural history museum!
