The red fox ("Vulpes vulpes") is the largest of the true foxes and one of the most widely distributed members of the order Carnivora, being present across the entire Northern Hemisphere including most of North America, Europe and Asia plus parts of Northern Africa. It is listed as least concern by the IUCN. Its range has increased alongside human expansion, having been introduced to Australia, where it is considered harmful to native mammals and bird populations. Due to its presence in Australia, it is included on the list of the "world's 100 worst invasive species". The red fox originated from smaller-sized ancestors from Eurasia during the Middle Villafranchian period, and colonised North America shortly after the Wisconsin glaciation.
Introduction
Red fox
Red fox | Introduction
It is the largest of the true foxes and one of the most widely distributed members of the order Carnivora. It is the largest of the true foxes and one of the most widely distributed members of the order Carnivora. It is the largest of the true foxes and one of the most widely distributed members of the order Carnivora. It is the largest of the true foxes and one of the most widely distributed members of the order Carnivora
how long does a red fox live in the wild
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In the wild they typically do not survive past 5 years of age.
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what is red fox?
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The Red fox is a small canine. Red Fox or Redfox may also refer to:
Red Fox (disambiguation) | Introduction
Coat colour begins to change at three weeks of age, when the black eye streak appears. By one month, red and white patches are apparent on their faces. During this time, their ears erect and their muzzles elongate. Kits begin to leave their dens and experiment with solid food brought by their parents at the age of 3–4 weeks. The lactation period lasts 6–7 weeks. Their woolly coats begin to be coated by shiny guard hairs after 8 weeks. By the age of 3–4 months, the kits are long-legged, narrow-chested and sinewy. They reach adult proportions at the age of 6–7 months.
Red fox | Reproduction and development
Some vixens may reach sexual maturity at the age of 9–10 months, thus bearing their first litters at one year of age. In captivity, their longevity can be as long as 15 years, though in the wild they typically do not survive past 5 years of age.
Red fox | Reproduction and development
The red fox is a wide-ranging species. Its range covers nearly including as far north as the Arctic Circle. It occurs all across Europe, in Africa north of the Sahara Desert, throughout Asia apart from extreme Southeast Asia, and across North America apart from most of the southwestern United States and Mexico. It is absent in Iceland, Greenland, Arctic islands, the most northern parts of central Siberia, and in extreme deserts. It is not present in New Zealand and is classed as a "prohibited new organism" under the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996, which does not allow import.
Red fox | Distribution and habitat
The red fox is a species part of the fox family, which is located in Europe, Asia, Africa and North America. Its body length is usually approximately 90-105 cm (35-41 inch) long, 30-40 cm (12-16 inch) of its body length being its tail, and is a height of 40 cm (16 inch). Many adult red foxes weigh 5-7 kg (11-15 pounds) and can reach up to 14 kg (31 pounds). The physical characteristics of the red fox have a soft thin undercoat and long hairs that consists of orange, red, brown shades. The red fox has black ears and legs, with white on the tip of its tail and on its chest.
Mesocarnivore | Red fox (Vulpes vulpes)
The upper parts of the limbs are rusty reddish, while the paws are black. The frontal part of the face and upper neck is bright brownish-rusty red, while the upper lips are white. The backs of the ears are black or brownish-reddish, while the inner surface is whitish. The top of the tail is brownish-reddish, but lighter in colour than the back and flanks. The underside of the tail is pale grey with a straw-coloured tint. A black spot, the location of the supracaudal gland, is usually present at the base of the tail. The tip of the tail is white.
Red fox | Fur
The red fox ("Vulpes vulpes") is the normal prey animal of a fox hunt in the US and Europe. A small omnivorous predator, the fox lives in burrows called earths, and is predominantly active around twilight (making it a crepuscular animal). Adult foxes tend to range around an area of between square kilometres () in good terrain, although in poor terrain, their range can be as much as . The red fox can run at up to . The fox is also variously known as a "Tod" (old English word for fox), "Reynard" (the name of an anthropomorphic character in European literature from the twelfth century), or "Charlie" (named for the Whig politician Charles James Fox).
Fox hunting | Red fox
Outside the breeding season, most red foxes favour living in the open, in densely vegetated areas, though they may enter burrows to escape bad weather. Their burrows are often dug on hill or mountain slopes, ravines, bluffs, steep banks of water bodies, ditches, depressions, gutters, in rock clefts and neglected human environments. Red foxes prefer to dig their burrows on well drained soils. Dens built among tree roots can last for decades, while those dug on the steppes last only several years. They may permanently abandon their dens during mange outbreaks, possibly as a defence mechanism against the spread of disease.
Red fox | Denning behaviour
This small, doglike animal is rusty-red with white underparts, chin and throat. The ears are prominent and the tail is long and bushy with a white tip. Backs of the ears, lower legs and the feet are black. The fox goes through color phases of black, silver, and mixed. This fox subspecies ranges 58 – 90 cm (23 - 35 inches) in length without its tail. Tail ranges 32 – 49 cm (12.5 - 19.5 inches). Weight approximately 3 – 11 kg (6.5 - 24 lbs). Life Expectancy seven years (in the wild) 15 years (in captivity)
Trans-Caucasian fox | Description
This fox is a mostly solitary animal, but may form loosely-knit social groups of a few individuals. They are nomadic, temporarily occupying defined home ranges. Its diet consists of rodents, birds, and fish as well as some desert vegetation or even carrion. They are most active at night. The small foxes open the eyes after 10 days from birth. Arabian foxes live in various environments, including mountains, coasts, deserts, and cities.
Arabian red fox | Behaviour and ecology
It causes extensive hair loss, starting from the base of the tail and hindfeet, then the rump before moving on to the rest of the body. In the final stages of the condition, red foxes can lose most of their fur, 50% of their body weight and may gnaw at infected extremities. In the epizootic phase of the disease, it usually takes red foxes four months to die after infection. Other endoparasites include "Demodex folliculorum", "Notoderes", "Otodectes cynotis" (which is frequently found in the ear canal), "Linguatula serrata" (which infects the nasal passages) and ringworms. Up to 60 helminth species are known to infect captive-bred foxes in fur farms, while 20 are known in the wild.
Red fox | Diseases and parasites
The forefoot print measures in length and in width, while the hind foot print measures long and wide. They trot at a speed of , and have a maximum running speed of . They have a stride of when walking at a normal pace. North American red foxes are generally lightly built, with comparatively long bodies for their mass and have a high degree of sexual dimorphism. British red foxes are heavily built, but short, while continental European red foxes are closer to the general average among red fox populations. The largest red fox on record in Great Britain was a , long male, killed in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, in early 2012.
Red fox | Dimensions
The Arabian red fox ("") is a subspecies of the red fox native to the Arabian Peninsula, specifically the Hajar and Dhofar Mountains in Oman, besides the UAE, Syria, Jordan, Israel, Palestine, to Saudi Arabia and Yemen.
Arabian red fox | Introduction
The young of the mated pair remain with their parents to assist in caring for new kits. The species primarily feeds on small rodents, though it may also target rabbits, game birds, reptiles, invertebrates and young ungulates. Fruit and vegetable matter is also eaten sometimes. Although the red fox tends to kill smaller predators, including other fox species, it is vulnerable to attack from larger predators, such as wolves, coyotes, golden jackals and medium- and large-sized felines.
Red fox | Introduction
"Vulpes vulpes fulvus" inhabits the entire region of the United States east of the Rocky Mountains except the southern Great Plains and southern Texas (Frey, 2013; Tesky, 1995). The American red fox generally prefers mixed vegetation communities that occur on edge habitats with a high level of diversity (Tesky, 1995). In developed areas the American red fox will inhabit areas that offer a combination of woodland and agricultural land (Tesky, 1995).
American red fox | Habitat
They are weaned after about four months, and develop the plain reddish adult coat by about six months; the dark facial markings do not appear until they reach adulthood at about two years of age. They probably live for about fifteen years in the wild.
Red river hog | Reproduction
Red foxes may leave their families once they reach adulthood if the chances of winning a territory of their own are high. If not, they will stay with their parents, at the cost of postponing their own reproduction.
Red fox | Social and territorial behaviour
In their unmodified wild state, red foxes are generally unsuitable as pets. Many supposedly abandoned kits are adopted by well-meaning people during the spring period, though it is unlikely that vixens would abandon their young. Actual orphans are rare, and the ones that are adopted are likely kits that simply strayed from their den sites. Kits require almost constant supervision; when still suckling, they require milk at four-hour intervals day and night. Once weaned, they may become destructive to leather objects, furniture and electric cables. Though generally friendly toward people when young, captive red foxes become fearful of humans, save for their handlers, once they reach 10 weeks of age.
Red fox | Taming and domestication
Red foxes live in a range of habitats which include grasslands, forests, mountains and deserts.
Mesocarnivore | Red fox (Vulpes vulpes)
They are born blind, and open their eyes at around two weeks of age; they begin to eat meat at four weeks, and emerge from the den shortly after. Corsac foxes reach sexual maturity within 9 to 10 months and reproduce in the second year of life. They live up to 9 years in the wild.
Corsac fox | Reproduction
There are three main colour morphs; red, silver/black and cross (see "Mutations"). In the typical red morph, their coats are generally bright reddish-rusty with yellowish tints. A stripe of weak, diffuse patterns of many brown-reddish-chestnut hairs occurs along the spine. Two additional stripes pass down the shoulder blades, which, together with the spinal stripe, form a cross. The lower back is often a mottled silvery colour. The flanks are lighter coloured than the back, while the chin, lower lips, throat and front of the chest are white. The remaining lower surface of the body is dark, brown or reddish. During lactation, the belly fur of vixens may turn brick red.
Red fox | Fur
According to hunters' accounts, they have less vigor and endurance in the chase compared to the European variant. Some authorities still give it full species status as "Vulpes fulva". It is the largest of the true foxes and one of the most widely distributed members of the order Carnivora, occurring in North America. It is listed as least concern by the IUCN.
American red fox | Introduction
The American red fox ("Vulpes vulpes fulvus"), commonly known as the eastern American red fox, is a North American subspecies of the red fox ("Vulpes vulpes"). Historically, red foxes were classified as two species: "Vulpes vulpes" in Eurasia and "Vulpes fulva" in the Americas (Tesky, 1995). Since 1959 they have been considered to be a singular species of "Vulpes vulpes", with "Vulpes vulpes fulvus" one of the 10 North American subspecies (Hall, 1981; Kamler & Ballard, 2002). The American red fox differs from European forms by the greater breadth of its feet, its longer fur, noticeably shorter nose and ears, and its finer brush.
American red fox | Introduction
The red fox has an elongated body and relatively short limbs. The tail, which is longer than half the body length (70 per cent of head and body length), is fluffy and reaches the ground when in a standing position. Their pupils are oval and vertically oriented. Nictitating membranes are present, but move only when the eyes are closed. The forepaws have five digits, while the hind feet have only four and lack dewclaws. They are very agile, being capable of jumping over fences, and swim well. Vixens normally have four pairs of teats, though vixens with seven, nine, or ten teats are not uncommon.
Red fox | Build
The gestation period lasts 49–58 days. Though foxes are largely monogamous, DNA evidence from one population indicated large levels of polygyny, incest and mixed paternity litters. Subordinate vixens may become pregnant, but usually fail to whelp, or have their kits killed postpartum by either the dominant female or other subordinates. The average litter size consists of four to six kits, though litters of up to 13 kits have occurred. Large litters are typical in areas where fox mortality is high. Kits are born blind, deaf and toothless, with dark brown fluffy fur. At birth, they weigh and measure in body length and in tail length.
Red fox | Reproduction and development
Red Fox is a British television film, a thriller based on the international bestselling 1979 novel of the same name by Gerald Seymour. Originally aired on ITV in two parts on 8 and 15 December 1991, it stars John Hurt, Jane Birkin, Didier Flamand, François Négret, and Brian Cox. It was produced by Celtic Films in association with LWT for the ITV network.
Red Fox (film) | Introduction
The species is Eurasian in origin, and may have evolved from either "Vulpes alopecoides" or the related Chinese "V. chikushanensis", both of which lived during the Middle Villafranchian. The earliest fossil specimens of "V. vulpes" were uncovered in Baranya, Hungary dating from 3.4-1.8 million years ago. The ancestral species was likely smaller than the current one, as the earliest red fox fossils are smaller than modern populations. The earliest fossil remains of the modern species date back to the mid-Pleistocene in association with the refuse of early human settlements. This has led to the theory that the red fox was hunted by primitive humans as both a source of food and pelts.
Red fox | Origins
The winter fur is dense, soft, silky and relatively long. For the northern foxes, the fur is very long, dense and fluffy, but is shorter, sparser and coarser in southern forms. Among northern foxes, the North American varieties generally have the silkiest guard hairs, while most Eurasian red foxes have coarser fur. The fur in "thermal windows" areas such as the head and the lower legs is kept dense and short all year round, while fur in other areas changes with the seasons. The foxes actively control the peripheral vasodilation and peripheral vasoconstriction in these areas to regulate heat loss.
Red fox | Fur
Like other montane foxes, Sierra Nevada red foxes are somewhat smaller and lighter in weight than lowland North American red foxes. Their pelage may be red, cross, or silver phase with the red phase having the greyish-blonde coloration characteristic of montane foxes. All three phases occur in the Oregon Cascade and Sonora Pass populations, but only red phase individuals have been found in the Lassen population. Pads are fur-covered, a common adaptation to travel over snow. Sierra Nevada red foxes are long-lived relative to other red foxes, five or six years perhaps being a typical lifespan. Non-invasively monitored females have either not bred or bred a minority of years.
Sierra Nevada red fox | Description
Red foxes reproduce once a year in spring. Two months prior to oestrus (typically December), the reproductive organs of vixens change shape and size. By the time they enter their oestrus period, their uterine horns double in size, and their ovaries grow 1.5–2 times larger. Sperm formation in males begins in August–September, with the testicles attaining their greatest weight in December–February. The vixen's oestrus period lasts three weeks, during which the dog-foxes mate with the vixens for several days, often in burrows. The male's bulbus glandis enlarges during copulation, forming a copulatory tie which may last for more than an hour.
Red fox | Reproduction and development
After about 10 generations of controlled breeding, these foxes no longer showed any fear of humans and often wagged their tails and licked their human caretakers to show affection. These behavioural changes were accompanied by physical alterations, which included piebald coats, floppy ears in kits and curled tails, similar to traits that distinguish domestic dogs from grey wolves.
Red fox | Taming and domestication
In spring, red foxes clear their dens of excess soil through rapid movements, first with the forepaws then with kicking motions with their hind legs, throwing the discarded soil over from the burrow. When kits are born, the discarded debris is trampled, thus forming a spot where the kits can play and receive food. They may share their dens with woodchucks or badgers. Unlike badgers, which fastidiously clean their earths and defecate in latrines, red foxes habitually leave pieces of prey around their dens.> The average sleep time of a captive red fox is 9.8 hours per day.
Red fox | Denning behaviour
In cities, red foxes may scavenge food from litter bins and bin bags, although much of their diet will be similar to rural red foxes.
Red fox | Distribution
The Arabian red fox is similar in color to the common red fox. However, this fox is more adapted to desert life than its parent species, with its ears being much larger, and its body being much smaller than that of the red fox. The Arabian red fox also has fur between its toes, to prevent burning of the feet. It is brownish pale red in color and weighs approximately .
Arabian red fox | Characteristics
The red fox ("Vulpes vulpes") is the largest of the true foxes and one of the most widely distributed members of the order Carnivora, being present across the entire Northern Hemisphere including most of North America, Europe and Asia plus parts of Northern Africa. It is listed as least concern by the IUCN. Its range has increased alongside human expansion, having been introduced to Australia, where it is considered harmful to native mammals and bird populations. Due to its presence in Australia, it is included on the list of the "world's 100 worst invasive species". The red fox originated from smaller-sized ancestors from Eurasia during the Middle Villafranchian period, and colonised North America shortly after the Wisconsin glaciation.
Red fox | Introduction
The red fox is considered a more specialised form of "Vulpes" than the Afghan, corsac and Bengal foxes in the direction of size and adaptation to carnivory; the skull displays far fewer neotenous traits than in other species, and its facial area is more developed. It is, however, not as adapted for a purely carnivorous diet as the Tibetan fox.
Red fox | Evolution
Mating occurs in November, a few weeks after the female has prepared her breeding den. Litters up to six kits, although more usually just two or three, are born after a gestation period around 52–53 days. The young are born blind. They reach independence at about four months, when they may travel up to in search of a suitable territory. They can live an average of seven years in the wild, but have been reported to live up to 12 years in captivity.
Rüppell's fox | Reproduction
The testes of males are smaller than those of Arctic foxes. Their skulls are fairly narrow and elongated, with small braincases. Their canine teeth are relatively long. Sexual dimorphism of the skull is more pronounced than in corsac foxes, with female red foxes tending to have smaller skulls than males, with wider nasal regions and hard palates, as well as having larger canines. Their skulls are distinguished from those of dogs by their narrower muzzles, less crowded premolars, more slender canine teeth, and concave rather than convex profiles.
Red fox | Build
They maintain their wild counterparts' strong instinct of concealment, and may pose a threat to domestic birds, even when well-fed. Although suspicious of strangers, they can form bonds with cats and dogs, even ones bred for fox hunting. Tame red foxes were once used to draw ducks close to hunting blinds. A strain of truly domesticated red foxes was introduced by Russian geneticist Dmitry Belyayev who, over a 40-year period, bred several generations of silver foxes on fur farms, selecting only those individuals that showed the least fear of humans. Eventually, Belyayev's team selected only those that showed the most positive response to humans, thus resulting in a population of silver foxes whose behaviour and appearance was significantly changed.
Red fox | Taming and domestication
Order: Carnivora, Family: Canidae Occurrence: Grasslands, open forest E W R The red fox (Vulpes vulpes) is a small canid native to much of North America and Eurasia, as well as northern Africa. It is the most recognizable species of fox and in many areas it is referred to simply as "the fox". As its name suggests, its fur is predominantly reddish-brown, but there is a naturally occurring grey morph known as the "silver" fox. The red fox is by far the most widespread and abundant species of fox, found in almost every single habitat in the Northern Hemisphere, from the coastal marshes of United States, to the alpine tundras of Tibetan Plateau.
Mammals of Glacier National Park (U.S.) | <a href="Red%20fox">Red fox</a>
Red foxes live in family groups sharing a joint territory. In favourable habitats and/or areas with low hunting pressure, subordinate foxes may be present in a range. Subordinate foxes may number one or two, sometimes up to eight in one territory. These subordinates could be formerly dominant animals, but are mostly young from the previous year, who act as helpers in rearing the breeding vixen's kits. Alternatively, their presence has been explained as being in response to temporary surpluses of food unrelated to assisting reproductive success. Non-breeding vixens will guard, play, groom, provision and retrieve kits, an example of kin selection.
Red fox | Social and territorial behaviour
Urban red foxes are most common in residential suburbs consisting of privately owned, low-density housing. They are rare in areas where industry, commerce or council-rented houses predominate. In these latter areas, the distribution is of a lower average density because they rely less on human resources; the home range of these foxes average from , whereas those in more residential areas average from . In 2006, it was estimated that there were 10,000 red foxes in London. City-dwelling red foxes may have the potential to consistently grow larger than their rural counterparts as a result of abundant scraps and a relative dearth of predators.
Red fox | Distribution
Among the true foxes, the red fox represents a more progressive form in the direction of carnivory. Apart from its large size, the red fox is distinguished from other fox species by its ability to adapt quickly to new environments. Despite its name, the species often produces individuals with other colourings, including leucistic and melanistic individuals. Forty-five subspecies are currently recognised, which are divided into two categories: the large northern foxes, and the small, basal southern foxes of Asia and North Africa. Red foxes are usually together in pairs or small groups consisting of families, such as a mated pair and their young, or a male with several females having kinship ties.
Red fox | Introduction
The North American red foxes have been traditionally considered either as subspecies of Old World red foxes or subspecies of their own species, "V. fulva". Due to the opinion that North American red foxes were introduced from Europe, all North American red foxes have been seen as conspecific with "V. vulpes". However, genetic analyses of global red fox haplotypes by Statham et al. (2012, 2014) indicates that North American red foxes have been genetically isolated from Old World populations for 400,000 years, prompting possible application of "V. fulva" to all North American red foxes. Castello (2018) has formalized treatment of "Vulpes fulva" as a separate species from the nominate "Vulpes vulpes" from the Old World.
American red fox | Taxonomy
In the wild, the swift fox usually lives 3–6 years, but may surprisingly live up to 14 years in captivity. It is primarily nocturnal, spending only evenings and nighttime above ground in the summer. Daytime activities are usually confined to the den, but it has been known to spend the warm midday period above ground during the winter. The swift fox is more heavily dependent on its than most North American canids, using them as shelter from predators. These dens are usually burrows that are two to four meters in length. It has been known to run very fast, at speeds of over .
Swift fox | Behavior
Order: Carnivora, Family: Canidae Occurrence: Grasslands, open forest The red fox ("Vulpes vulpes") is a small canid native to much of North America and Eurasia, as well as northern Africa. It is the most recognizable species of fox and in many areas it is referred to simply as "the fox". As its name suggests, its fur is predominantly reddish brown, but there is a naturally occurring gray morph known as the "silver" fox. The red fox is by far the most widespread and abundant species of fox, found in almost every single habitat in the Northern Hemisphere, from the coastal marshes of United States, to the alpine tundras of Tibetan Plateau.
List of mammals of Wyoming | <a href="Red%20fox">Red fox</a>
Red foxes dominate kit and swift foxes. Kit foxes usually avoid competition with their larger cousins by living in more arid environments, though red foxes have been increasing in ranges formerly occupied by kit foxes due to human-induced environmental changes. Red foxes will kill both species, and compete for food and den sites. Grey foxes are exceptional, as they dominate red foxes wherever their ranges meet. Historically, interactions between the two species were rare, as grey foxes favoured heavily wooded or semiarid habitats as opposed to the open and mesic ones preferred by red foxes. However, interactions have become more frequent due to deforestation allowing red foxes to colonise grey fox-inhabited areas.
Red fox | Enemies and competitors
The male fox's scrotum is held up close to the body with the testes inside even after they descend. Like other canines, the male fox has a baculum, or penile bone. The testes of red foxes are smaller than those of Arctic foxes. Sperm formation in red foxes begins in August–September, with the testicles attaining their greatest weight in December–February. Vixens are in heat for one to six days, making their reproductive cycle twelve months long. As with other canines, the ova are shed during estrus without the need for the stimulation of copulating. Once the egg is fertilized, the vixen enters a period of gestation that can last from 52 to 53 days.
Fox | Sexual characteristics
The red fox, "Vulpes Vulpes," was introduced to Australia during the 1870s. The established population has thrived in previous years due to the following factors: adaptability to climate conditions, the ability to live in a wide range of habitats including deserts and forests, and lastly human modification of Australian landscapes which are suitable environments for red foxes to thrive in. Red foxes have mainly had a negative impact on Australian fauna, with the exception of regulated rabbit populations. The diet of red foxes include a number of threatened native fauna which has contributed to their population declines and extinctions. Furthermore, populations of native fauna, mammals in particular, have increased through fox population control techniques.
Overabundant species | Red fox
The forearm of the holotype was long. The fur of its back is uniformly brownish, with the fur of its neck and face lighter.
Rennell flying fox | Description
The Korean fox ("Vulpes vulpes peculiosa"), also known as the Korean red fox, is a subspecies of red fox that lives in Korea, Urssi, Northeast China. It has a body length of 66–68 cm, a tail length of 42–44 cm and a weight of 4.1–5.9 kg.
Korean fox | Introduction
Dens are built in brushy or wooded regions and are less obvious than the dens of the red fox. Logs, trees, rocks, burrows, or abandoned dwellings serve as suitable den sites.
Gray fox | Reproduction
Castello (2018) recognizes nine subspecies of the North American red fox, as listed below:
American red fox | Subspecies
The range of the Cascade red fox is estimated to be 4500 km, but may be as large as 40000 km. It lives in the subalpine meadows and parklands of the Cascade Mountains, as well as the open forests on the eastern slope. It does not however inhabit the densely forested western slope. It may inhabit the very southern parts of British Columbia.
Cascade red fox | Range
Red fox subspecies in Eurasia and North Africa are divided into two categories:
Red fox | Subspecies
The flanks and sides of the neck are reddish yellow, while the muzzle, ears and underparts of the leg are black. The long hairs of the tail are greyish or yellowish red with black tips, though the tip of the tail is always white. They are distinguished from "bastard" foxes (which are usually the result of a red/silver fox mating) by the dorsal stripe which is black rather than dark red.
Cross fox | Description
The red fox is an introduced species within the park. Order: Carnivora, Family: Canidae Occurrence: Grasslands, open forest - R, I The red fox (Vulpes vulpes) is a small canid native to much of North America and Eurasia, as well as northern Africa. It is the most recognizable species of fox and in many areas it is referred to simply as "the fox". As its name suggests, its fur is predominantly reddish-brown, but there is a naturally occurring grey morph known as the "silver" fox. The red fox is by far the most widespread and abundant species of fox, found in almost every single habitat in the Northern Hemisphere, from the coastal marshes of United States, to the alpine tundras of Tibetan Plateau.
Mammals of Olympic National Park | <a href="Red%20fox">Red fox</a>
At birth, they are short-legged, large-headed and have broad chests. Mothers remain with the kits for 2–3 weeks, as they are unable to thermoregulate. During this period, the fathers or barren vixens feed the mothers. Vixens are very protective of their kits, and have been known to even fight off terriers in their defence. If the mother dies before the kits are independent, the father takes over as their provider. The kits' eyes open after 13–15 days, during which time their ear canals open and their upper teeth erupt, with the lower teeth emerging 3–4 days later. Their eyes are initially blue, but change to amber at 4–5 weeks.
Red fox | Reproduction and development
The red fox is estimated to have dispersed across the continent in only 60–80 years.
Dingo | Fossil record
In the Eurasian desert regions, foxes may use the burrows of wolves, porcupines and other large mammals, as well as those dug by gerbil colonies. Compared to burrows constructed by Arctic foxes, badgers, marmots and corsac foxes, red fox dens are not overly complex. Red fox burrows are divided into a den and temporary burrows, which consist only of a small passage or cave for concealment. The main entrance of the burrow leads downwards (40–45°) and broadens into a den, from which numerous side tunnels branch. Burrow depth ranges from , rarely extending to ground water. The main passage can reach in length, standing an average of .
Red fox | Denning behaviour
Red foxes are omnivores with a highly varied diet. Research conducted in the former Soviet Union showed red foxes consuming over 300 animal species and a few dozen species of plants. They primarily feed on small rodents like voles, mice, ground squirrels, hamsters, gerbils, woodchucks, pocket gophers and deer mice. Secondary prey species include birds (with passeriformes, galliformes and waterfowl predominating), leporids, porcupines, raccoons, opossums, reptiles, insects, other invertebrates and flotsam (marine mammals, fish and echinoderms). On very rare occasions, foxes may attack young or small ungulates. They typically target mammals up to about in weight, and they require of food daily.
Red fox | Diet, hunting and feeding behaviour
Atypical colouration in red foxes usually represents stages toward full melanism, and mostly occurs in cold regions.
Red fox | Colour morphs
Phylogeographical and genetic analysis of the eastern American red fox suggests that foxes first migrated to North America during the Illinoian glaciation (300,000 to 130,000 years before present) and spread southward (Aubry et al., 2009) More recently, the Wisconsin glaciation (100,000 to 10,000 before present) separated the North American fox population into two distinct areas (Aubry et al., 2009). North American red foxes are genetically distinctive from their Eurasian counterparts (Aubry et al., 2009; Frey 2013). Despite claims of historical translocations from Europe, modern red fox populations in the United States’ southeastern region have been shown to be native to North America (Statham et al., 2012).
American red fox | North American colonization and native status
Sierra Nevada red foxes are one of three fox subspecies in the montane clade of North America, occurring in the Cascade Mountains south of the Columbia River and California's Sierra Nevada range. Joseph Grinnell identified separated montane fox populations in the Oregon Cascades, Mount Shasta, Lassen Peak, and Sierra Nevada in 1937. Study then lapsed for approximately 60 to 75 years, depending on location. Rediscovery of the Lassen population began in 1993 followed by detection of a Sierra Nevada population at Sonora Pass in 2010 and rediscovery of the Oregon Cascades population began in 2011. The Lassen and Sonora Pass populations are isolated from each other and it is unknown if a population remains at Mount Shasta.
Sierra Nevada red fox | Range
Red foxes colonized the North American continent in two waves: during or before the Illinoian glaciation, and during the Wisconsinan glaciation. Gene mapping demonstrates that red foxes in North America have been isolated from their Old World counterparts for over 400,000 years, thus raising the possibility that speciation has occurred. In the far north, red fox fossils have been found in Sangamonian deposits in the Fairbanks District and Medicine Hat. Fossils dating from the Wisconsian are present in 25 sites in Arkansas, California, Colorado, Idaho, Missouri, New Mexico, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Wyoming. Although they ranged far south during the Wisconsinan, the onset of warm conditions shrank their range toward the north, and they have only recently reclaimed their former American ranges because of human-induced environmental changes.
American red fox | Origin
The total worldwide trade of wild red foxes in 1985–86 was 1,543,995 pelts. Red foxes amounted to 45% of US wild-caught pelts worth $50 million. Pelt prices are increasing, with 2012 North American wholesale auction prices averaging $39, and 2013 prices averaging $65.78. North American red foxes, particularly those of northern Alaska, are the most valued for their fur, as they have guard hairs of a silky texture, which, after dressing, allow the wearer unrestricted mobility. Red foxes living in southern Alaska's coastal areas and the Aleutian Islands are an exception, as they have extremely coarse pelts that rarely exceed one-third of the price of their northern Alaskan cousins.
Red fox | Fur use
Red foxes are the largest species of the genus "Vulpes". However, relative to dimensions, red foxes are much lighter than similarly sized dogs of the genus "Canis". Their limb bones, for example, weigh 30 percent less per unit area of bone than expected for similarly sized dogs. They display significant individual, sexual, age and geographical variation in size. On average, adults measure high at the shoulder and in body length with tails measuring . The ears measure and the hind feet . Weights range from , with vixens typically weighing 15–20% less than males. Adult red foxes have skulls measuring , while those of vixens measure .
Red fox | Dimensions
In the wild, the typical lifespan of a fox is one to three years, although individuals may live up to ten years. Unlike many canids, foxes are not always pack animals. Typically, they live in small family groups, but some (such as Arctic foxes) are known to be solitary. Foxes are omnivores. Their diet is made up primarily of invertebrates such as insects and small vertebrates such as reptiles and birds. They may also eat eggs and vegetation. Many species are generalist predators, but some (such as the crab-eating fox) have more specialized diets. Most species of fox consume around of food every day.
Fox | Behaviour
Red foxes have been exceedingly successful in colonising built-up environments, especially lower-density suburbs, although many have also been sighted in dense urban areas far from the countryside. Throughout the twentieth century, they established themselves in many Australian, European, Japanese, and North American cities. The species first colonised British cities during the 1930s, entering Bristol and London during the 1940s, and later established themselves in Cambridge and Norwich. In Ireland, they are now common in suburban Dublin. In Australia, red foxes were recorded in Melbourne as early as the 1930s, while in Zurich, Switzerland, they only started appearing in the 1980s.
Red fox | Distribution
Red foxes colonised the North American continent in two waves: during or before the Illinoian glaciation, and during the Wisconsinan glaciation. Gene mapping demonstrates that red foxes in North America have been isolated from their Old World counterparts for over 400,000 years, thus raising the possibility that speciation has occurred, and that the previous binomial name of "Vulpes fulva" may be valid. In the far north, red fox fossils have been found in Sangamonian Stage deposits in the Fairbanks District and Medicine Hat. Fossils dating from the Wisconsinan are present in 25 sites in Arkansas, California, Colorado, Idaho, Missouri, New Mexico, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Wyoming.
Red fox | Colonisation of North America
Although they ranged far south during the Wisconsinan, the onset of warm conditions shrank their range toward the north, and have only recently reclaimed their former American ranges because of human-induced environmental changes. Genetic testing indicates two distinct red fox refugia exist in North America, which have been separated since the Wisconsinan. The northern (or boreal) refugium occurs in Alaska and western Canada, and consists of the large subspecies "V. v. alascensis", "V. v. abietorum", "V. v. regalis", and "V. v. rubricosa". The southern (or montane) refugium occurs in the subalpine parklands and alpine meadows of the Rocky Mountains, the Cascade Range, and Sierra Nevada.
Red fox | Colonisation of North America
The 3rd edition of "Mammal Species of the World" listed 45 subspecies as valid. In 2010, another distinct subspecies, which inhabits the grasslands of the Sacramento Valley, "V. v. patwin", was identified through mitochondrial haplotype studies. Castello (2018) recognized 30 subspecies of the Old World red fox and nine subspecies of the North American red fox as valid. Substantial gene pool mixing between different subspecies is known; British red foxes have crossbred extensively with foxes imported from Germany, France, Belgium, Sardinia, and possibly Siberia and Scandinavia. However, genetic studies suggest very little differences between red foxes sampled across Europe. Lack of genetic diversity is consistent with the red fox being a highly agile species, with one red fox covering in under a year's time.
Red fox | Subspecies
Red foxes have binocular vision, but their sight reacts mainly to movement. Their auditory perception is acute, being able to hear black grouse changing roosts at 600 paces, the flight of crows at and the squeaking of mice at about . They are capable of locating sounds to within one degree at 700–3,000 Hz, though less accurately at higher frequencies. Their sense of smell is good, but weaker than that of specialised dogs.
Red fox | Senses
A 2005 study of the then remnant population surviving on Mount Lassen found that the foxes are nocturnal hunters whose diet is predominantly mammals, especially rodents and mule deer, supplemented by birds, insects and pinemat manzanita berries as seasonally available. Lagomorphs (hares, rabbits and pikas) were virtually absent from the foxes' diet.
Sierra Nevada red fox | Diet
Red foxes typically dominate other fox species. Arctic foxes generally escape competition from red foxes by living farther north, where food is too scarce to support the larger-bodied red species. Although the red species' northern limit is linked to the availability of food, the Arctic species' southern range is limited by the presence of the former. Red and Arctic foxes were both introduced to almost every island from the Aleutian Islands to the Alexander Archipelago during the 1830s–1930s by fur companies. The red foxes invariably displaced the Arctic foxes, with one male red fox having been reported to have killed off all resident Arctic foxes on a small island in 1866.
Red fox | Enemies and competitors
Genetic testing indicates two distinct red fox refugia exist in North America, which have been separated since the Wisconsinan. The northern (or boreal) refugium occurs in Alaska and western Canada, and consists of the large subspecies "V. v. alascensis", "V. v. abietorum", "V. v. regalis", and "V. v. rubricosa". The southern (or montane) refugium occurs in the sub-alpine parklands and alpine meadows of the Rocky Mountains, the Cascade Range, and the Sierra Nevada, and consists of the subspecies "V. v. macroura", "V. v. cascadensis", "V. v. necator", and "V. v. patwin". The latter clade has been separated from all other red fox populations since the last glacial maximum, and may possess unique ecological or physiological adaptations.
American red fox | Origin
Where they are sympatric, Arctic foxes may also escape competition by feeding on lemmings and flotsam, rather than voles, as favoured by red foxes. Both species will kill each other's kits, given the opportunity. Red foxes are serious competitors of corsac foxes, as they hunt the same prey all year. The red species is also stronger, is better adapted to hunting in snow deeper than and is more effective in hunting and catching medium to large-sized rodents. Corsac foxes seem to only outcompete red foxes in semi-desert and steppe areas. In Israel, Blanford's foxes escape competition with red foxes by restricting themselves to rocky cliffs and actively avoiding the open plains inhabited by red foxes.
Red fox | Enemies and competitors
The identification of the origins of the North American red fox populations is crucial in conservation efforts aimed at native vs. nonnative species (Statham et al., 2012). "Vulpes vulpes fulvus"’s presence has been augmenting in the western U.S., an area in which it has not been shown to be native.
American red fox | North American colonization and native status
The three subspecies in the montane clade separated after the Wisconsin glaciation, 15 to 20,000 years ago, with the Columbia River perhaps dividing the Cascade and Sierra Nevada red foxes. However, prior to 2010, montane red foxes in Oregon were presumed to be the Cascade red fox. Earlier literature therefore indicates incorrect ranges for the Cascade and Sierra Nevada red fox. Documented trapping of the Sierra Nevada red fox may have begun when Moses Schallenberger of the Stephens-Townsend-Murphy Party spent the winter of 1844-45 at Donner Pass, taking an average of one red fox every two days.
Sierra Nevada red fox | History
Red fox fur was sought after by trappers during the early part of the 20th century because it was softer than that of California’s gray fox ("Urocyon cinereoargenteus").
Sierra Nevada red fox | Description
Such gray fox tree dens may be located 30 ft above the ground. Prior to European colonization of North America, the red fox was found primarily in boreal forest and the gray fox in deciduous forest.
Gray fox | Behavior
Except there was another woman involved, a lovely, longing, tender woman whose life was slowly draining away into disaster..."
The Quick Red Fox | Summary
A more effective method of urban red fox control is to deter them from the specific areas they inhabit. Deterrents such as creosote, diesel oil, or ammonia can be used. Cleaning up and blocking access to den locations can also discourage an urban red fox's return.
Red fox | Urban red fox control
The red fox is the traditional quarry of the Jack Russell terrier, so the working Jack Russell must be small enough to pursue it. Red foxes vary in size, but across the world, they average from in weight and have an average chest size of at the widest part.
Jack Russell Terrier | Description
Urban red foxes are most active at dusk and dawn, doing most of their hunting and scavenging at these times. It is uncommon to spot them during the day, but they can be caught sunbathing on roofs of houses or sheds. Urban red foxes will often make their homes in hidden and undisturbed spots in urban areas as well as on the edges of a city, visiting at night for sustenance. While urban red foxes will scavenge successfully in the city (and the foxes tend to eat anything that the humans eat) some urban residents will deliberately leave food out for the animals, finding them endearing.
Red fox | Behaviour
Order: Carnivora, Family: Canidae Occurrence: Grasslands, open forest The red fox ("Vulpes vulpes") is a small canid native to much of North America and Eurasia, as well as northern Africa. It is the most recognizable species of fox and in many areas it is referred to simply as "the fox". As its name suggests, its fur is predominantly reddish brown, but there is a naturally occurring gray morph known as the "silver" fox. The red fox is by far the most widespread and abundant species of fox, found in almost every single habitat in the Northern Hemisphere, from the coastal marshes of United States, to the alpine tundras of the Tibetan Plateau.
List of mammals of Montana | <a href="Red%20fox">Red fox</a>
American red foxes tend to be larger than European forms, but according to foxhunters' accounts, they have less cunning, vigour and endurance in the chase than European foxes.
Fox hunting | Red fox
The Cape fox has a life expectancy of about six years, but can live for up to 10 years.
Cape fox | Reproduction
This species of flying fox hangs in a different way from other mainland species. The larger species tend to hang an arm's length apart, but the little reds tend to clump together so they may hang in groups of 20 or more animals on an individual branch. So, these animals are associated with significant canopy and branch damage in camps where they reside. They also tend to appear in very large numbers (20,000 or more) and the footprint of a camp can expand rapidly for the several weeks or months they remain at a site. Their large numbers and the damage they cause to a camp site mean they are not very popular animals.
Little red flying fox | Public perception
In physical conformation, cross foxes are identical to red foxes, though according to Teancum's "Mammals of Utah" (1922), they may be slightly larger with a bushier tail and with more wool under the feet. The cross fox derives its name from the vertical dark band running down the back, which is intersected with another horizontal band across the shoulders. The back and sides are yellowish rufous, which is more vivid on the flanks and the sides of the neck. Excepting the muzzle, the upper part of the head, the hind quarters and the outsides of the shoulders and thighs have dusky brown underfur and black outerfur.
Cross fox | Description
Females are called vixens, and young cubs are known as kits. Although the Arctic fox has a small native population in northern Scandinavia, while the corsac fox's range extends into European Russia, the red fox is the only fox native to Western Europe, and so is simply called "the fox" in colloquial British English. The word "fox" comes from Old English, which derived from Proto-Germanic *"fuhsaz". Compare with West Frisian "foks", Dutch "vos", and German "Fuchs". This, in turn, derives from Proto-Indo-European *"puḱ-" 'thick-haired; tail'. Compare to the Hindi "pū̃ch" 'tail', Tocharian B "päkā" 'tail; chowrie', and Lithuanian "paustìs" 'fur'.
Red fox | Terminology
Fox species differ in fur color, length, and density. Coat colors range from pearly white to black-and-white to black flecked with white or grey on the underside. Fennec foxes (and other species of fox adapted to life in the desert, such as kit foxes), for example, have large ears and short fur to aid in keeping the body cool. Arctic foxes, on the other hand, have tiny ears and short limbs as well as thick, insulating fur, which aid in keeping the body warm. Red foxes, by contrast, have a typical auburn pelt, the tail normally ending with a white marking.
Fox | Pelage
Since the 1980s Ezo red foxes have permanently settled in green spaces in some urban areas, such as Sapporo.
Ezo red fox | Relationships with humans
In addition, no evidence is seen of interbreeding of eastern red foxes in California with the montane Sierra Nevada red fox "V. v. necator" or other populations in the Intermountain West (between the Rocky Mountains to the east and the Cascade and Sierra Nevada ranges to the west.
Red fox | Colonisation of North America
Current literature discusses whether or not the red fox is native to North America, with some research suggesting that nearly all red fox populations in North America are not native (Kamler & Ballard, 2002). "Vulpes Vulpes " is usually seen either as an exotic species introduced by Europeans during the colonization of the North American continent or as a hybrid between Eurasian and native red foxes (Frey, 2013; Aubry et al., 2009). While it is claimed that "Vulpes vulpes fulvus" stems from a nonnative population that spread westward from European introduction (Kamler & Ballard, 2002), a historical analysis of firsthand accounts does not support this claim (Frey, 2013).
American red fox | North American colonization and native status
During such fights, red foxes will stand on each other's upper bodies with their forelegs, using open mouthed threats. Such fights typically only occur among juveniles or adults of the same sex.
Red fox | Body language
The Cascade red fox ("Vulpes vulpes cascadensis") is a subspecies of red fox native to Washington in the United States.
Cascade red fox | Introduction
The ezo red fox ("Vulpes vulpes schrencki") is a subspecies of red fox widely distributed in Hokkaido, Sakhalin, the Kuril Islands and the surrounding islands of Japan. The Ezo red fox's formal name, , was given to the subspecies by Kyukichi Kishida when he studied them in Sakhalin in 1924. In the Ainu languages it is known as cironnup, sumari, kimotpe or hurep.
Ezo red fox | Introduction
Pups remain in the family even after a new litter is born. The pups are weaned at the age of 61 to 70 days. The oldest captive male fennec fox was 14 years old, and the oldest female 13 years.
Fennec fox | Reproduction
Females give birth to one offspring per litter, with the young called a "pup." Its lifespan is estimated at 8–9 years. It is nocturnal, roosting in sheltered places such as trees during the day. Individuals roost by themselves.
Rennell flying fox | Biology