About men 

The most beautiful fox species in the world. Gray fox Fox appearance

The gray fox is a native inhabitant of the American continent. These animals live in the USA, South America, Mexico, Colombia and northern Venezuela.

Gray foxes are similar in appearance to red foxes, but the former have shorter limbs and a bushier tail.

Gray foxes climb trees perfectly; according to this indicator, these representatives of the canine family are not inferior to cats. Such abilities among the closest relatives are observed only in the raccoon, while the rest of the canines do not climb trees.

Gray foxes often climb into the lush crowns of trees located at a great height from the ground. These animals love to rest on thick branches and in the crowns of trees. But in any case, they give preference to the earth's surface, it is on the ground that gray foxes spend most of their time.

Fox appearance


Representatives of the species grow at the withers up to 30-40 centimeters, while the body length varies within 80 centimeters. Gray foxes weigh from 4 to 7 kilograms. The length of the tail reaches 45 centimeters.

The legs are light brown, they are much darker than the rest of the body. The sides, back of the neck and back are dark gray in color. A narrow black band runs along the upper part of the dark gray tail. The tip of the tail is also black. This is the main difference between a gray fox and a red fox, in which the tip of the tail is white.

The chest and belly of the representatives of the species are white. The neck, underside of the tail and a narrow stripe on the underbelly are rusty brown. The underside of the muzzle is white. Also, white fur frames the black tip of the nose.


The muzzle has a shortened shape. Ears are small. Such small size and camouflage color help the predator during the hunt.

reproduction

Gray foxes are monogamous, they form pairs for life. The gestation period is 2 months. The female gives birth to 1 to 7 foxes. Babies mature quickly and at the age of 4 months they are already capable of independent hunting. By 11 months of life, red foxes reach puberty, at this age the young leave their parents. Young individuals seek mates, form families and begin to lead an adult life.


The gray fox is a monogamous animal, and a couple, formed once, stays together all their lives,

The fur of gray foxes is very soft. It was because of the fur that these animals were always shot mercilessly. Only due to the high fertility of these animals were not completely destroyed.

In addition, gray foxes are easier to survive than other canids because they are omnivores. These animals eat rodents, birds, bird eggs and various vegetation. Red foxes love a variety of herbs and especially wild fruits.

population


Today, the number of gray foxes is kept at a stable level. Despite the fact that American farmers often shoot these animals to protect their chickens and ducks, their numbers are quickly restored by the younger generation. In addition, these animals are cunning and very cautious, so they do not often catch the eye of people. From this we can safely conclude that in the near future the destruction of the population does not threaten.


The fox is a smart and very attractive animal that you definitely want to admire, often they become cunning heroes of fairy tales, folklore, and in life they are simple lovers of their natural habitat. At the word "fox" associations immediately arise: red, fluffy, but this opinion is rather primitive. In the wild, there are the most diverse and charming breeds of foxes that you need to learn to look at as a particle of everything living and necessary on our planet, and not regard them as a commodity in the form of fur coats, collars and other products. The fox is the generalized name of some mammals, they belong to the canine family, only 11 species belong to the fox family. Famous and popular species include the following breeds: sivodushki, platinum, pearl, snow and others:

The polar fox lives in the Arctic Circle, where it is very cold, but its short muzzle and paws help to keep warm longer, and thick, luxurious wool serves as a reliable garment and protects from severe frosts.

Arctic fox or polar fox

The gray fox is common in America, its feature is that it can climb trees.


Marble fox - a kind of red fox, found in the Arctic, has an unusually beautiful color, artificially bred.


The red fox is not uncommon, lives in many countries, it is endowed with graceful dexterity, which helps to cope with even the most difficult obstacles.


The red fox changes color depending on the habitat, its color can be: red, fiery, scarlet, yellow, gray and gray-red. Their chest is white, sandy or with a black spot, paws are black, tail is white or gray. Characterized by white hairs all over the body.


Red fox

Both people and animals have albinos, this type includes a white fox, but her eyes are pale blue with a red tint.


The ermine fox is white with black ears and dark body hairs; are not used for industrial purposes.

Black-brown (Alaskan) / silver-black - got their names because of the prevailing color scheme, in the second variety of foxes, the feature lies in silver hairs, which cannot be only on the stomach. Babies are born without silveriness, it begins to appear only from three months. In some black-browns, red spots can be found behind the ears, on the tail, sides, and behind the shoulder blades.


Korsak is very similar to the red fox, but inferior to it in size. Color: light gray or reddish gray (sometimes found with elements of red). The ears are large, the paws are long, the muzzle is short, pointed, the teeth are small; they bark, come into conflict with other foxes, climb trees, sometimes unite in colonies, hunt at night. Diet: hamsters, ground squirrels, mice, birds, carrion, vitamins are obtained from vegetables, fruits, herbs. Korsaki create couples for life. A maximum female can give birth to six cubs, they feed on mother's milk for two months. Life expectancy - 9 years. Korsak is listed in the Red Book, he has a lot of enemies among animals, people also hunt him, although he runs fast, but he gets tired at the same speed. Corsac fur is not very beautiful, but warm and highly valued.


The silver fox is listed in the Red Book, it is covered with thick hair. Color: gray, ashen, black, black-brown. The density and color of the fur depends on the diet and habitat. The silver fox lives in burrows, which she equips herself, leaves her dwelling extremely rarely, in order to get food. Due to their small size, beauties feed on small rodents, birds, but never attack strong predators, rarely attack first; can chase prey for hours, has very sharp fangs. The main advantages: a sensitive sense of smell and hearing, speed of reaction. The silver fox is unusually smart, it can confuse and confuse its pursuers, it is extremely difficult to catch it. The silver fox can live at home, but must be provided with all the necessary vaccinations, examination by a veterinarian, the enclosure must be high and very spacious, but it is worth remembering that it can get out and run away; Regular cleaning and cleanliness is the key to the health and well-being of the pet. She is very active, you need to play with her, like with a dog, buy toys, and if the fox is very small (he is teething), he needs bones that he can chew. He needs to be walked and spent a lot of time with him, so he will quickly adapt and get used to it, accepts almost any diet.


fox as a pet

Exotic animals at home no longer surprise anyone, but relatively recently, domesticated foxes are in great demand and popularity. There are nurseries where you can buy yourself a similar friendly animal, and with it instructions on proper care, nutrition, and care. The experiment of academician Belyaev was crowned with success and in the modern world there are genetically bred active, playful, friendly species that become real friends of man. A very small number of people have the experience of keeping foxes at home, you need to treat it very carefully and carefully.

The animal is unique in nature, because it belongs to the canine family, and in terms of behavior it is more like a cat, it does not belong to a flock, although it is kind and sweet, it is endowed with specific character traits, therefore, to cope with it, to train and educate is not a task for everyone under strength, you need to have great endurance and patience. The breeds of domestic foxes are diverse, if we consider the fennec fox as an example, then it is small, fragile, the length of its tail is equal to the size of the entire body, the weight is only up to two kilograms.

It is better not to have a fox, if there are other animals, he is very emotional and jealous, quickly becomes attached to the owners; also, fennecs can react aggressively to the behavior of children. Fenech has a long tail, huge ears, which serve not only for sensitive hearing, but also as cooling, this species has a special property: the fur is arranged in such a way that it helps to easily endure the heat and at the same time keep warm when it is cold. The smallest representative of canines. Color can be: red, yellow, brown.

Fenechs are known as predators that hunt at night; thermophilic; in domesticated conditions, it is not obedient, capricious, but its appearance is so captivating that it immediately becomes a universal favorite. The fur of foxes needs to be combed out; it is better to close doors and windows, remove fragile items, when the animal is alone at home - lock it in a cage, which must be large and comfortable.


red fox

The wild red, or red, fox is characterized by a red color of various shades, ranging from fiery red to almost gray. There are six main types of red fox coloration:
1) moth- reddish-red (fiery);
2) red- bright red, but without a fiery shade;
3) scarlet- light red or reddish yellow;
4) light- light sand-yellow color;
5) red-grey- gray, with a reddish belt along the spine;
6) gray- gray, with a dull reddish back.

Variation in the color of wild foxes is largely related to their habitat. The chest of red foxes is white or light yellow, the abdomen is white or red (like the sides) or with a black spot on a red background. The ears and ends of the paws (up to the carpal joint on the front and up to the hock on the hind legs) are black. The end of the tail is usually white or gray due to gray underfur or separate
ny pigmented hair. Separate black hairs are scattered along the tail, and often throughout the body. The underfur on the whole body is gray or brown in different shades.

Most red foxes are characterized by the presence of zone-colored hair (agouti) located on the back and sides. Only among moths are often found specimens in which zonal hair is absent. Often, red foxes have gray hair - pure white hair scattered all over the body, and white spots on the chest, stomach and paws. The white spot is characterized by white coloration in its area not only of the awn, but also of the underfur.

In its biology, as well as in breeding technology, the red fox practically does not differ from the silver-black fox. There is only a slight delay (2-3 weeks) during the period of active mating of females and worse maternal qualities, which determines a decrease in the yield of pups compared to the silver-black fox.

By selection, this disadvantage can be eliminated. The main task in breeding work with the red fox is to improve the color of their pubescence. The color characteristic of the Kamchatka fox (moth) and bastard is considered the most desirable. The presence of significant silveriness, which is determined by a light ring on the outer hair, located between the tops of the underfur and the pigmented tip of the awn, is undesirable.

white fox

Foxes, like other animals, have albinos. They have a pure white pubescence, depigmented tip of the nose and claws, light blue eyes with a reddish tinge. Their coloration is recessive in relation to the color of wild foxes.

Ermine fox

In the wild, there are white foxes with black ears, paws and individual black hair scattered over the body and tail. The underfur is grey. When examining such foxes, one gets the impression that they lack yellow pigment, and black is preserved where it is also present in wild red foxes. But in some cases, the development of black pigment is weakened. These foxes do not represent industrial value, and they are not bred on fur farms.

Chromists

Among wild foxes, specimens are relatively common that lack black pigment, as a result of which their underfur is brown, often lighter than usual, paws and ears are also brown, black hair on the tail and back is absent. Otherwise, these foxes do not differ in coloration from normal red foxes. The heredity of chromists has not been studied, economic
they are of no value.

Silver-black and black-brown


The most widespread on fur farms were changes in the color of the fur, which caused the appearance of a black color. In foxes, two such breeds are known, which determine the color of silver-black and black-brown foxes. The first arose among wild foxes in Canada, the second - among the foxes of Eurasia and Alaska. Therefore, in foreign literature, black-brown foxes are often called Alaskan silver-black.

In appearance, silver-black and black-brown foxes can differ only in that in black-brown foxes, the tuft of hair located at the inner edge of the base of the auricle is brown in color. In some black-brown foxes, a significant development of red (of different tone and intensity) spots is sometimes observed behind the ears, on the sides, behind the shoulder blades and at the root of the tail.

Guard hairs with a white zone in their middle part are called silvery. The peculiarity of the silver foxes is that it can be spread over the entire back, on the sides (there is no silver hair on the abdomen) and on the neck, or it can capture only part of the body. Depending on the area of ​​the body occupied by silvery hair, the percentage of silveriness is determined: silverness located from the root of the tail to the ears is taken as 100%; for 75% - from the root of the tail to the shoulder blades; for 50% - from the root of the tail to half of the body. The area of ​​the body occupied by silver can be any (10%, 30%, 80%), but always starts at the root of the tail.

In the same foxes, the percentage of silveriness can vary in different years.

In puppies in the first two weeks, silver is absent. It gradually begins to appear in two-, three-month-old young animals, first on the rump, and then gradually spreads to the head. Silver reaches its full development after the change of summer awn to winter.

The base color of black-brown and silver-black foxes can vary from dark brown (an undesirable type for breeding) to blue-black, which is highly valued.

Hair in which only the top is dyed is called platinum. The presence of a large amount of platinum hair in the pubescence of foxes is undesirable. They, to a greater extent than silver ones, are prone to breakage of the rod, which leads to the development of a defect in pubescence - cross-section. The black ends of the hair form a veil over the silvery zone.

The fact that silver foxes never show obvious reddish tones can be explained by the different pigmentation of the hairline. There is evidence that black-brown foxes have both black and yellow pigment (but black suppresses the manifestation of yellow), while silver-black foxes have only black. In both cases, black pigment develops on all pigmented areas of the hair.

In the early years of fur farming, both silver-black and black-brown foxes were bred abroad, but the number of the latter gradually decreased, and they were completely replaced by the silver-black fox.

The silver-black fox was the first object of domestic fur farming.

When crossing silver-black foxes with black-brown foxes, the offspring has the color of gray foxes or bastards.

Sivodushki, bastards and "zamarayki"

When silver-black or black-brown foxes are crossed with red foxes, the color inheritance of the offspring differs in appearance from both parents. But the coloring can vary significantly: sivodushki (krestovki), bastards and "zamarayki" can be obtained. Foxes of these colors are not bred on farms.

The gray foxes are characterized by a significantly greater development of black pigment than the red foxes. They have a dark muzzle, except for rufous spots near the ears, a dark stripe runs between the ears and extends to the back and shoulder blades. Red spots remain around the ears, on the neck, behind the shoulder blades, as a result of which a more or less pronounced dark cross forms on the shoulders. Black coloration sometimes passes to the abdomen. On the rump, the dark color descends to the hind legs, but the areas at the root of the tail remain rufous. Chest, belly, legs dark. In addition to black hair, all, even very dark, gray-haired foxes also have red hair on their backs, which distinguishes foxes of this type from black-brown ones with highly developed red spotting.

Bastards are similar in color to red foxes, but always have black spots on both sides of the upper lip ("whiskers"). The black coloration on the paws is much more developed and extends on the front paws to the elbow, and on the hind paws - along the front surface of the leg to the knee joint. A significant amount of black hair is scattered over the entire surface of the body and especially on the tail, which gives the coloration a denser tone. Their belly is gray or black.

"Zamarayki" (the term of Kamchatka hunters) are widespread in Kamchatka, in those areas where black-brown foxes are found. "Zamarayki" have a great resemblance to bastards.

At birth, gray foxes and bastards have the same color: they are gray, like puppies of black foxes, and have only small brown areas near the ears and on the body behind the front paws. In red foxes, puppies are also gray, but the brown coloring captures the entire upper part of the head. Subsequently, in bastards, earlier than in sivodushki, gray hair is replaced by red. In red fox puppies, the change from gray to red hair is most intense.

Pastel Fox

The pastel fox has a chocolate brown color. Her eyes, nose and claws are much lighter than those of silver-black. This fox did not receive distribution.

"Beige amber"

Fromm's farm in the USA breeds foxes called "beige amber" (Mauve amber). These animals are beige in color with a pinkish-blue tint. The guard hairs are blond and have only beige tips; fluff - from gray-beige, with a blue tint, to light beige. When crossed with silver-black foxes, they produce silver-black offspring.

Platinum Fox

The pubescence of the platinum fox is characterized by a weakening of the color and the appearance of a pattern in the form of white spotting, forming a certain pattern: a white stripe runs from the tip of the nose between the eyes and ears to the back of the head, where it merges with a wide white collar. On the chest, the collar is connected to the white belly. The tips of the paws are white, but they usually have individual pigmented spots on them. The white pattern is not clearly expressed in all platinum foxes. Darker forms have pigmented areas on a white spot, they are especially often observed on the neck, forming an incomplete collar, and sometimes the total area of ​​the pattern is reduced. In lighter forms, white spots on the muzzle are very large: the ears turn out to be white, the white spot spreads over the frontal part and around the eyes. The eyes in this case acquire a blue color.

Platinum foxes are characterized by the presence of platinum hair, in which only the top is pigmented, and the middle and lower parts are white. The lack of color is considered a very light tone and brownish spots. When bred in purity, the fecundity of this form of foxes is 25% lower. When crossed with silver-black foxes, the fecundity of females is normal.

This breed appeared in 1933 in Norway on a silver-black fox farm. The name of the first male platinum fox is often called "mons". When platinum foxes are crossed with red foxes, both puppies with the color of ordinary gray foxes and bastards, as well as platinum gray foxes and platinum bastards (also called golden ones) will be born. At platinum sivodushki and ba-
Stards black and yellow pigments are located on the body, as in ordinary ones, with an undiluted color, but the general tone is much lighter, and they have a white pattern characteristic of platinum animals.

pearl fox

Like platinum, pearl foxes have a weakened color, but there is no pattern formed by white hair color. Platinum fox and pearl fox are crossed to produce ice fox.

Washington Platinum and Radium Foxes

These foxes have gray hair covering the entire body, head, paws and tail. These mutations have not received distribution, they are not bred here.

white-faced fox

In the white-faced fox, the skin pattern is the same as in the platinum fox, but the color intensity corresponds to the color of the silver-black foxes. Some breeders even note that white-faced silver-black foxes have a more intense black color. Sometimes the pattern is reduced to small white spots on the forehead, chest and paws.

The most widespread are white-faced silver-black foxes.

When crossing white-faced and platinum foxes, young animals are obtained in three colors: silver-black, white-faced and platinum, in a ratio close to 1:1:1.

snow fox

Other names for the snow fox are Georgian white, Bakurian. The coloration is white, black ears and black spots on the muzzle, back and paws. Cream shades are considered undesirable. This breed was obtained in the 40s of the XX century in the Bakurian fur farm.

Photo © Alan Harper on iNaturalist.org. www.alanharper.com. California, USA. CC BY-NC 4.0

Distribution: from southeastern Canada to Venezuela and Colombia, with the exception of part of the Great Plain and mountainous regions (Rocky Mountains) of the northwestern United States and the eastern coast of Central America (watersheds of Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and western Panama). Over the past 50 years, the total range of the gray fox has expanded to new areas and areas where the gray fox has been previously extirpated, including New England, Michigan, Minnesota, Iowa, Ontario, Manitoba, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma and Yute.

Gray foxes resemble small, slender dogs with bushy tails. The body is elongated, the legs are relatively short.

In adult gray foxes, the fur consists of a mixture of white, tan, black and grey. Their tail is approximately one third of their total body length and has a distinct black stripe along the dorsal surface and a black tip. The upper part of the head, back, sides and the rest of the tail are grey. The belly, chest, legs and sides of the head are reddish brown. Cheeks and throat are white. The area around the eyes has a thin black stripe from the outer corner of the eye towards the head. In addition, a broad black stripe runs from the inner corner of the eye, down the muzzle to the mouth. Newborn puppies are dark brown.

The pupils of the eyes are oval, which distinguishes gray foxes from red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), in which the pupils are slit.

There is no sexual dimorphism, but males are slightly larger than females. Males have longer pelvic regions and heel bones, as well as wider shoulder blades and more powerful leg bones.

Length 80-112.5 cm, tail length 27.5-44.3 cm, height at the withers 10-15 cm. Weight 3.6-6.8 kg, up to a maximum of 9 kg.

Gray foxes prefer to live in deciduous forests interspersed with dense woodlands. Many populations thrive where forests alternate with farmlands, but unlike the red fox, they do not live in purely agricultural areas. Proximity to water is a key feature of the most preferred habitat. In areas where gray foxes and red foxes are found, the former prefer mixed forests with dense undergrowth. In the absence of red foxes, other habitats are preferred.

Most often they live at altitudes up to 1000-3000 m above sea level.

In eastern North America, the gray fox is most closely associated with deciduous or southern pine forests interspersed with some old fields and clear forests. In western North America, it is commonly found in mixed agricultural, woodland, chaparral, coastal landscape, and scrub environments. This species occupies forested areas and abundant prey habitats in Central America and forested highlands in South America. Also, gray foxes are found in semi-arid areas in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, where there is ample hiding places. Apparently they are doing well in some urban areas.

Territoriality of gray foxes is poorly studied. Territories are marked with urine and faeces, but in many areas the patches overlap considerably. Family plots are formed so that the separate territories of the pair overlap. The family plots themselves usually do not overlap. The red fox probably reaches peak densities every 10 years, with an average density of about one family for every 10 km².

However, the total size of personal and family plots of the gray fox has not been determined. Foxes tracked from May to August 1980 and January to August 1981 had an average monthly home area of ​​299 ha and an average family area of ​​676 ha. The complexity of the definition lies in the fact that although some individuals occupy the same area for a long time, their personal areas, as a rule, change from month to month. Only part of the home range is used that night. Composite home ranges of 4 gray foxes in another study ranged from 106 to 172 ha.

Gray foxes are more active at night and at dusk, resting during the day in dense vegetation or secluded rocky areas. Activity levels decrease sharply at sunrise and increase at sunset. Typically, gray foxes leave the resting area during the daytime shortly before sunset, explore the surrounding area, and then move to the hunting area. Shortly before sunrise, they usually return to the daytime resting area. At the same time, gray foxes are often active during the daytime.

Gray foxes usually change their resting places every day, starting in late spring when new vegetation grows. In winter, shelters are reused.

The gray fox is the only member of the family that can climb trees, especially to avoid danger. However, these foxes often climb trees for rest, sometimes quite high. One gray fox was observed resting 4.6 m above the ground on a branch of a giant saguaro cactus (Carnegiea gigantea).

gray foxes pportunisticallyomnivorous. Although they prey on small vertebrates and birds, fruits and invertebrates also make up a significant portion of their diet, usually proportions vary by season. Thus, rabbits (Sylvilagus floridanus), murine (Peromyscus spp., Neotoma spp., Sigmodon hispidus, etc.) make up the bulk of their winter diet. Starting in spring, invertebrates, fruits, nuts and grains are included in the diet. Preferred insects are orthopterans and beetles. Depending on the region, the fox often mainly depends on rabbits and other small mammals in winter, insects and fruits in summer. In some areas, the overall diet may consist of predominant plant foods.

If the prey is large, the foxes hide the remains, often burying it. After that, they usually mark the hiding place with urine or use the smell of glands on their paws and tail. When possible, gray foxes may also feed on carrion.

Like other members of the family, gray foxes communicate by barking and growling. Young foxes usually play with each other. Males, in an attempt to attract potential breeding partners, raise their hind legs to show their genitals. Adult animals use their scents to mark territory.

Lairs are usually found in hollow trees (the highest discovered den was in a hollow at a height of 9.1 m) or logs, in small caves, cracks between rocks, abandoned buildings, tangled shrubs, less often in abandoned burrows of other mammals. Occasionally, gray foxes themselves dig holes in loose soil.

Thought to be monogamous, but direct evidence is lacking. There are reports of rare cases of polygamy and polyandry.

During the rearing of offspring, there are family groups consisting of a male, female and young. Pairs form in autumn, before breeding occurs in winter. During October and September, when females attract partners, males usually show more aggression. Like domestic dogs (Canis lupus familiaris), gray foxes have a violet gland. Foxes also have additional scent glands on their snout and foot pads. While these glands are primarily used to demarcate a territory, they can also be used to attract potential mates.

Reproduction takes place annually. The breeding season varies by geographic region, altitude, and habitat quality, and runs from late winter to early spring (December to March). Where the gray fox is sympatric with the red fox, it starts breeding 2-4 weeks later than red foxes.

Pregnancy from 53 to 63 days. The maximum number of births usually occurs in April. Litter from 1 to 7 puppies, averaging 3.8. However, litter size is not well understood. Puppies are born blind and almost naked. The average weight at birth is 86-95 g. The eyes open 9 days after birth. Milk feeding continues up to 6 weeks, but weaning begins at 2-3 weeks, then only complementary feeding continues. Solid food begins to be taken at about 3 weeks of age, which is mainly supplied by the father. Parents begin to teach puppies to hunt at about 4 months. Until then, both parents hunt separately, and the puppies practice their hunting skills by pouncing and chasing the half-dead prey they bring. First of all, their father teaches them to hunt. The pups depend on their parents for up to 10 months, after which they become sexually mature and disperse. According to other sources, families break up at the end of summer and autumn.

At about 10 months old, both males and females become sexually mature. Most females give birth in the first year of life.

Life expectancy both in captivity and in the wild ranges from 6 to 8 years. However, the oldest recorded wild gray fox was 10 years old and the oldest in captivity was 12 years old.

The main enemies of gray foxes in nature are red lynxes (Lynx rufus), golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos), eagle owls (Bubo virginianus) and coyotes (Canis latrans). Unlike red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), which use speed and maneuverability to escape predators, gray foxes hide in shelters (for example, in thickets). From terrestrial predators, gray foxes can use their ability to climb trees.

In addition to natural deaths, humans are responsible for the largest number of deaths and therefore the greatest threat.

Fox (fox) ( Vulpes) is a predatory mammal, belongs to the carnivorous order, canine family. The Latin name of the fox genus, apparently, comes from distorted words: the Latin "lupus" and the German "Wolf", translated as "wolf". In the Old Slavonic language, the adjective "fox" corresponded to the definition of yellowish, red and yellowish-orange color, characteristic of the color of the widespread common fox.

Fox (fox): description, characteristics, photo

Depending on the species, the size of the fox varies from 18 cm (in the fennec) to 90 cm, and the weight of the fox ranges from 0.7 kg (in the fennec) to 10 kg. Foxes have a characteristic generic feature - a slender, elongated body with rather short limbs, a slightly elongated muzzle and tail.

The fluffy tail of the fox serves as a kind of stabilizer while running, and in winter cold is used for additional protection from frost.

The length of a fox's tail depends on the species. In it it reaches 20-30 cm. The length of the tail of the common fox is 40-60 cm.

Foxes rely more on touch and smell than sight. They have a sensitive sense of smell and excellent hearing.

Their ears are rather large, triangular, slightly elongated, with a sharp tip. The fennec fox (up to 15 cm in height) and the big-eared fox (up to 13 cm in height) have the largest ears.

The vision of animals, adapted for a nocturnal lifestyle, allows representatives of the genus to respond perfectly to movement, however, the structure of the eye of a fox with vertical pupils is not adapted for color recognition.

In total, the fox has 42 teeth, except for the big-eared fox, which grows 48 teeth.

The density and length of the hairline of these predators depends on the time of year and climatic conditions. In winter and in areas with severe weather conditions, the fox fur becomes thick and lush, in summer the pomp and length of the coat decreases.

The color of the fox can be sandy, red, yellowish, brown with black or white markings. In some species, the color of the fur can be almost white or black-brown. In the northern latitudes, foxes are larger and have a lighter color, in southern countries the color of the fox is duller, and the size of the animal is smaller.

When chasing a victim or in case of danger, the fox is able to reach speeds of up to 50 km / h. During the mating season, foxes can make barking sounds.

The life expectancy of a fox in natural conditions ranges from 3 to 10 years, but in captivity the fox lives up to 25 years of age.

Fox classification

In the canine family (wolf, canine), several genera are distinguished, which include different types of foxes:

  • Maikong ( Cerdocyon)
    • Maikong, savannah fox ( Cerdocyon thous)
  • Small foxes ( Atelocynus)
    • Little fox ( Atelocynus microtis)
  • Big-eared foxes ( Otocyon)
    • big-eared fox ( Otocyon megalotis)
  • South American foxes ( Lycalopex)
    • Andean fox ( Lycalopex culpaeus)
    • South American Fox ( Lycalopex griseus)
    • Darwin fox ( Lycalopex fulvipes)
    • Paraguayan fox ( Lycalopex gymnocercus)
    • Brazilian fox ( Lycalopex vetulus)
    • Securan Fox ( Lycalopex securae)
  • Gray foxes ( Urocyon)
    • gray fox ( Urocyon cinereoargenteus)
    • island fox ( Urocyon littoralis)
  • Foxes ( Vulpes)
    • Common or red fox ( Vulpes vulpes)
    • American fox ( Vulpes macrotis)
    • Afghan fox ( Vulpes cana)
    • African fox ( Vulpes pallida)
    • Bengal Fox (Indian) ( Vulpes bengalensis)
    • Korsak, steppe fox ( Vulpes corsac)
    • American corsac ( Vulpes velox)
    • Sand Fox ( Vulpes rueppelli)
    • Tibetan fox ( Vulpes ferrilata)
    • Fenech ( Vulpes zerda, fennecus zerda)
    • South African fox ( Vulpes chama)

Fox species, names and photos

Below is a brief description of several varieties of foxes:

  • Common fox (red fox) ( Vulpes vulpes)

The largest representative of the fox genus. The weight of the fox reaches 10 kilograms, and the length of the body, together with the tail, is 150 cm. Depending on the area of ​​​​residence, the color of the fox may vary slightly in tone saturation, but the main color of the back and sides remains bright red, and the belly is white. Black "stockings" are clearly visible on the legs. A characteristic feature is the white tip of the tail and dark, almost black ears.

The habitat includes all of Europe, the territory of North Africa, Asia (from India to South China), North America and Australia.

Representatives of this species of foxes are happy to eat field, roe deer cubs, if possible, destroy the nests of geese and capercaillie, feed on carrion, and insect larvae. Surprisingly, the red fox is a fierce destroyer of oat crops: in the absence of a meat menu, it attacks cereal farmlands, causing damage to them.

  • American fox (Vulpes macrotis )

Predatory mammal of medium size. The body length of a fox varies from 37 cm to 50 cm, the tail reaches a length of 32 cm, the weight of an adult fox ranges from 1.9 kg (for a female) - 2.2 kg (for a male). The back of the animal is painted in yellowish-gray or whitish tones, and the sides are yellowish-brown. Distinctive features of this species of foxes are the white belly and the black tip of the tail. The lateral surface of the muzzle and sensitive whiskers are dark brown or black. The length of the fur hairs does not exceed 50 mm.

The fox lives in the southwestern deserts of the United States and north of Mexico, feeding on hares and rodents (kangaroo jumpers).

  • Afghan fox (Bukhara, Baluchistan fox)(Vulpes cana )

A small animal belonging to the Canine family. The length of the fox does not exceed 0.5 meters. The length of the tail is 33-41 cm. The weight of the fox ranges from 1.5-3 kilograms. The Bukhara fox differs from other species of foxes in rather large ears, the height of which reaches 9 cm, and dark stripes running from the upper lip to the corners of the eyes. In winter, the color of the fox's coat on the back and sides acquires a rich brownish-gray color with separate black outer hairs. In summer, its intensity decreases, and the whitish color of the throat, chest and abdomen remains unchanged. The Afghan fox has no hair on the surface of its paw pads, which protects other desert foxes from hot sand.

The main habitat of the fox is the east of Iran, the territory of Afghanistan and Hindustan. Less common in Egypt, Turkmenistan, UAE, Pakistan. The Afghan fox is an omnivore. It absorbs mice with appetite and does not refuse a vegetarian menu.

  • african fox(Vulpes pallida)

It has an external resemblance to a red fox ( Vulpes vulpes), but is more modest in size. The total body length of the fox, together with the tail, does not exceed 70-75 cm, and the weight rarely reaches 3.5-3.6 kg. Unlike the common fox, its African relative has longer legs and ears. The coloration of the back, legs and tail with a black tip is red with a brown tint, and the muzzle and belly are white. Around the eyes in adults, a black rim is clearly visible, and a strip of dark-colored fur runs along the ridge.

The African fox lives in Africa - it can often be seen in Senegal, Sudan and Somalia. Fox food consists of both animals (small rodents,) and plant components.

  • Bengal fox (Indian fox)(Vulpes bengalensis )

This type of fox is characterized by medium size. The height of adults at the withers does not exceed 28-30 cm, the weight of the fox ranges from 1.8 to 3.2 kg, and the maximum body length reaches 60 cm. The length of the tail of the fox with a black tip rarely reaches 28 cm. , short and sleek. It is painted in various shades of sandy brown or reddish brown.

The animal lives in the foothills of the Himalayas, feels great in India and in Bangladesh and Nepal. The menu of the Indian fox always has a place for sweet fruits, but preference is given to lizards, bird eggs, mice, and insects.

  • Korsak, steppe fox(Vulpes corsac )

It has a distant resemblance to an ordinary fox, however, unlike it, representatives of this species of foxes have a shorter pointed muzzle, large wide ears and longer legs. The body length of an adult corsac is 0.5-0.6 m, and the weight of the fox ranges from 4 to 6 kg. The color of the back, sides and tail of the fox is gray, sometimes with a red or red tint, and the color of the belly is yellowish or white. A characteristic feature of this species is the light coloration of the chin and lower lip, as well as the dark brown or black color of the tip of the tail.

The steppe fox lives in many countries: from the southeast of Europe to Asia, including Iran, the territory of Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Afghanistan and Azerbaijan. Often found in the Caucasus and the Urals, lives on the Don and in the lower Volga region.

Steppe foxes feed on rodents (voles, jerboas, mice), destroy nests, hunting for bird eggs, and sometimes attack hares. There is practically no plant food in the diet of the steppe fox.

  • American corsac, pygmy agile fox, prairie fox(Vulpes Velox )

A small fox with a body length of 37 to 53 cm and a weight of 2 to 3 kg. The height of the animal at the withers rarely reaches 0.3 m, and the length of the tail is 35 cm. The characteristic light gray color of the thick short fox fur on the sides and back in the summer period acquires a pronounced red tint with red-buff tan marks. The throat and belly of the fox are distinguished by a lighter shade. The black markings on both sides of the sensitive nose and the dark tip of the tail are also a specific feature of the American corsac.

The pygmy fox lives in areas of plains and semi-deserts and has practically no territorial attachment.

The fox feeds on mice, loves to eat locusts and will not refuse carrion remaining from the prey of more seasoned predators.

  • sand fox(Vulpes rueppelli )

The animal has characteristically large, wide ears and paws, the pads of which are protected from the hot sand by a thick fur coat. Unlike most relatives, representatives of this species of foxes have well-developed not only hearing and smell, but also vision. The pale brown color of the back, tail and sides with separate white guard hairs serves as a good camouflage color for the fox in conditions of sand and stone placers in habitats. The weight of adult animals rarely reaches 3.5-3.6 kg, and the length of the body of the fox, together with the tail, does not exceed 85-90 cm.

The sand fox lives in the desert. Numerous populations are found in the sands of the Sahara desert - from Morocco and sultry Egypt to Somalia and Tunisia.

The sand fox feeds not too diversely, which is associated with the habitat. The fox's food includes lizards, jerboas and mice, and which the animal is absolutely not afraid of and deftly absorbs.

  • Tibetan fox(Vulpes ferrilata )

The animal grows to a size of 60-70 cm and weighs about 5 kg. The rusty-brown or fiery-red color of the back, gradually turning into a light gray color of the sides and a white belly, gives the impression of stripes running along the body of the fox. The fur of the fox is dense and longer than that of other species.

The fox lives on the territory of the Tibetan plateau, is less common in northern India, Nepal, and in some provinces of China.

The food of the Tibetan fox is varied, but pikas (haystacks) are its basis, although the fox is happy to catch mice and hares, does not disdain birds and their eggs, eats lizards and sweet berries.

  • Fenech ( Vulpes zerda)

This is the smallest fox in the world. The height of adult animals at the withers is only 18-22 cm with a body length of about 40 cm and a weight of up to 1.5 kg. The fennec fox is the owner of the largest ears among the representatives of the genus. The length of the ears reaches 15 cm. The surface of the pads on the fox's paws is pubescent, which makes it possible for the animal to calmly move along the hot sand. The belly of the animal is painted white, and the back and sides are various shades of red or fawn. The tip of the fox's fluffy tail is black. Unlike other relatives that make sounds out of necessity, foxes of this species often communicate with each other using barking, growling, and also howling sounds.

Fenechs live mainly in the central Sahara, but often this fox can be seen in Morocco, the Sinai and Arabian Peninsulas, near Lake Chad and in Sudan.

Fenech is an omnivorous fox: it hunts rodents and small birds, eats locusts and lizards, and will not refuse the roots of plants and their sweet fruits.

  • South African fox ( Vulpes chama)

A fairly large animal with a weight of 3.5 to 5 kg and a body length of 45 to 60 cm. The length of the tail is 30-40 cm. The color of the fox varies from gray with a silvery tint to almost black on the back and gray with a yellowish tinge on the belly.

The fox lives exclusively in the countries of South Africa, especially large populations are found in Angola and Zimbabwe.

Omnivorous species: small rodents, lizards, low-nesting birds and their eggs, carrion and even food waste, which the animal looks for when entering private yards or landfills, are eaten.

  • Maikong, savannah fox, crabeater fox ( Cerdocyon thous)

The species has a body length of 60 to 70 cm, the fox's tail reaches 30 cm, the fox weighs 5-8 kg. The height of the mikong at the withers is 50 cm. The color is brown-gray with brown spots on the muzzle and paws. The color of the throat and belly can be gray, white or various shades of yellow. The tips of the ears and tail of the fox are black. The legs of the mikong are short and strong, the tail is fluffy and long. The weight of an adult mikong reaches 4.5-7.7 kg. The body length is approximately 64.3 cm, the tail length is 28.5 cm.

  • big-eared fox ( Otocyon megalotis)

The animal has disproportionately large ears, reaching 13 cm in height. The length of the body of the fox reaches 45-65 cm, the length of the tail is 25-35 cm. The weight of the fox varies between 3-5.3 kg. The hind legs of the animal have 4 fingers, the front ones have five fingers. The color of the animal is usually gray-yellow with brown, gray or yellow spots. The belly and throat of the fox have a lighter shade. The tips of the paws and ears are dark, there is a black stripe on the tail, the same stripe is on the muzzle of the fox. This type of fox differs from other species in the presence of 48 teeth (the rest of the genus has only 42 teeth).

The fox lives in southern and eastern Africa: in Ethiopia, Sudan, Tanzania, Angola, Zambia, South Africa.

The main food of the fox is termites, beetles and locusts. Sometimes the animal feeds on bird eggs, lizards, small rodents, plant foods.

The distribution range of foxes includes all of Europe, the African continent, North America, Australia and a significant part of Asia. The fox lives in the forests and groves of Italy and Portugal, Spain and France, in the steppe and forest-steppe regions of Russia and Ukraine, Poland and Bulgaria, the desert and mountainous regions of Egypt and Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria, Mexico and the United States of America. Foxes feel at ease in the fertile climate of India, Pakistan and China, as well as the harsh conditions of the Arctic and Alaska.

Under natural conditions, foxes live in ravines and ravines overgrown with vegetation, forests or plantations interspersed with fields, in desert and high mountain regions. Burrows of other animals or dug on their own are often used as shelter. Burrows can be both simple and with a complex system of passages and emergency exits. Foxes can hide in caves, rock crevices, and tree hollows. They easily endure spending the night in the open. The animal easily adapts to life in cultivated landscapes. Fox populations have been observed even in the park areas of large cities.

Almost all members of the family lead an active nocturnal lifestyle, however, foxes often go hunting during the daytime.