Gray fox. The most beautiful species of foxes in the world Tree fox
Gray fox or tree fox - a representative of wolves, most often found in North America and the northern part of South America. When disappeared from Canada, it appeared in Southern Ontario, Manitoba and Quebec.
Appearance of a gray fox
The gray fox looks like a small dog with a beautiful fluffy tail. She is much smaller than brown foxes.
Appearance like an ordinary fox, only with a shorter muzzle and ears. Short, powerful legs have tenacious nails that allow them to climb trees and branches well. Has uneven coat color. The muzzle, back, sides and long fluffy tail are painted with gray or silver light. Red light spreads over the neck, sides of the head and torso. There is a white light below, the tip of the tail is painted black. The fur is short and coarse and covers the entire body of the fox. The fox's tail is of an unusual triangular shape.
Sixty-nine centimeters body length. Nine and a half centimeters head.
Weighing from two and a half to seven kg. The tail reaches forty centimeters.
In nature it lives for about six years, in zoos up to fifteen.
Gray fox habitat
The animal has fallen in love with forest thickets and can also be found at the edge of the forest and in small coppices. Likes to approach crop fields, sometimes found in the vicinity of villages and cities. She considers pine groves her home and makes a den in them. But it hunts in deciduous woody bushes, where there are more small mammals for food. Foxes live in holes, but rarely dig themselves; they usually find secluded places, sometimes use tree hollows, live between stones, and other people's holes.
live sedentary way life. Animals love to drink clean water, so habitats are chosen closer to water. Well-trodden fox paths can be seen near the water.
When foxes see people, they bark, and in the forest they make other sounds similar to howls and whimpers.
Gray fox behavior
Because foxes love to climb trees, they are called tree foxes. When an unfamiliar or dangerous object approaches, with a quick jump and tenacious claws they cling to a hill, to fallen and small trees, and stumps located higher. Clinging with hooked claws, they can jump to another tree. The fox is held on the tree by strong powerful legs and strong claws; it can jump from the tree for prey.
In pursuit of prey or to hide from the enemy, it runs at speeds of up to seventeen kilometers, in short intervals. The tree serves as a shelter from the enemy, here she rests, but breeds offspring in burrows.
Foxes live in pairs, each family has its own land boundary. They mark territorial spaces with their urine and droppings. They roam in family flocks all summer until their offspring grow up. Grown foxes move long distances from their mothers and subsequently look for mates. The boundaries of the areas of married couples reach large areas of up to 27 square meters. The outskirts of neighboring territories often overlap.
Reproduction of gray foxes
Depending on where they live, they breed from December to April. At this time, the males fight among themselves for the female, the winner forms a pair with her. When the babies appear, the males show care and obtain food for the little foxes and defend their territory.
Before giving birth, the den is covered with dried leaves, grass, or small tree bark. The fox brings from two to seven babies. They are born blind and helpless, weighing no more than a hundred grams. They open their eyes on the tenth, fourteenth day. The mother suckles for seven to nine weeks, then switches to solid food. There are a lot of fleas in the den, they eat the whole family. As soon as the puppies grow a little and can move independently, the fox moves to another place. When reaching three months, wean from breast milk. From three months old, babies are taught to hunt small animals.
Feeding of the gray fox
The main diet of the tree fox consists of plant foods. Among all wolves, this species is most prone to plant foods. It feeds on insects, mice, gophers, hares, birds and their eggs, and carrion. Enjoys fruits, bulbs and grains. He can catch a squirrel in a tree and eat it.
Representatives of the gray fox danger
The greatest danger to the gray fox is the hawk, golden eagle, and large owls. They attack from above, the fox cannot cope with them. Red lynxes and dogs hunt small foxes.
Gray fox fur is not valued. That's why people don't hunt gray foxes. The State of Texas is Overcrowded gray foxes. Animals love to catch mice in farmers' crop fields, this helps in the fight against rodents. But often foxes become pests of farms, then they are caught in traps and shot.
Video about the gray fox
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People often associate the fox with cunning and deceit, with a red tail and a wary gaze. However, not all so simple. Our selection includes seven such different and such charming species of foxes, which differ from each other not only in color, but also in their character.
fennec
Fennec fox can't boast large sizes- This animal is smaller than a domestic cat. But the fennec's ears are the envy of all predators - almost half the length of the animal's body! Such ears help the fox to hear the rustling sounds of its prey - small insects and lizards that live in the sands of northern Africa. In addition, huge ears help to better cool the body during hot weather.
Red fox
Red fox is the most numerous common species among foxes. This animal can be seen throughout Europe, North America, India and China, as well as in Australia, where foxes were specially brought as natural enemies endlessly multiplied rodents. Red foxes typically live in burrows. They can dig them themselves or can occupy the empty hole of other animals: marmots, badgers or arctic foxes. However, there are cases when a fox takes up residence in someone else’s burrow, even though its owner has not yet “moved” to another place.
Marble fox
Actually arctic marbled fox is a subspecies of the common red fox, artificially bred for its exotic fur.
Gray fox
Gray fox lives in North and Central America. They are known for being monogamous animals and living with their partner for the rest of their lives. In addition, this is the only fox that can climb trees.
Black and brown fox
Black and brown fox, or silver fox, differs from the red one only in that there are absolutely no red hairs in its color. Sometimes completely black, sometimes gray with a bluish tint, sometimes ashen - foxes of such exotic color are very popular in livestock farming, where they are used for fur.
polar fox
polar fox, also known as the arctic fox, is famous for its fluffy snow-white fur, which helps the animal withstand cold temperatures down to -70 C. However, in the summer this fox is unrecognizable - the arctic fox is the only one among foxes who changes its color, and in the warm season it becomes dirty brown colors.
Fox (fox) ( Vulpes) - This carnivorous mammal, belongs to the order Carnivora, family Canidae. The Latin name for the fox genus appears to have come from corruptions of the Latin “lupus” and the German “Wolf,” both translated as “wolf.” IN 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 (for the fennec) to 90 cm, and the weight of the fox ranges from 0.7 kg (for 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 fox's fluffy tail serves as a kind of stabilizer while running, and in winter cold it is used for additional protection from frost.
The length of a fox's tail depends on the species. It reaches 20-30 cm. The length of the common fox's tail 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 quite large, triangular, slightly elongated, with a sharp tip. The largest ears are those of the fennec fox (up to 15 cm in height) and the bat-eared fox (up to 13 cm in height).
The vision of animals, adapted for a nocturnal lifestyle, allows representatives of the genus to respond perfectly to movement, however, the structure of the fox's eye with vertical pupils is not adapted for color recognition.
A fox has a total of 42 teeth, except for the bat-eared fox, which grows 48 teeth.
The thickness and length of the hair of these predators depends on the time of year and climatic conditions. IN winter time and in areas with harsh weather conditions, the fox's fur becomes thick and lush; in summer, the lushness and length of the coat decreases.
The color of a fox can be sandy, red, yellowish, brown with black or white markings. In some species, the fur color can be almost white or black-brown. IN 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, a fox can reach speeds of up to 50 km/h. During mating season foxes can make barking sounds.
The lifespan of a fox in natural conditions ranges from 3 to 10 years, but in captivity the fox lives up to 25 years of age.
Classification of foxes
In the canine family (wolf, canine), there are several genera, which include different types of foxes:
- Maikongi ( Cerdocyon)
- Maikong, savannah fox ( Cerdocyon thous)
- Small foxes ( Atelocynus)
- Small 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's fox ( Lycalopex fulvipes)
- Paraguayan fox ( Lycalopex gymnocercus)
- Brazilian fox ( Lycalopex vetulus)
- Sekuran fox ( Lycalopex sechurae)
- 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)
- Corsac, steppe fox ( Vulpes corsac)
- American corsac ( Vulpes velox)
- Sand fox ( Vulpes rueppelli)
- Tibetan fox ( Vulpes ferrilata)
- Fennec ( Vulpes zerda, Fennecus zerda)
- South African fox ( Vulpes chama)
Types of foxes, names and photographs
Below is short description several varieties of foxes:
- Common fox (red fox) ( Vulpes vulpes)
Most major representative kind of foxes The weight of the fox reaches 10 kilograms, and the length of the body including the tail is 150 cm. Depending on the area of residence, the color of the fox may vary slightly in tonal 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 serves as a white tip of the tail and dark, almost black ears.
Its habitat includes all of Europe, North Africa, Asia (from India to Southern China), North America and Australia.
Representatives of this species of foxes happily eat field foxes and young roe deer; when the opportunity arises, they destroy the nests of geese and wood grouse, and feed on carrion and insect larvae. Surprisingly, the red fox is a fierce destroyer of oat crops: in the absence meat menu it attacks cereal crop fields, causing damage to them.
- American fox (Vulpes macrotis )
A medium-sized predatory mammal. 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) to 2.2 kg (for a male). The back of the animal is colored yellowish-gray or whitish, and the sides are yellowish-brown. Distinctive features This type of foxes have a white belly and a black tip of the tail. Side surface muzzles 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 hoppers).
- Afghan fox (Bukhara, Balochistan fox)(Vulpes cana )
A small animal belonging to the Canidae 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 types of foxes in its 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 fur on the back and sides becomes a rich brownish-gray color with individual black guard hairs. In summer, its intensity decreases, but the whitish color of the throat, chest and belly remains unchanged. The Afghan fox does not have hair on the surface of its paw pads, which protects other desert foxes from the 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. He eats mice with gusto and does not refuse the vegetarian menu.
- African fox(Vulpes pallida)
It has external resemblance with a red fox ( Vulpes vulpes), but has a more modest size. The total length of the fox's body including 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 more long legs and ears. The color of the back, legs and tail with a black tip is red with a brown tint, and the muzzle and belly are white. A black rim is clearly visible around the eyes of adult individuals, and a strip of dark-colored fur runs along the ridge.
The African fox lives in African countries - it can often be seen in Senegal, Sudan and Somalia. The fox's 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 adult individuals 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 fox's tail with a black tip rarely reaches 28 cm. Wool, which forms the hairline , short and smooth. It is colored in various shades of sandy brown or reddish brown.
The animal lives in the foothills of the Himalayas and thrives in India and in Bangladesh and Nepal. The Indian fox's menu always includes sweet fruits, but preference is given to lizards, bird eggs, mice, and insects.
- Corsac fox, steppe fox(Vulpes corsac )
Has a vague resemblance to common fox However, unlike her, representatives of this type of fox 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 a 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. Characteristic feature This species is characterized by a light coloration of the chin and lower lip, as well as a dark brown or black color of the tip of the tail.
The steppe fox lives in many countries: from southeastern 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 fox, dwarf agile fox, prairie fox(Vulpes velox )
A small fox with a body length from 37 to 53 cm and a weight from 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 fur of the fox on the sides and back in the summer acquires a pronounced red tint with red-ocher tan marks. The fox's throat and belly are lighter in color. Also characteristic of the American Corsac are the black markings located on both sides of the sensitive nose and the dark tip of the tail.
The pygmy fox lives in areas of plains and semi-deserts and has practically no territorial attachment.
The fox feeds on mice, loves to feast on locusts and will not refuse the carrion left over 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 coat of fur. Unlike most of their relatives, representatives of this species of fox have well-developed not only hearing and smell, but also vision. The pale brown color of the back, tail and sides with individual white guard hairs serves as a good camouflage color for the fox in sandy and stone placers in its habitat. The weight of adult animals rarely reaches 3.5-3.6 kg, and the length of the fox’s body including the tail does not exceed 85-90 cm.
The sand fox lives in desert areas. Numerous populations are found in the sands of the Sahara Desert - from Morocco and sultry Egypt to Somalia and Tunisia.
The sand fox's diet is not very diverse, which is due to its habitat. The fox's food includes lizards, jerboas and mice, 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 the light gray color of the sides and white belly, creates the impression of stripes running along the body of the fox. Fox fur is dense and longer than other species.
The fox lives on the territory of the Tibetan plateau, and is less common in northern India, Nepal, and some provinces of China.
The food of the Tibetan fox is varied, but its basis is pikas (hay stands), although the fox happily catches mice and hares, does not disdain birds and their eggs, and eats lizards and sweet berries.
- Fennec ( 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 has 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 allows the animal to calmly move along the hot sand. The animal's belly is painted white, and its back and sides are painted in various shades of red or fawn. The tip of the fox's fluffy tail is black. Unlike other relatives, who make sounds out of necessity, foxes of this species often communicate with each other using barking, growling, and howling sounds.
Fennec foxes live mainly in the central Sahara, but this fox can often 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 silver tint to almost black on the back and gray with a yellowish tint on the belly.
The fox lives exclusively in countries South Africa, especially large populations are found in Angola and Zimbabwe.
Omnivorous species: food includes 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.
- 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, and the fox weighs 5-8 kg. The height of the maikong 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 may be grey, white or various shades of yellow. The tips of the fox's ears and tail are black. The legs of the maikong are short and strong, the tail is fluffy and long. The weight of an adult maikong 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 fox's body length reaches 45-65 cm, the tail length 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 legs are five-toed. 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, and the same stripe is on the fox’s face. This species of fox differs from other species by the presence of 48 teeth (other representatives of the genus have only 42 teeth).
The fox lives in southern and eastern Africa: Ethiopia, Sudan, Tanzania, Angola, Zambia, South Africa.
The fox's main food 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 large 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, desert and mountainous areas 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 harsh conditions Arctic and Alaska.
Under natural conditions, foxes live in ravines and ravines overgrown with vegetation, forests or plantings interspersed with fields, in desert and highland areas. Burrows of other animals or those dug themselves are often used as shelter. Burrows can be either simple or with complex system passages and emergency exits. Foxes can hide in caves, rock crevices, and also in tree hollows. Can easily endure spending the night under open air. The animal easily adapts to life in cultivated landscapes. Fox populations were observed even in park areas of large cities.
Almost all members of the family are active night look life, however, foxes often go hunting during the daytime.
Fox is a generalized name for several species of mammals in the large canid family (Canidae). Twelve species of this group belong to the genus of foxes proper (true foxes), but some other species are also called foxes. Occupying different continents, all 23 fox species below have characteristic appearance and a similar way of life, but at the same time, each species has its own characteristics.
The fox is a predator with a sharp muzzle, a narrow and somewhat flattened head, rather large ears and a long fluffy tail. To all of us early childhood I'm familiar with the red-haired, thieving cheat - the heroine of many fairy tales and fables, who always manages to get around her relative - the wolf. Obviously, the cunning of the fox in the tales of many cultures reflects the plasticity of the species and its wide distribution. Indeed, foxes are very unpretentious to environment, they know how to adapt well and have been able to settle quite comfortably on almost all continents, with the exception of Antarctica.
There are 3 separate branches of "fox-like" canids. The closest of them to the common ancestors are 2 species of gray foxes (Urucyon). The age of this genus is 4-6 million years. And although they are phenotypically similar to foxes of the genus Vulpes, they are not genetically related to them. Big-eared fox (Otocyon) – too ancient look canids, which is genetically and morphologically separated from all other foxes (genus age 3 million years). These species make up the first branch.
The second branch is the species of the genus Vulpes (common foxes). This branch is divided into 2 parts - the common fox type and the fennec type. The fennec fox and the Afghan fox represent the result of an ancient divergence (4.5 million years). The branch comprising the species of the common fox group includes the American corsac and arctic fox, the American fox, as well as many of the Old World species. They diverged only recently (0.5 million years) and form a separate subgroup within the common fox phylum.
The third branch consists of all South American species. This branch stands closer to the genus Caris (Wolves) than to other foxes. The little fox and Maikong are the ancestral forms of this group (age 3 million years); most other Dusicyon species arose relatively recently (1.0-2.5 million years ago).
Species of foxes of the genus Vulpes
The fox genus Vulpes is the largest and most widespread among canids, numbering 12 species of foxes. Representatives of this genus can also be found on far north, and in South America, and in Europe, and in Africa, and in Asia.
The characteristic features of foxes of the genus Vulpes are a pointed muzzle, triangular erect ears, a long and fluffy tail, and a flat skull compared to the genus Canis. The color of the tip of the tail is usually different from the main color. There are black triangular markings on the muzzle between the eyes and nose.
Common fox Vulpes vulpes
Currently, there are about 48 subspecies, which are distributed from the Arctic Circle to the deserts of Asia and North Africa and Central America. They were also introduced to Australia. This is such a common species that it is most likely the most flexible of all carnivores.
Body length is on average 75 cm, tail – 40-69 cm, weight can reach 10 kg. The coat is rusty to fiery red above, and white to black below. The tip of the tail is often white. There are silver and other color varieties.
Bengal (Indian) fox Vulpes bengalensis
Inhabits India, Pakistan, Nepal. It lives in steppes, open forests, thorny bushes and semi-deserts up to 1350 m above sea level.
Body length – 45-60 cm, tail – 25-35 cm, weight – 1.8-3.2 kg. The color of the short, smooth coat is sandy-red, the paws are reddish-brown, and the tip of the tail is black.
Vulpes chama
Distributed in Africa south of Zimbabwe and Angola. You can meet it in the steppes and rocky deserts.
Body length – 45-60 cm, tail – 30-40 cm, weight – 3.5-4.5 kg.The color is reddish-brown agouti with a silver-gray back, the tip of the tail is black, there is no dark facial mask.
Korsak Vulpes corsac
Found in steppe zone south-eastern part of Russia, in Central Asia, Mongolia, in Transbaikalia to the north of Manchuria and the north of Afghanistan.
Externally, the corsac looks like common fox, but much smaller. Body length 50-60 cm, tail – 22-35 cm, weight – 2.5-4 kg. The coat color is brownish-gray, the chin is white or slightly yellowish. A characteristic feature of the corsac are wide, noticeably prominent cheekbones.
Tibetan fox Vulpes ferrilata
Inhabits the steppe areas of the highlands (4500-4800 m above sea level) of Tibet and Nepal.
Body length – 60-67 cm, tail – 28-32 cm, weight – 4-5.5 kg. The body and ears are colored light gray agouti, the tip of the tail is white. The long and narrow head appears square due to the thick and dense collar. The fangs are elongated.
African fox Vulpes pallida
Inhabits North Africa from the Red Sea to the Atlantic, from Senegal to Sudan and Somalia. Lives in deserts.
Body length – 40-45 cm, tail – 27-30 cm, weight – 2.5-2.7 kg. The coat is short and thin. The body and ears are yellowish-brown, the paws are red, and the tip of the tail is black. There are no marks on the face.
sand fox Vulpes rueppelii
Found from Morocco to Afghanistan, northern Cameroon, northeastern Nigeria, Chad, Congo, Somalia, Egypt, Sudan. Inhabits deserts.
Body length – 40-52 cm, tail – 25-35 cm, weight – 1.7-2 kg. The coat is pale sandy in color, the tip of the tail is white, and there are black spots on the muzzle. It has large ears that help regulate body temperature, and the fur on its paw pads makes it easier to move across hot sand.
American corsac Vulpes velox
Found from Texas to South Dakota. From 1900 to 1970 this species was found in the northern Great Plains, in Canada, but, apparently, the American corsac was completely exterminated: in 1928 the fox disappeared from the province of Saskatchewan, and in 1938 from the province of Alberta. However, it has now been successfully reintroduced to the Canadian prairie.
Body length – 37-53 cm, tail – 22-35 cm, weight – 2-3 kg. The coat is pale gray in winter, red in summer; the tip of the tail is black, and there are black spots on the sides of the muzzle.
American fox Vulpes macrotis
Inhabits northwestern Mexico and southwestern United States. Lives in prairies and arid steppes.
Body length – 38-50 cm, tail – 22-30 cm, weight – 1.8-3 kg. The coat is yellow-red in color, the limbs are reddish-brown. The tail has a black tip and is very fluffy.
Vulpes cana
Inhabits Afghanistan, northeast Iran, Balochistan; an isolated population is known in Israel. You can meet it in mountainous regions.
Body length – 42-48 cm, tail – 30-35 cm, weight – 1.5-3 kg. The color is most often uniform dark, in winter it is brownish-gray. Bare paw pads are adapted for life in areas with steep slopes.
fennec Vulpes zerda
It is sometimes placed in the genus Fennecus due to its large ears, rounded skull and small teeth. Lives in North Africa, across the entire Sahara east to Sinai and Arabia. Lives in sandy deserts.
Body length – 24-41 cm, tail – 18-31 cm, weight – 0.9-1.5 kg. - the smallest of all foxes. The coat color is cream, the tip of the tail is black. The paw pads are pubescent. A notable feature of the fennec cat is its huge ears, which make up 20% of the body surface, helping the animal cool down in the heat of the day (when high temperature air vessels in the ears expand, increasing heat transfer). However, at temperatures below 20° C, the fennec begins to shiver from the cold.
Arctic fox(arctic fox) Vulpes (Alopex) lagopus
Modern scientific classification sometimes counts singular gender arctic foxes to the genus of foxes. The Arctic fox inhabits the subpolar zone; tundra and littoral areas of the sea coast.
Body length – 53-55 cm, tail – 30-32 cm, weight – 3.1-3.8 kg. There are two types of color: "white", which looks like taupe in summer, and "blue", which looks chocolate brown in summer. The fur is very dense, at least 70% is warm undercoat. have amazing resistance to cold.
Genus Urocyon (Grey foxes)
Gray fox Urocyon cinereoargenteus
Found from the central United States to the prairies, from the south to Venezuela, from the north to Ontario.
Body length – 52-69 cm, tail – 27-45 cm, weight – 2.5-7 kg. The color is gray, with streaks, the throat is white, the paws are reddish-brown. A ridge of stiff black hairs runs along the dorsal surface of the tail.
island fox Urocyon littoralis
Distributed on the Channel Islands near California.
This is the smallest species of fox found in the United States. Body length - 48-50 cm, tail -12-29 cm, weight - 1.2-2.7 kg. Outwardly similar to the gray fox, but inferior to it in size. The island fox is mostly insectivorous.
Genus Otocyon (Big-eared foxes)
Big-eared fox Otocyon megalotis
Two populations are known: one occurs from the south of Zambia to South Africa, the other from Ethiopia to Tanzania. Prefers open spaces.
Body length – 46-58 cm, tail – 24-34 cm, weight – 3-4.5 kg. The color ranges from gray to dark yellow, there are black markings on the face, tips of the ears and paws, and a “strap” on the back. The ears are large (up to 12 cm). The big-eared fox differs from other species in its unusual dental structure: its teeth are weak, but together with additional molars they total is 46-50. The diet of this species is also very unusual: 80% of the diet consists of insects, mainly dung beetles and termites.
Genus Dusicyon (South American foxes)
The habitat of foxes of the genus Dusicyon is limited to South America. The color is usually gray with reddish-brown splashes. The skull is long and narrow; The ears are large, the tail is fluffy.
Andean foxDusicyon (Pseudalopex) culpaeus
It lives in the Andes, from Ecuador and Peru to the island of Tierra del Fuego. Found in the mountains and pampas.
Depending on the subspecies, body length varies from 60 to 115 cm, tail length - 30-45 cm, weight - 4.5-11 kg. The back and shoulders are gray, the head, neck, ears and paws are reddish-brown; the tip of the tail is black.
South American fox Dusicyon (Pseudalopex) griseus
It lives in the Andes, the population is mainly concentrated in Argentina and Chile. Lives at lower altitudes than the Andean fox.
Body length – 42-68 cm, tail – 31-36 cm, weight – 4.4 kg. The color is mottled light gray; the lower parts of the body are lighter.
Paraguayan fox Dusicyon (Pseudalopex) gymnocercus
Inhabits the pampas of Paraguay, Chile, southeastern Brazil, from southern through eastern Argentina to Rio Negro.
Body length – 62-65 cm, tail – 34-36 cm, weight – 4.8-6.5 kg.
Sekuran fox Dusicyon (Pseudalopex) sechurae
It lives in the coastal deserts of northern Peru and southern Ecuador.
Body length – 53-59 cm, tail – about 25 cm, weight – 4.5-4.7 kg. The coat is light gray, the tip of the tail is black.
Dusicyon (Pseudalopex) vetulus
Inhabits southern and central Brazil.
Body length is about 60 cm, tail is about 30 cm, weight is 2.7-4 kg. The muzzle is short, the teeth are small. The coat color of the upper body is gray, the belly is white. There is a dark line on the dorsal surface of the tail.
Darwin's fox Dusicyon (Pseudalopex) fulvipes
Found on the island of Chiloe and in national park Nahuelbuta, Chile.
Body length is about 60 cm, tail is 26 cm, weight is about 2 kg. The coat of the upper body is dark gray, the neck and belly are the color of cream. The species is endangered.
While traveling by ship in 1831, Charles Darwin acquired a specimen of the gray fox, which later received his name. In his journal, he recorded that on the island of Chiloe a fox was caught, belonging to a genus which appears to be unique to the island and very rare on it, and has not yet been described as a species. Although Darwin suspected the uniqueness of this fox, which was recently confirmed, the status of this animal remained unclear for a long time. It is distinguished by a dark brown, almost rusty head color and relatively short legs.
Dusicyon (Cerdocyon) thous
Distributed from Colombia and Venezuela to northern Argentina and Paraguay. Inhabits savannas and forests.
Body length - 60-70 cm, tail - 28-30 cm, weight -5-8 kg.
The coat is gray-brown, the ears are dark; tail with dark dorsal strap and white tip; paw pads are large; the muzzle is short.
(small fox or short-eared zorro) Dusicyon (Atelocynus) Microtis
Lives in tropical forests basin of the Orinoco and Amazon rivers. Found in Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela and Brazil.
Body length -72-100 cm, tail - 25-35 cm, weight up to 9 kg. The color is dark, the ears are short and rounded. The teeth are long and strong. Cat's gait.
Literature: Mammals: Complete illustrated encyclopedia /Translated from English/ Book. I. Predatory, marine mammals, primates, tupayas, woolly wings. / Ed. D. MacDonald. – M: “Omega”, – 2007.
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How often do you see a fox in a tree? But the gray or tree fox (lat. Urocyon cinereoargenteus) simply loves to jump from branch to branch. In this she is helped by strong long claws, with which she clings to the trunk, and, of course, dexterity. The gray fox loves to be on high ground so much that he even makes a den for himself in the hollows of trees if given the opportunity.
She lives in North and Central America. True, she is in no hurry to climb into the cold northern regions - her undercoat is not able to protect her owner from severe frosts. But the tree fox’s tail is so gorgeous that even the recognized beauty of the red fox may well envy her.
The gray fox is slightly smaller than its red relative: its height at the withers is only 30-40 cm, and its weight does not exceed 7 kg (on average 3.5-6 kg). She has a dense build and relatively short legs. The tail in cross section has the shape of a triangle, and not a circle, like that of other canines.
Her top part the bodies are usually dark gray or gray with small silver inclusions. The neck, chest and belly are whitish-gray, the rest of the body is reddish in color. The dark brown nose of the chanterelle is decorated with a white spot. A black stripe stretches from the nose to the eyes, which goes further back - through the sides of the head to the back of the head. The silvery fluffy tail is shaded by a black line running from its base to its tip.
The gray fox prefers bushes, forests and forest edges, although sometimes it settles near cities or on agricultural land. It feeds on small mammals, birds and their eggs, as well as insects, carrion, some fruits, fruits and nuts. This is one of the few representatives of the canine family that haunts squirrels, hunting them and destroying their babies.
Gray foxes live in pairs. Partners are faithful to each other and take care of the offspring together. The den is located in tree hollows, rock crevices or in spacious burrows of others. Sometimes they are found in abandoned buildings or in voids under stones and fallen trees. And in the eastern part of Texas, a hollow was once discovered at a height of 10 m, used by a fox for rest. So she's definitely not afraid of heights.
The male in a pair not only takes care of his partner and offspring, but also protects the territory from uninvited guests. The area of the family plot ranges from 3 to 27 square meters. km. As a rule, its size depends on the amount of food. Sometimes the habitats of different families partially overlap. But lonely males do not tolerate anyone on their site except females.
The gray fox is considered a widespread species that is not yet in danger of extinction.