The
red fox originated from smaller-sized ancestors from Eurasia during the
Middle Villafranchian period, and colonised North America shortly after
the Wisconsin glaciation. 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.
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. 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 leporids, game birds,
reptiles, invertebrates and young ungulates. Fruit and vegetable matter
is also eaten sometimes. Although the red fox tends to kill smaller
predators, it is vulnerable to attack from larger predators, such as
wolves, coyotes, golden jackals and medium- and large-sized felines.
The
species has a long history of association with humans, having been
extensively hunted as a pest and furbearer for centuries, as well as
being represented in human folklore and mythology. Because of its
widespread distribution and large population, the red fox is one of the
most important furbearing animals harvested for the fur trade.
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% 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 35–50 cm (14–20 in) high at the shoulder and
45 to 90 cm (18 to 35 in) in body length with tails measuring 32 to 53
cm (13 to 21 in). The ears measure 7.7–12.5 cm (3–5 in) and the hind
feet 12–18.5 cm (5–7 in). They weigh 2.2 to 14 kg (4.9 to 30.9 lb), with
vixens typically weighing 15–20% less than males. Adult red foxes have
skulls measuring 129–167 mm (5.1–6.6 in), while those of vixens measure
128–159 mm (5.0–6.3 in).[6] The forefoot print measures 60 mm (2.4 in)
in length and 45 mm (1.8 in) in width, while the hind foot print
measures 55 mm (2.2 in) long and 38 mm (1.5 in) wide. They trot at a
speed of 6–13 km/h, and have a maximum running speed of 50 km/h. They
have a stride of 25–35 cm (9.8–13.8 in) 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.
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. 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.
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 - information supplied from Wikipedia
We
ran into a Fox den this year on our sprint migration and young wildlife
workshop in Ontario this year. The den was home to seven (7) kits.
I hope you join us next year on our annual spring migration workshop. All the details can be found here. http://northof49photography.com/ontario-migration-workshop
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