Fauna Report

Red Fox- Vulpes vulpes

The Red Fox can be found mainly in North America, North Africa, and Eurasia, and became popular when hunters and trappers discovered them. They are the raised on farms more commonly than any other wild animal due to their fur and because they were hunted for sport. However in February 18, 2005, hunting foxes for sport became illegal. As young pups, they are often taken by predators if they are not protected. Coyotes and wolves can also attack adult foxes, but the main predator of foxes are humans.

The red fox’s fur is an orangish-red color with white on their underside and tail, and black legs and ears. It is an omnivore so they eat berries, grass, and fruits, along with small animals like birds, mice, rabbits, and squirrels. A large part of their diet however is invertebrates like crickets, caterpillars, grasshoppers, beetles and crayfish. Even when the fox is hungry, it will continue to gather food and berries it in the ground for winter. They can detect extremely low frequency noises; this is how they hear mice digging in the snow and/or ground.

Though they are mainly nocturnal, the Red Fox will sometimes venture out during the day. The Red Fox requires an environment that will accommodate the creation of dens for breeding. They like being in areas such as farmland, prairies, and wooded area. Besides using dens for shelter, Red Foxes usually curl their bushy tail around and under their nose for warmth. When temperatures get too low for them too be able to survive curled up in the open, they usually find an abandoned rabbit or marmot den.

Only weighing up to 30 pounds, the Red Fox has learned to adapt and avoid predators in a way that has enabled them survive. The Red Fox uses phonological separation, an Anti-predator adaptation that has allowed the Red Fox time to hunt at night and not worry about avoiding humans and other predators of theirs. The Red Fox’s resourcefulness and wit has earned it a legendary intelligent and cunning reputation.