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Red Fox - (Vulpes vulpes)
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During our first spring in
this house, we saw a fox and her two kits. They
would often scurry across our backyard at dusk.
This spring we have only seen one lone fox.
They all seemed to have a busy, furtive air
about them. They have no business with us, we
are only a shortcut to a secret somewhere else.
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The fox is a beautiful animal
but seems a little scary and mysterious to me.
I suppose that feeling comes from a childhood
filled with fables and fairy tales.. In truth,
the fox is a very adaptable and intelligent
creature. I'm thinking they are proud of their
folk lore reputation of being notoriously sly
and cunning. Certainly they're clever enough to
avoid posing for my camera.
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Size: |
Total Length: 33-42 in |
Tail Length: 14-18 in |
Weight: 7-15 lb |
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ID:
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Male: Called
Reynard; medium size; reddish brown
above; long legs with black stockings;
black ears; narrow muzzle; white
underparts; long bushy tail is mix of
black and reddish hair with white on tip
Female: Called vixen slightly smaller
than male |
| Habitat: |
Forest edges, mixed
habitats of fields and brush, farmland,
suburbs with wooded or scrubby ravines |
| Diet: |
Carnivorous;
rodents, poultry, insects, fruit and
berries, rabbits, birds, carrion and
garbage ; often stores excess food in
caches near den entrance covering with
leaves, soil or snow and marked with
urine ; forages and hunts alone |
| Family Behavior: |
Mating Habits: Pair
bonds for long term
Den: Born in underground dens with
several entrances (openings 8-15 inches
across); located under piles of wood,
under tree roots, in hillsides,
abandoned woodchuck burrows
Young: 4-10 kits born in March or April
(gestation of 52 days); blind and
helpless, weighing 3-8 ounces; nurse for
10 weeks; fed regurgitated food by both
parents; fully independent at 7 weeks
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| Activities: |
Stalks prey closely,
then leaps (as high as 15 feet) pins
down prey with front paws; pair occupies
and defends territory (150 to 1500
acres) |
| Predators and
Dangers: |
Bobcat and coyote |
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Vocalization: |
High -pitched barks |
| Lifespan: |
3-7 years in the
wild |
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