Red fox (Vulpes vulpes)
Red foxes have overtaken grey wolves as the most widespread canines in the wild. Distributed throughout the northern hemisphere, red foxes are highly adaptable and occupy territories in deserts and tundra as well as urban areas. They live in family groups in dens and eat most things including small mammals, fruit, carrion and the contents of dustbins. As well as having excellent vision, smell and touch these bushy-tailed true foxes can produce 28 different calls.
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Sure footing Earth News
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Fox invasion fear grips Tasmania
Tasmania is intensifying its controversial war against an invisible yet potentially destructive foe - the European red fox.
About the Red fox
The Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) is a mammal of the order Carnivora native to much of North America and Eurasia, as well as northern Africa. In Ireland and the UK, where there are no longer any other native wild canids, it is referred to simply as "the fox". It was introduced into Australia in the 19th century. As its name suggests, its fur is predominantly reddish-brown, but there is a naturally occurring grey morph known as the “silver” fox; a strain of domesticated silver fox has been produced from these animals by systematic domestication.
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The Red fox is
- Able to scent mark
- Carnivorous
- Co-operative breeder
- Helpless at birth
- Monogamous
- Nocturnal
- Polygynous
- Predator
- Social
- Territorial
- Viviparous
Adaptation data provided by Animal Diversity Web
Where can I see them?
They can be found in the following habitats:
Conservation Status
The Red fox is Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
- EX - Extinct
- EW
- CR - Threatened
- EN - Threatened
- VU - Threatened
- NT
- LC - Least concern
Population trend: Stable
Year assessed: 2008
Elsewhere on the web
- Red fox - Vulpes vulpes (arkive.org)
- Vulpes vulpes (animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu)
- Red fox fact sheet (mammal.org.uk)
- The life of a fox cub (redfoxes.org)
- Red fox FAQ (thefoxwebsite.org)
- Red fox facts (wildlifeonline.me.uk)
- Red Fox (wikipedia.org)
Site links
BBC links
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