Who do the foxes hunt? Common fox (Vulpes vulpes) Red fox (eng.). Distribution and habitats

12.06.2019

Fox (fox) (lat. Vulpes) is a predatory mammal, belongs to the carnivorous order, canine family. Latin name the genus fox, apparently, came from distorted words: the Latin "lupus" and the German "Wolf", translated as "wolf". In the 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 (in the fennec) to 90 cm, and the weight of the fox ranges from 0.7 kg (in 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 fluffy tail of the fox serves as a kind of stabilizer while running, and in winter cold is used for additional protection from frost.

The length of a fox's tail depends on the species. In fennec, it reaches 20-30 cm. The length of the tail of an ordinary fox 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 rather large, triangular, slightly elongated, with a sharp tip. The fennec fox (up to 15 cm in height) and the big-eared fox (up to 13 cm in height) have the largest ears.

Animal vision, adapted for a nocturnal lifestyle, allows representatives of the genus to respond perfectly to movement, however, the structure of the eye of a fox with vertical pupils is not adapted for color recognition.

In total, the fox has 42 teeth, except for the big-eared fox, which grows 48 teeth.

The density and length of the hairline of these predators depends on the season and climatic conditions. AT winter time and in areas with severe weather conditions fox fur becomes thick and lush, in summer the pomp and length of the coat decreases.

The color of the fox can be sandy, red, yellowish, brown with black or white markings. In some species, the color of the fur can be almost white or black-brown. In the 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, the fox is able to reach speeds of up to 50 km / h. During mating season foxes can make barking sounds.

Life span of a fox vivo ranges from 3 to 10 years, however, in captivity, the fox lives up to 25 years of age.

Fox classification

In the canine family (wolf, canine), several genera are distinguished, which include different types foxes:

Maikongi (lat. Cerdocyon)
- Maikong, savannah fox (lat. Cerdocyon thous)
Small foxes (lat. Atelocynus)
- Little fox (lat. Atelocynus microtis)
Big-eared foxes (lat. Otocyon)
- Big-eared fox (lat. Otocyon megalotis)
South American foxes (lat. Lycalopex)
- Andean fox (lat. Lycalopex culpaeus)
- South American fox (lat. Lycalopex griseus)
- Darwin's fox (lat. Lycalopex fulvipes)
- Paraguayan fox (lat. Lycalopex gymnocercus)
- Brazilian fox (lat. Lycalopex vetulus)
- Securan fox (lat. Lycalopex securae)
Gray foxes (lat. Urocyon)
- Gray fox (lat. Urocyon cinereoargenteus)
- Island fox (lat. Urocyon littoralis)
Foxes (lat. Vulpes)
- American fox (lat. Vulpes macrotis)
- Afghan fox (lat. Vulpes cana)
- African fox (lat. Vulpes pallida)
- Bengal fox (Indian) (lat. Vulpes bengalensis)
- Korsak, steppe fox (lat. Vulpes corsac)
- American corsac (lat. Vulpes velox)
- Sand fox (lat. Vulpes rueppelli)
- Tibetan fox (lat. Vulpes ferrilata)
- South African fox (lat. Vulpes chama)

Fox species, names and photos

Below is short description several varieties of foxes:

red fox(red fox) (lat. Vulpes vulpes )

The largest representative of the fox genus. The weight of the fox reaches 10 kilograms, and the length of the body, together with the tail, is 150 cm. Depending on the area of residence, the color of the fox may vary slightly in tone 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. characteristic feature serves as a white tip of the tail and dark, almost black ears.

The habitat includes the whole of Europe, the territory North Africa, Asia (from India to South China), North America and Australia.

Representatives of this species of foxes are happy to eat field, roe deer cubs, if possible, destroy the nests of geese and capercaillie, feed on carrion, and insect larvae. Surprisingly, the red fox is a fierce destroyer of oat crops: in the absence of a meat menu, it attacks cereal farmlands, causing damage to them.

American fox (lat.Vulpes macrotis )

Predatory mammal of medium size. The body length of the fox varies from 37 cm to 50 cm, the tail reaches a length of 32 cm, weight adult fox fluctuates between 1.9 kg (female) - 2.2 kg (male). The back of the animal is painted in yellowish-gray or whitish tones, and the sides are yellowish-brown. Distinctive features of this species of foxes are 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 jumpers).

Afghan fox (Bukhara, Baluchistan fox)(lat.Vulpes cana )

A small animal belonging to the Canine 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 species of foxes in its rather large ears, the height of which reaches 9 cm, and dark stripes coming from upper lip to the corners of the eyes. In winter, the color of the fox's coat on the back and sides acquires a rich brownish-gray color with separate black outer hairs. In summer, its intensity decreases, and the whitish color of the throat, chest and abdomen remains unchanged. The Afghan fox has no hair on the surface of its paw pads, which protects other desert foxes from 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. It absorbs mice with appetite and does not refuse a vegetarian menu.

african fox(lat. Vulpes pallida)

It has resemblance with a red fox (lat. Vulpes vulpes), but is more modest in size. The total body length of the fox, together with 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 coloration of the back, legs and tail with a black tip is red with brown tint, and the muzzle and belly are white. Around the eyes in adults, a black rim is clearly visible, and a strip of dark-colored fur runs along the ridge.

The African fox lives in Africa - it can often be seen in Senegal, Sudan and Somalia. Fox food consists of both animals (small rodents,) and plant components.

Bengal fox (Indian fox)(lat.Vulpes bengalensis )

This type of fox is characterized by medium size. The height of adults 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 tail of the fox with a black tip rarely reaches 28 cm. The wool that forms the hairline , short and sleek. It is painted in various shades of sandy brown or reddish brown.

The animal lives in the foothills of the Himalayas, feels great in India and in Bangladesh and Nepal. On the menu Indian fox there is always a place for sweet fruits, but preference is given to lizards, bird eggs, mice, and insects.

Korsak, steppe fox(lat.Vulpes corsac )

Has a distant resemblance to common fox, however, in contrast to it, representatives of this species of foxes 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 the 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 of this species is the light coloration of the chin and lower lip, as well as the dark brown or black color of the tip of the tail.

The steppe fox lives in many countries: from the southeast of 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, sometimes attack and. There is practically no plant food in the diet of the steppe fox.

American corsac, pygmy agile fox, prairie fox(lat.Vulpes Velox )

A small fox with a body length of 37 to 53 cm and a weight of 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 fox fur on the sides and back in summer period acquires a pronounced red hue with red-ocher tan marks. The throat and belly of the fox are distinguished by a lighter shade. The black markings on both sides of the sensitive nose and the dark tip of the tail are also a specific feature of the American corsac.

The pygmy fox lives in areas of plains and semi-deserts and has practically no territorial attachment.

The fox feeds on mice, loves to eat and will not refuse the carrion remaining from the prey of more seasoned predators.

sand fox(lat.Vulpes rueppelli )

The animal has characteristically large, wide ears and paws, the pads of which are protected from the hot sand by a thick fur coat. Unlike most relatives, representatives of this species of foxes have well-developed not only hearing and smell, but also vision. The pale brown color of the back, tail and sides with separate white guard hairs serves as a good camouflage color for the fox in conditions of sand and stone placers in habitats. The weight of adult animals rarely reaches 3.5-3.6 kg, and the length of the body of the fox, together with the tail, does not exceed 85-90 cm.

The sand fox lives in the desert. Numerous populations are found in the sands of the Sahara desert - from Morocco and sultry Egypt to Somalia and Tunisia.

The sand fox feeds not too diversely, which is associated with the habitat. Fox food includes jerboas and, and, which the animal is absolutely not afraid of and deftly absorbs.

Tibetan fox(lat.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 a light gray color of the sides and a white belly, gives the impression of stripes running along the body of the fox. The fur of the fox is dense and longer than that of other species.

The fox lives on the territory of the Tibetan plateau, is less common in northern India, Nepal, in some provinces of China.

The food of the Tibetan fox is varied, but pikas (haystacks) are its basis, although the fox is happy to catch mice and hares, does not disdain birds and their eggs, eats lizards and sweet berries.

Fenech (lat. 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. is the owner of 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 makes it possible for the animal to calmly move along the hot sand. The belly of the animal is painted in White color, and the back and sides in various shades of red or fawn. Tip fluffy tail fox black. Unlike other relatives that make sounds out of necessity, foxes of this species often communicate with each other using barking, growling, and also howling sounds.

Fenechs live mainly in the central Sahara, but often this fox can be seen in Morocco, 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 (lat. Vulpes chama)

A rather 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 silvery tint to almost black on the back and gray with a yellowish tinge on the belly.

The fox lives exclusively in countries South Africa, especially large populations are found in Angola and Zimbabwe.

Omnivorous species: 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, are eaten.

Maikong, savannah fox, crabeater fox (lat. Cerdocyon thous)

The species has a body length of 60 to 70 cm, the fox's tail reaches 30 cm, the fox weighs 5-8 kg. The height of the mikong 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 can be gray, white or various shades of yellow. The tips of the ears and tail of the fox are black. The legs of the mikong are short and strong, the tail is fluffy and long. The weight of an adult mikong reaches 4.5-7.7 kg. The body length is approximately 64.3 cm, the tail length is 28.5 cm.

Big-eared fox (lat. Otocyon megalotis)

The animal has disproportionately large ears, reaching 13 cm in height. The length of the body of the fox reaches 45-65 cm, the length of the tail 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 ones have five fingers. 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, the same stripe is on the muzzle of the fox. This type foxes differ from other species in the presence of 48 teeth (the rest of the genus has only 42 teeth).

The fox lives in southern and eastern Africa: in Ethiopia, Sudan, Tanzania, Angola, Zambia, South Africa.

The main food of the fox 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, African continent, North America, Australia and much 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, the desert and mountainous regions of 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 plantations interspersed with fields, in desert and high mountain regions. Burrows of other animals or dug on their own are often used as shelter. Burrows can be both simple and with a complex system of passages and emergency exits. Foxes can hide in caves, rock crevices, and tree hollows. They easily endure spending the night in the open. The animal easily adapts to life in cultivated landscapes. Fox populations have been observed even in the park areas of large cities.

Almost all members of the family are active night image life, however, foxes often go hunting in the daytime.

Who is this fox? How she looks, where she lives and what she eats, what habits she has - our message will tell about all this.

What kind of animal is this. What does a fox look like

The fox is a carnivorous animal that belongs to the canine family.

Externally similar to a medium-sized dog, but her habits are more cat-like. On her flexible body is a neat head with a sharp muzzle and mobile, always alert, large dark ears, legs are short, thin, but strong.

The fur coat of this animal deserves special attention - it is magnificent, beautiful, the color can be different. Most often there are bright red foxes, but there may also be black, black-brown, silver. There is a rule: in northern regions the fur of these animals is thick and bright, but the farther south, the more modest it is both in density and in color. And the tail of the foxes is very beautiful - long, up to 60 cm, fluffy, always with a white tip. Foxes are only hunted for their valuable fur.

Hearing and sight, smell and touch

Foxes have excellent hearing. She can hear the rustling of a mouse in a hole, the distant flapping of wings and the murmur of a hare from a hundred paces away. Her large ears, like locators, are very good at identifying the source of a sound. The fox also knows how to determine the distance from where the sound flew to it.

This animal has an interesting vision: far-sighted eyes are adapted to notice even the smallest movement of a blade of grass, see well in the dark but the fox does not distinguish colors well, so it can come very close to a motionless person.

She has a good sense of smell, but many other animals have a much sharper sense of smell.

Very good for foxes developed sense of touch softly and inaudibly stepping on the ground, leaves or snow, they feel the smallest details with their springy paws. They can find a hole or with their paws alone.

Where live

Foxes can be found throughout the northern hemisphere of the Earth, even in.

They are dig holes for themselves with multiple entrances and exits and underground tunnels that lead to the nest.

Sometimes they occupy other people's dwellings, for example, badger holes. Here they breed and take refuge from danger. Spend a lot of time lair on open space, under a bush, in grass or snow. They sleep very soundly.

What do they eat

Fox - predator, excellent, very fast and dexterous hunter. From the very process of hunting, she gets great pleasure. Its prey is small rodents, moles,. He likes to feast on eggs, eats insects, their larvae, worms, catches fish, crayfish. In times of famine, it does not disdain carrion. Can diversify the diet with berries and fruits.

By the way, exterminating rodents and beetles, the fox is of great benefit. agriculture.

reproduction

The mating season for foxes falls on January-February. Several males take care of one female at once, who fight to the point of blood among themselves. With the winner, the fox creates a pair. Foxes are good parents. They do everything together - dig a hole, raise offspring, get food.

Pregnancy of the female lasts 2 months, in early spring in a hole 5-7 blind and deaf puppies are born(the so-called fox cubs). At 2 weeks, puppies begin to see and hear, their teeth erupt. But for a month and a half, the babies do not leave the hole, eating mother's milk. Only in June, the cubs begin to go outside with their parents. They play and frolic in the sun, learning to hunt.

In mid-autumn, foxes leave the family for an independent life. At 2 years old, they are already able to breed.

fox species

All in nature there are more than 20 types these animals. The most common is the common Red fox. There are also African, Bengal, gray, sandy, small, Brazilian and other types of foxes.

One of the most interesting is Fenech. This is a miniature fox with an interesting appearance, it is even smaller in size than a cat .. Lives in North Africa.

habits

Why in all fairy tales, the fox is quick-witted, cunning and insidious, dexterous and smart? Because she really is. One can only wonder how this beast can confuse tracks, deceive game, pretend and dodge. Although you should not attribute any incredible abilities to the fox.

Intelligence and cunning are just an animal instinct that nature endowed her with so that the fox could survive.

If this message was useful to you, I would be glad to see you

The fox is a predatory mammal that belongs to the canine family. This is an unusually attractive predator with a long and fluffy tail. No wonder in the old days there were many fairy tales with the participation of this predatory beauty.

The group of foxes includes only 11 species. The most common of these is the common or red fox.

The red fox refers to the most big representative sort of, its weight varies from 6 to 10 kg. Body length(without a fluffy tail) is from 60 to 90 cm. Well, the smallest fox is the fennec fox, whose length is 30-40 cm, and its weight is no more than 2 kg.

The predator prefers to live in the steppes, tundra, forest belt and desert. AT recent times more and more often, residents of villages or the outskirts of houses complain about the machinations of foxes. People are not happy with such a neighborhood, because the fox loves to eat pets (birds, ducks, geese, etc.). Moreover, even the presence of dogs in the house does not stop the predator.

Mostly foxes found on five continents:

Africa,
Eurasia,
Australia,
North and South America.

The color of a fox depends on its habitat. So, in the steppe you can meet a gray-yellow fox, in the north - red. Fox fur for a very long time is valued and considered the most beautiful, so they began to breed predators even on farms.

Fox diet

What does the fox eat? Although she belongs to the predators, her diet is very large. Of course, the basis is meat. The diet of a predator can include more than 300 different small mammals, rodents and birds. The diet of the fox depends on the time of year and its habitat.

What do foxes eat in winter? The most attractive type of food at this time of the year are rodents. More often, the family of voles. Hunting foxes for rodents resembles hunting cats. The fox also applies the effect of surprise, having tracked down the victim, attacks it without a chance. This process is called mouseover.

In winter, the fox carefully checks forest plantations and river banks in search of a bird; it can also eat carrion. Birds are caught both small and large. Does not pass by eggs and chicks. In the forest belt, the predator loves to eat hares, if she finds a hare hole, she destroys the entire hare family. Having met a roe deer, it will not pass by either. Well, near residential buildings, she is not averse to looking into the chicken coop. . This is such a rich diet. fox food even in the winter season.

What does a fox eat in spring and summer? At this time of the year, the predator eats quite densely, because at this time she has her own cubs. At the end of March, the cubs are born; for a month and a half, they feed on mother's milk. Usually 5-6 foxes are born. By the end of April, they are already starting to play and climb out of their holes. Mom and dad at this moment are already beginning to pamper their children with living food. During the period of feeding cubs, foxes can hunt more than large birds- swans. Rodents are brought to fox cubs to develop their passion for hunting.

In addition to its main food, the fox can eat wild berries and fruits. As a rule, foxes that live in the southern regions resort to this.

The food of the fox in the desert is different. Here the predator can also eat reptiles, beetles, larvae, earthworms. Often she catches dead fish from the reservoirs.

In the taiga, foxes have a hard time because there is not much food in this place. The basis of the diet is made up of small rodents and birds.

Feeding a predator at home

Currently, more and more often you can see unusual animals in people, including predatory ones. Of course, it is recommended to have predatory animals in the house at a young age. A wild fox can be kept at home, but the necessary conditions for a normal life should be created for it. Including you need to pay attention to the nutrition of the predator.

Keep the fox in an aviary. Keeping a predator in an apartment is less convenient than in a private house. This will require a large cage where the fox can play. For the toilet you need a box of sand. To accustom a fox to such a tray will not be difficult. It is necessary to let the fox out of the cage, at least when the owner is at home.

It is better to feed high-quality dog food, and for a change, you should pamper the predator with berries and fruits. But do not forget that the fox is also a predator, you can feed it with chicken giblets and cartilage.

It is forbidden to feed foxes with raw fish and bones. Little foxes are usually fed milk or dairy products. But when getting such an animal at home, one should be wary of its behavior, which can be completely unpredictable, and sometimes dangerous even for the owner.

Thus, the diet of the fox is quite diverse. It depends on the nature and living conditions, as well as on the season. Someone thinks that a fox can only eat meat, however, in addition to the main diet, she can eat more fruits and berries.

In the darkness of a moonless night
The fox crawls on the ground
Stealing towards the ripe melon.

Basho

Though fox and is a predator, but still its diet consists of a wide variety of foods. The fox is practically omnivorous.

No matter what conditions the fox finds herself in, she will always be able to find food for herself and adapt to environment and human activity. At the same time, they show amazing perseverance and ingenuity. That is why foxes are distributed everywhere from arctic to tropical latitudes, live in the most various conditions and geographic areas.

Red Cougar

Foxes do not limit themselves to any one dish, they can eat animals over three hundred various kinds. The main part of the diet is made up of field mice, ground squirrels and other small rodents. Therefore, it is believed that foxes bring significant benefits to agriculture, reducing the number of pests.

Much less often, luck accompanies the fox in hunting larger game, such as hares. Hares occupy a small share in the diet of foxes, although predators do not miss the opportunity to feast on long-eared ones and catch rabbits quite often. And when the hare pestilence comes, they do not disdain the corpses.

Birds play a smaller role in the diet of the fox compared to rodents, although the fox will never miss an opportunity to hunt any bird that has flown down, both small and large, does not bypass the laying of eggs, small chicks, and destroys nests.

According to popular belief, foxes like to visit chicken coops for poultry, however, this happens much less often than is commonly thought, starvation forces predators to this when it is not possible to obtain other food. These raids bring much less harm compared to the benefits of reducing the number of rodents by foxes.

mouse

in winter most of food sources disappear, flies south, falls asleep deep in burrows, there is practically no plant food, and then the voles, which are always available, rescue the fox. In winter, you can often see on the field how the red predator performs an intricate dance. This is the mouse.

Hearing and smelling the nesting of voles, it begins to dance in one place, bouncing on its hind legs and hitting the snow or ground with force with its front legs. Then it remains for her to catch frightened mice running out of holes. Sometimes she dives into the snow with her muzzle and can fall through the snow up to half of her body. Each such dive is rewarded with prey in the fox's mouth.

Not meat alone

In the southern part of Europe, foxes often feed on small reptiles, on Far East and in Canada, living along rivers, they seasonally feed on salmon fish that have washed ashore after spawning. The fox hunts bugs and other insects with pleasure and deftly in the summer and eats a lot of them. In this way, foxes are of great benefit to the forest and agriculture: by eating May beetles and their larvae, they keep the number of beetles within the normal range. Fox cubs are very fond of chasing cockchafers, honing their skills and catching their favorite delicacy. The fox will not lose sight of the gaping fisherman, or rather, his nets with fish.

Finally, foxes, for lack of a better one, do not disdain various carrion, and in times of famine - all sorts of garbage. Then they can be seen rummaging around garbage cans, garbage dumps, although they do not do this as often as people.

And for dessert

The ability of the fox to feast on a variety of foods has become a part of folklore.

Almost all foxes eat plant foods, especially on southern territories. When the fruits are almost ripe

The red fox or common fox is the largest representative of the fox genus from the Canine family. The animal has an elongated muzzle, fluffy a long tail, which the fox uses as a warm blanket to cover its nose and front paws while resting.

The tail can reach sixty centimeters in length. The wool of the fluffy fox is long and beautiful, and also very warm. Depending on the habitat, the color and tone saturation of the fur may vary, but basically the back and sides of the foxes are bright red, and the belly is white.

On the paws, characteristic black stockings or blotches are clearly visible. But the main hallmark The red fox has a course white tail tip and pointed black ears.

The paws of the fox are quite powerful and muscular, despite the fact that they are a bit short. Thanks to them and a powerful tail, the fox makes very decent jumps in pursuit of prey.

These qualities enable the fox to be in no way inferior to many predators in the struggle for life.

Foxes, which are bred in captivity on fur farms, come in an unusual platinum and silver-black color.

If a fox with a fur coat of this color manages to escape and catch the eye of the hunters, it becomes the object of instant persecution, because. fox skins of this color are highly valued.

Where does the red fox live?

The red fox lives almost everywhere on the planet: in Europe, Asia, North America, in North Africa, in Australia, with the exception of the Tundra and the islands.

In Europe alone, the vast population of the red fox includes more than fifteen subspecies.

Foxes are able to adapt to any climatic conditions.

What does a fox eat and who does it hunt?

The red fox is a predator, so its diet is appropriate: small animals, rodents, hares, ruin the nests of capercaillie and geese, hunt roe deer cubs, do not disdain carrion, various insects and beetles.

Well, domestic chickens and chickens, when the fox manages to get into the chicken coop, become tasty prey.

The most interesting thing is that foxes often exterminate various cereals, in particular oats, when there is no way to get to anything meat, and cause significant damage to agricultural crops.

It’s not for nothing that the fox is called cunning, she has a huge amount of different ways hunting and catching prey.

The fox simply pushes the hedgehog into the water so that it opens up and can be grabbed by the stomach, where there are no needles. Mice, ground squirrels and other rodents are easily identified by sound and dug out from under the snow in winter. In general, mice are a well-known fox delicacy, and in some regions the population of common faces depends directly on the number of rodents.

Foxes hunt geese in pairs, while one fox distracts a gaping goose, the second swiftly attacks prey.

The fox is able to adapt to the habits of any animal she has planned for dinner.

Foxes hunt around the clock, when prey is found, but of course, night is the main time for fishing.

When a fox walks in the snow, it puts its hind legs strictly in the footprint of the front ones, forming a kind of chain.
Foxes that live near rivers are happy to eat fish, often caught during spawning or in shallow water.

In total, the diet of the red fox includes about four hundred species of animals and several dozen species of plants.

Foxes living in the desert are content with the meat of various snakes and lizards.

How the red fox reproduces and has offspring

Cubs of the common fox are born in most cases in mid-spring. When foxes plan to have offspring, they dig a deep hole, although if they find it ready, they immediately occupy it.

As a rule, a female fox gives birth to from four to twelve puppies, as the cubs are also called. The fox's gestation period lasts from six to eight weeks, and after the foxes are born, the red-haired mother feeds them with milk for a month and a half.

Little fox cubs look like wolf cubs, they can only be distinguished by the white tip of the tail. The cubs fully mature by the age of two and, becoming adults, begin to hunt and kill prey on their own.

Red foxes develop stable married couples and the male takes a direct part in the upbringing of offspring.

Red fox enemies

Of course, the main fighters of the red fox were and are hunters who, for the sake of beautiful and expensive fur, exterminate a huge number of foxes, which has an irreversible impact on the population of these beautiful animals in many regions.

And in the forest, the fox competes for prey and, of course, is at enmity with wolves and other large animals.

In many photos, the fox appears with a sly muzzle, which is completely true.

Where is the fox's home

For life, foxes build a lair in an open place, in grass or in snow. A fox either digs a hole itself or can evict some animal, a polar fox or a badger.

The burrow has several entrances with underground manholes for possible escape in case of danger. The old fox has several holes in various places where she takes refuge in case of impending danger.