Red Fox
Vulpes vulpes · Mammal, canid
From the Capy Learning Corner encyclopedia
- Native range
- The most widespread wild carnivore on Earth, across the Northern Hemisphere and introduced to Australia.
- Size
- A small canid, typically 8 to 15 pounds, that looks bigger than it is under all that fur and tail.
- Lifespan
- A few years in the wild on average; notably longer in professional care.
- Conservation
- IUCN Least Concern.
Little Learners Corner
Red foxes do a big high jump called the mousing pounce to surprise the mice hiding under the snow.
Say it like a scientist: VUL-peez VUL-peez
Where They Live
Forest edges, farmland, tundra, and cities. Foxes den in burrows, often renovated from other animals' work.
What They Eat
Omnivore. Rodents, rabbits, insects, fruit, and urban leftovers.
How They Live
Foxes hunt alone with a signature move, the mousing pounce: a high arcing leap that pins prey under the snow. Research suggests they may even use Earth's magnetic field to line up the jump.
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Red Foxs as Pets?
Foxes smell like foxes, dig like machines, and scream like the night itself, and ownership is illegal or restricted in much of the country. They are wonderful to learn about and miserable to keep in a home.
Fun Facts
A red fox's tail, the brush, is a balance pole, a blanket, and a signal flag in one.
Foxes cache extra food and remember dozens of hiding spots.
Their whiskered wrists help them feel their way in total darkness.
Capy Quiz: Prove It
What is the fox's famous hunting move?
Keep exploring: Raccoon came before this, Ring Tailed Lemur is next, or head back to the full Animal Encyclopedia.
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