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Vulpes vulpes (Linnaeus, 1758) Red fox

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Higher taxa:  Life   Vertebrata   Mammalia   Canidae   Vulpes   Global map IDnature guides: Indiana, Mammalia, Mammalia_species, North_American_Invasives Overview Identification Phylogeny Geographic distribution Habitat Natural History Links to Other Sites References Acknowledgements We parsed the following live from the Web into this page. Such content is managed by its original site and not cached on Discover Life. Please send feedback and corrections directly to the source. See original regarding copyrights and terms of use. Image, A. Murie, American Society of Mammalogists North American Mammals, Smithsonian Institution Global Invasive Species Database CalPhotos

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© Copyright Roger Barbour. All rights reserved. Vulpes vulpes	© Photographer/source Vulpes vulpes dorsal
© Photographer/source Vulpes vulpes lateral	© Photographer/source Vulpes vulpes ventral
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Overview

Habitat Red foxes prefer broken, sparsely settled country. Ideal habitat is provided by farmland mixed with sparsely wooded areas, brushland, and streams. Conservation Biology Special Protection Status Rangewide: None. In Park: All plants and animals are protected within Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Collection requires a permit which is usually granted only for research or educational purposes.

Identification

Adult total length: 35 - 42 in. (900 - 1070 mm) Tail: 14 - 16 in. (350 - 400 mm) Hind foot: 4 3/4 - 7 1/4 in. (124 - 182 mm) Weight: 6 - 15 lbs. (2.7 - 6.7 kg) Physical Characteristics: The red fox is normally rusty-reddish to reddish- yellow on its dorsal surface with darker hairs often being intermixed down the middle of the back. The fronts of the legs and feet are black, and the underparts are whitish. The ears are large, pointed, and erect, and the muzzle is sharp and elongate. The long, bushy tail has a white tip.

Names

Scientific source:       Integrated Taxonomic Information System

Phylogeny

Taxonomic Category Scientific Name Common Name Phylum Chordata Chordates Class Mammalia Mammals Order Carnivora Dogs, Cats, Bears, etc. Family Canidae Wolves, Foxes

Geographic distribution

The range of the red fox extends from Alaska throughout all but the extreme north of Canada; south in the Cascade-Sierra Nevada chain to central California and in the Rocky Mountain chain to southern New Mexico; east of the plains, south to central Texas, southern Alabama, and western Florida. Range Maps North America Great Smoky Mountains National Park: The red fox has been observed at all elevations in the park. Blount Co.: Spence Field (5,000 feet). Cocke Co.: Cosby. Sevier Co.: Park headquarters; Greenbrier Cove; near Metcalf Bottoms; Dudley Creek; Boulevard Trail; Indian Gap; Mt. LeConte. Haywood Co.: Walnut Bottom; between Big Creek and Davenport Gap; Little Bald Knob; Spruce Mountain. Swain Co.: Along Forney Creek Road; Straight Fork; between Bryson Place and the Tenn.-N.C. line; Becks Bald (4,600 feet).

Natural history

Reproduction Litters averaging four to seven pups are usually born in March or April. The den may consist of an enlarged woodchuck burrow or a natural cavity. Since red foxes are not good diggers, the den is often in loose soil on a wooded slope or in an open field. Pups reach their adult size in about six months and disperse in September and October. Longevity Most wild foxes probably survive two to four years, although the record is 8 1/2 years ( Linzey, 1995a). Terrestrial Ecology Although these foxes are primarily nocturnal, they may be abroad at any hour during all seasons. The senses of sight, smell, and hearing are well developed. Red foxes are masters at eluding human and animal enemies. Red foxes feed on a variety of animal and plant foods including cottontails, mice, insects, birds, turtles, snakes, carrion, and fruit. Stupka found grasshoppers (Schistocerca) in the stomachs of two foxes from Indian Gap and along The Boulevard Trail in December. On September 12, 1944, seven freshly killed short-tailed shrews were noted along 1 1/2 miles of the Appalachian Trail just prior to the obsevation of a red fox in that area by a group of hikers (Stupka). Predators and Defense Young foxes are preyed upon by a variety of raptors and carnivores. Coyotes will kill adult red foxes. Otherwise, they have few enemies other than humans and their automobiles. Parasites None recorded from the park.

Links to other sites

University of Michigan, Museum of Zoology eNature

References

Lariviere, S. and M. Pasitschniak-Arts. 1996. Vulpes vulpes. Mammalian Species No. 537: 1-11. American Society of Mammalogists. Linzey, D. W. 1995a. Mammals of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Blacksburg, Virginia: The McDonald & Woodward Publishing Company, Inc. Linzey, D. W. 1995b. Mammals of Great Smoky Mountains National Park-1995 Update. Journal of the Elisha Mitchell Scientific Society 111(1):1-81. Linzey, D. W. 1998. The Mammals of Virginia. Blacksburg, Virginia: The McDonald and Woodward Publishing Company. Seidensticker, J. 1999. Red fox. Pages 150-152 . In: D. E. Wilson, and S. Ruff (eds.). The Smithsonian Book of North American Mammals. Washington, D. C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. Stupka, A. 1935-63. Nature Journal, Great Smoky Mountains National Park. 28 vols. (years) each with index. (Typewritten copy in files of Great Smoky Mountains National Park.)

Acknowledgements

Text Dr. Donald W. Linzey, Wytheville Community College - wclinzd@wcc.vccs.edu Christy Brecht, Wytheville Community College - wcbrecc@wcc.vccs.edu Photographs Roger Barbour Map development Richard Schulz, Great Smoky Mountains National Park - richard_schulz@nps.gov Web page design & coding Denise Lim, University of Georgia, Athens John Pickering, University of Georgia, Athens

Following modified from North American Mammals, Smithsonian Institution

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Carnivora · Canidae · Vulpes vulpes    Smithsonian Institution    Copyright Notice    Privacy Notice   Vulpes vulpes Red Fox Order: Carnivora Family: Canidae   QTVR Animation 2,014kb Vulpes vulpes - typical coloration, top; silver fox, lower left; cross fox, lower right Click to enlarge. (114 kb) Red foxes are the most widely distributed wild carnivores in the world, occurring in North America, Asia, Europe, and North Africa. They are also widespread in Australia, where they were introduced in about 1850 so that fox-hunters would have something to hunt. Their range in North America has expanded since colonial times as their competitors, wolves, were eliminated, but their range has also contracted in areas where they are in competition with coyotes. Red foxes prey on voles, rabbits, hares, and other small mammals, and also eat birds, fruits, and invertebrateseven beetles and earthworms. A malefemale pair typically inhabits a territory, and older, usually female, siblings help care for the younger offspring by bringing them food. Red foxes are among the main carriers and victims of rabies. Sexual Dimorphism: Males can be 15%-25% heavier than females. Length: Range: 827-1,097 mm Weight: Range: 3-7 kg References: Linnaeus, C., 1758.  Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classis, ordines, genera, species cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis . Tenth Edition, Laurentii Salvii, Stockholm, 1:40, 824 pp. Links: Mammal Species of the World Click here for The American Society of Mammalogists species account Vulpes vulpes - kits Click to enlarge. (141kb) Click to enlarge. (90kb)   English · Español

Following modified from Global Invasive Species Database

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CalPhotos     Photo Database   Number of matches : 25 Query: SELECT * FROM img WHERE ready=1 and taxon like "Vulpes vulpes%" and (lifeform != "specimen_tag" OR lifeform != "Animal") ORDER BY taxon Click on the thumbnail to see an enlargement Vulpes vulpes Red Fox ID: 0091 3183 0986 0010 [detail] Gerald and Buff Corsi © 2001 California Academy of Sciences Vulpes vulpes Red Fox ID: 0091 3183 0987 0014 [detail] Gerald and Buff Corsi © 2001 California Academy of Sciences Vulpes vulpes Red Fox ID: 0091 3183 0987 0016 [detail] Gerald and Buff Corsi © 2001 California Academy of Sciences Vulpes vulpes Red Fox ID: 8235 3181 2555 0056 [detail] Gerald and Buff Corsi © 1999 California Academy of Sciences Vulpes vulpes Red Fox ID: 8235 3181 2559 0090 [detail] Dr. Lloyd Glenn Ingles © 1999 California Academy of Sciences Vulpes vulpes Red Fox ID: 0091 3183 0986 0011 [detail] Gerald and Buff Corsi © 2001 California Academy of Sciences Vulpes vulpes Red Fox ID: 0091 3183 0986 0009 [detail] Gerald and Buff Corsi © 2001 California Academy of Sciences Vulpes vulpes Red Fox ID: 8235 3181 2555 0061 [detail] Gerald and Buff Corsi © 1999 California Academy of Sciences Vulpes vulpes Red Fox ID: 0000 0000 0202 0131 [detail] © 2000 Don Getty Vulpes vulpes Red Fox ID: 8235 3181 2555 0055 [detail] Gerald and Buff Corsi © 1999 California Academy of Sciences UCMP specimen card ID: 2222 0904 0001 0027 [detail] © University of California Museum of Paleontology UCMP specimen card ID: 2222 0904 0001 0028 [detail] © University of California Museum of Paleontology UCMP specimen card ID: 2222 0904 0026 0021 [detail] © University of California Museum of Paleontology UCMP specimen card ID: 2222 0904 0026 0022 [detail] © University of California Museum of Paleontology UCMP specimen card ID: 2222 0904 0026 0023 [detail] © University of California Museum of Paleontology UCMP specimen card ID: 2222 0904 0026 0024 [detail] © University of California Museum of Paleontology UCMP specimen card ID: 2222 0904 0026 0025 [detail] © University of California Museum of Paleontology UCMP specimen card ID: 2222 0904 0026 0026 [detail] © University of California Museum of Paleontology Vulpes vulpes Red Fox ID: 0000 0000 0408 1180 [detail] © 2008 John White Vulpes vulpes Red Fox ID: 0000 0000 0408 1179 [detail] © 2008 John White Vulpes vulpes Red Fox ID: 0000 0000 0408 1178 [detail] © 2008 John White Vulpes vulpes Red Fox ID: 0000 0000 0408 1177 [detail] © 2008 John White Vulpes vulpes Red Fox ID: 0000 0000 0408 0965 [detail] © 2008 John White Vulpes vulpes Red Fox ID: 6666 6666 1108 0071 [detail] Gerald and Buff Corsi © 2008 California Academy of Sciences Using these photos: A variety of organizations and individuals have contributed photographs to CalPhotos. Please follow the usage guidelines provided with each image. Use and copyright information, as well as other details about the photo such as the date and the location, are available by clicking on the [detail] link under the thumbnail. See also: Using the Photos in CalPhotos .    Copyright © 1995-2010 UC Regents. All rights reserved. CalPhotos is a project of BSCIT     University of California, Berkeley