Gray fox, or tree fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) Gray fox (eng.). Species of foxes (foxes) Tree fox

The gray fox is an indigenous inhabitant of the American continent. These animals live in the USA, South America, Mexico, Colombia and northern Venezuela.

Gray foxes have external resemblance with red foxes, but the former have shorter limbs and a bushier tail.

Gray foxes are excellent at climbing trees; in this indicator, these representatives of the canine family are not inferior to cats. Among its closest relatives, such abilities are observed only in the raccoon; other canines do not climb trees.

Gray foxes often climb into the lush crowns of trees located at a great height from the ground. These animals love to rest on thick branches and in the crowns of trees. But in any case, they give preference earth's surface, it is on the ground that gray foxes spend most of their time.

Fox appearance

Representatives of the species grow to 30-40 centimeters at the withers, while the body length varies within 80 centimeters. Gray foxes weigh from 4 to 7 kilograms. The tail length reaches 45 centimeters.

The legs are light brown, much darker than the rest of the body. The sides, back of the neck and back are dark gray in color. A narrow black stripe runs along the top of the dark gray tail. The tip of the tail is also black. This is the main difference between the gray fox and the red fox, whose tail tip is white.

The chest and belly of representatives of the species are white. The neck, underside of the tail and the narrow stripe on the lower belly are rusty brown. The lower part of the muzzle is white. Also, white fur frames the black tip of the nose.

The muzzle has a shortened shape. The ears are small. Such small size and camouflage color help the predator during the hunt.

Reproduction

Gray foxes are monogamous and form pairs for life. The gestation period is 2 months. The female gives birth to 1 to 7 fox cubs. Babies grow up quickly and at the age of 4 months they are already capable of hunting independently. By 11 months of life, red foxes begin to puberty, at this age the young animals leave their parents. Young individuals look for mates, form families and begin to lead adult lives.

The gray fox is a monogamous animal, and a pair, once formed, stays together all their lives.

Gray foxes have very soft fur. It was because of their fur that these animals were always mercilessly shot. It was only thanks to their high fertility that these animals were not completely destroyed.

In addition, gray foxes have an easier time surviving than other canids because they are omnivores. These animals eat rodents, birds, bird eggs and various vegetation. Red foxes love a variety of grasses and especially wild fruits.

Number

Today, the number of gray foxes remains at a stable level. Despite the fact that American farmers often shoot these animals to protect their chickens and ducks, their numbers are quickly restored by the younger generation. In addition, these animals are cunning and very cautious, so they do not often catch the eye of people. From this we can safely conclude that the population is not threatened with destruction in the near future.

Description

Small gray fox. Around the dark brown nose, the fur is “painted” with a white spot, the main color is red-brown, the sides, neck and paws of the gray fox are covered with fur of this color. The belly area is covered with white fur. Also characteristic is a black line stretching from the base of the tail to its tip. Another distinctive feature there is another black line crossing the face from the nose to the eyes, then “going” back along the sides of the head. The height at the withers is 30-40 cm. The gray fox is very agile and dexterous for its family, it runs fast, and also knows how to climb trees (it is also called tree fox).

The gray fox has a dense build, with shorter paws compared to the red fox, so it is smaller in stature, but its long fluffy tail looks more luxurious than that of its rival, but its undercoat does not protect against the cold as well as at the red fox. Therefore, the gray fox cannot live in particularly cold climates.

Reproduction and population

Gray foxes are monogamous and live with a partner for the rest of their lives. After mating, in February, the mother can give birth to 4 to 10 fox cubs, which, after 11 months of age, already leave their parents. Perhaps it was precisely because of this ability for fertility that this species was not on the verge of death. The annual extermination of the gray fox, for example, in Wisconsin, because of its soft fur, reduced the population size of the species by up to half.

Subspecies

Urocyon cinereoargenteus borealis
Urocyon cinereoargenteus californicus
Urocyon cinereoargenteus colimensis
Urocyon cinereoargenteus costaricensis
Urocyon cinereoargenteus floridanus
Urocyon cinereoargenteus fraterculus
Urocyon cinereoargenteus furvus
Urocyon cinereoargenteus guatemalae
Urocyon cinereoargenteus madrensis
Urocyon cinereoargenteus nigrirostris
Urocyon cinereoargenteus ocythous
Urocyon cinereoargenteus orinomus
Urocyon cinereoargenteus peninsularis
Urocyon cinereoargenteus scotti
Urocyon cinereoargenteus townsendi
Urocyon cinereoargenteus venezuelae

Notes

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See what "Gray Fox" is in other dictionaries: gray fox - pilkoji lapė statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas taksono rangas rūšis atitikmenys: lot. Urocyon cinereoargentatus engl. eastern gray fox; gray fox; Virginian fox vok. Festland Graufuchs eng. gray fox pranc. renard gris; renard gris argenté…

Žinduolių pavadinimų žodynas Argentine gray fox

- ? Argentine gray fox Scientific classification Kingdom ... Wikipedia Island gray fox

- ? Island fox Scientific classification Kingdom: Animals Type: Chordata ... Wikipedia Fox - This term has other meanings, see Fox (meanings). Fox, or vixen common name

several species of mammals of the canine family. Only 11 species of this group belong to the genus of foxes proper (lat. Vulpes). Most... ... Wikipedia FOX - (fur) skin beast of prey foxes. In the USSR, foxes are hunted almost everywhere; in addition, they are bred in fur farms. Skins from wild foxes are obtained: common fox, or so-called. red, gray, cross, black-brown; from... ...

Concise Encyclopedia of Housekeeping

Corsac fox Corsac fox

- ? Corsac Scientific classification Kingdom: Animals Type: Chordata Class ... Wikipedia gray flying fox - pilkoji lapė statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas taksono rangas rūšis atitikmenys: lot. Urocyon cinereoargentatus engl. eastern gray fox; gray fox; Virginian fox vok. Festland Graufuchs eng. gray fox pranc. renard gris; renard gris argenté…

- pilkoji skraidančioji lapė statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas taksono rangas rūšis atitikmenys: lot. Pteropus griseus engl. gray flying fox rus. gray flying fox ryšiai: platesnis terminas – skraidančiosios lapės … Crab-eating fox

- ? Maikong Scientific classification Kingdom: Animals Type: Chordata Subphylum ... Wikipedia Andean fox

- ? Culpeo Culpeo (Lycalopex culpaeus) Scientific classification Kingdom: Animals Type ... Wikipedia

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Fox is a generalized name for several species of mammals in the large canid family (Canidae). Twelve species of this group belong to the genus of foxes proper (true foxes), but some other species are also called foxes. Occupying different continents, all 23 species of foxes presented below have a characteristic appearance and a similar lifestyle, but at the same time, each species has its own characteristics.

The fox is a predator with a sharp muzzle, a narrow and somewhat flattened head, quite big ears and a long fluffy tail. To all of us early childhood I'm familiar with the red-haired, thieving cheat - the heroine of many fairy tales and fables, who always manages to get around her relative - the wolf. Obviously, the cunning of the fox in the tales of many cultures reflects the plasticity of the species and its wide distribution. Indeed, foxes are very unpretentious to environment, they know how to adapt well and have been able to settle quite comfortably on almost all continents, with the exception of Antarctica.

There are 3 separate branches of "fox-like" canids. The closest of them to the common ancestors are 2 species of gray foxes (Urucyon). The age of this genus is 4-6 million years. And although they are phenotypically similar to foxes of the genus Vulpes, they are not genetically related to them. Big-eared fox (Otocyon) – too ancient look canids, which is genetically and morphologically separated from all other foxes (age of the genus is 3 million years). These species make up the first branch.
The second branch is the species of the genus Vulpes (common foxes). This branch is divided into 2 parts - the common fox type and the fennec type. The fennec fox and the Afghan fox represent the result of an ancient divergence (4.5 million years). The branch comprising the species of the common fox groups includes the American corsac and arctic fox, the American fox, as well as many of the Old World species. They diverged only recently (0.5 million years) and form a separate subgroup within the common fox phylum.
The third branch consists of all South American species. This branch stands closer to the genus Caris (Wolves) than to other foxes. The little fox and Maikong are the ancestral forms of this group (age 3 million years); most other Dusicyon species arose relatively recently (1.0-2.5 million years ago).

Species of foxes of the genus Vulpes

The fox genus Vulpes is the most extensive and widespread among canids, numbering 12 species of foxes. Representatives of this genus can be found in the far north, South America, Europe, Africa, and Asia.

The characteristic features of foxes of the genus Vulpes are a pointed muzzle, triangular erect ears, a long and fluffy tail, and a flat skull compared to the genus Canis. The color of the tip of the tail is usually different from the main color. There are black triangular markings on the muzzle between the eyes and nose.

Common fox Vulpes vulpes

Currently, there are about 48 subspecies, which are distributed from the Arctic Circle to the deserts of Asia and North Africa and Central America. They were also introduced to Australia. This is such a common species that it is most likely the most flexible of all carnivores.

Body length is on average 75 cm, tail – 40-69 cm, weight can reach 10 kg. The coat is rusty to fiery red above, and white to black below. The tip of the tail is often white. There are silver and other color varieties.

Bengal (Indian) fox Vulpes bengalensis

Inhabits India, Pakistan, Nepal. It lives in steppes, open forests, thorny bushes and semi-deserts up to 1350 m above sea level.

Body length – 45-60 cm, tail – 25-35 cm, weight – 1.8-3.2 kg. The color of the short, smooth coat is sandy-red, the paws are reddish-brown, and the tip of the tail is black.

Vulpes chama

Distributed in Africa south of Zimbabwe and Angola. You can meet it in the steppes and rocky deserts.

Body length – 45-60 cm, tail – 30-40 cm, weight – 3.5-4.5 kg.The color is reddish-brown agouti with a silver-gray back, the tip of the tail is black, there is no dark facial mask.

Korsak Vulpes corsac

It is found in the steppe zone of the southeastern part of Russia, in Central Asia, Mongolia, in Transbaikalia to the north of Manchuria and the north of Afghanistan.

Externally, the corsac is similar to an ordinary fox, but much smaller. Body length 50-60 cm, tail – 22-35 cm, weight – 2.5-4 kg. The coat color is brownish-gray, the chin is white or slightly yellowish. A characteristic feature of the corsac are wide, noticeably prominent cheekbones.

Tibetan fox Vulpes ferrilata

Inhabits the steppe areas of the highlands (4500-4800 m above sea level) of Tibet and Nepal.

Body length – 60-67 cm, tail – 28-32 cm, weight – 4-5.5 kg. The body and ears are colored light gray agouti, the tip of the tail is white. The long and narrow head appears square due to the thick and dense collar. The fangs are elongated.

African fox Vulpes pallida

Inhabits North Africa from the Red Sea to the Atlantic, from Senegal to Sudan and Somalia. Lives in deserts.

Body length – 40-45 cm, tail – 27-30 cm, weight – 2.5-2.7 kg. The coat is short and thin. The body and ears are yellowish-brown, the paws are red, and the tip of the tail is black. There are no markings on the face.

sand fox Vulpes rueppelii

Found from Morocco to Afghanistan, northern Cameroon, northeastern Nigeria, Chad, Congo, Somalia, Egypt, Sudan. Inhabits deserts.

Body length – 40-52 cm, tail – 25-35 cm, weight – 1.7-2 kg. The coat is pale sandy in color, the tip of the tail is white, and there are black spots on the muzzle. It has large ears that help regulate body temperature, and the fur on its paw pads makes it easier to move across hot sand.

American corsac Vulpes velox

Found from Texas to South Dakota. From 1900 to 1970 this species was found in the northern Great Plains, in Canada, but, apparently, the American corsac was completely exterminated: in 1928 the fox disappeared from the province of Saskatchewan, and in 1938 from the province of Alberta. However, it has now been successfully reintroduced to the Canadian prairie.

Body length – 37-53 cm, tail – 22-35 cm, weight – 2-3 kg. The coat is pale gray in winter, red in summer; the tip of the tail is black, and there are black spots on the sides of the muzzle.

American fox Vulpes macrotis

Inhabits northwestern Mexico and southwestern United States. Lives in prairies and arid steppes.

Body length – 38-50 cm, tail – 22-30 cm, weight – 1.8-3 kg. The coat is yellow-red in color, the limbs are reddish-brown. The tail has a black tip and is very fluffy.

Vulpes cana

Inhabits Afghanistan, northeast Iran, Balochistan; an isolated population is known in Israel. You can meet it in mountainous regions.

Body length – 42-48 cm, tail – 30-35 cm, weight – 1.5-3 kg. The color is most often uniform dark, in winter time– brownish-gray. Bare paw pads are adapted for life in areas with steep slopes.

fennec Vulpes zerda

It is sometimes placed in the genus Fennecus due to its large ears, rounded skull and small teeth. Lives in North Africa, across the entire Sahara east to Sinai and Arabia. Lives in sandy deserts.

Body length – 24-41 cm, tail – 18-31 cm, weight – 0.9-1.5 kg. - the smallest of all foxes. The coat color is cream, the tip of the tail is black. The paw pads are pubescent. A notable feature of the fennec is huge ears, constituting 20% of the body surface, help the animal cool down in the heat of the day (with high temperature air vessels in the ears expand, increasing heat transfer). However, at temperatures below 20° C, the fennec begins to shiver from the cold.

Arctic fox(arctic fox) Vulpes (Alopex) lagopus

Modern scientific classification sometimes classifies singular gender arctic foxes to the genus of foxes. The Arctic fox inhabits the subpolar zone; tundra and littoral areas of the sea coast.

Body length – 53-55 cm, tail – 30-32 cm, weight – 3.1-3.8 kg. There are two types of color: "white", which looks like taupe in summer, and "blue", which looks chocolate brown in summer. The fur is very dense, at least 70% is warm undercoat. have amazing resistance to cold.

Genus Urocyon (Grey foxes)

Gray fox Urocyon cinereoargenteus

Found from the central United States to the prairies, from the south to Venezuela, from the north to Ontario.

Body length – 52-69 cm, tail – 27-45 cm, weight – 2.5-7 kg. The color is gray, with streaks, the throat is white, the paws are reddish-brown. A ridge of stiff black hairs runs along the dorsal surface of the tail.

island fox Urocyon littoralis

Distributed on the Channel Islands near California.

This is the smallest species of fox found in the United States. Body length - 48-50 cm, tail -12-29 cm, weight - 1.2-2.7 kg. Externally similar to gray fox, but is inferior to it in size. The island fox is mostly insectivorous.

Genus Otocyon (Big-eared foxes)

Big-eared fox Otocyon megalotis

Two populations are known: one occurs from the south of Zambia to South Africa, the other from Ethiopia to Tanzania. Prefers open spaces.

Body length – 46-58 cm, tail – 24-34 cm, weight – 3-4.5 kg. The color ranges from gray to dark yellow, there are black markings on the face, tips of the ears and paws, and a “strap” on the back. The ears are large (up to 12 cm). The big-eared fox differs from other species in its unusual dental structure: its teeth are weak, but together with additional molars they total is 46-50. The diet of this species is also very unusual: 80% of the diet consists of insects, mainly dung beetles and termites.

Genus Dusicyon (South American foxes)

The habitat of foxes of the genus Dusicyon is limited to South America. The color is usually gray with reddish-brown splashes. The skull is long and narrow; The ears are large, the tail is fluffy.

Andean foxDusicyon (Pseudalopex) culpaeus

Lives in the Andes, from Ecuador and Peru to the island Tierra del Fuego. Found in the mountains and pampas.

Depending on the subspecies, body length varies from 60 to 115 cm, tail length - 30-45 cm, weight - 4.5-11 kg. The back and shoulders are gray, the head, neck, ears and paws are reddish-brown; the tip of the tail is black.

South American fox Dusicyon (Pseudalopex) griseus

It lives in the Andes, the population is mainly concentrated in Argentina and Chile. Lives at lower altitudes than the Andean fox.

Body length – 42-68 cm, tail – 31-36 cm, weight – 4.4 kg. The color is mottled light gray; the lower parts of the body are lighter.

Paraguayan fox Dusicyon (Pseudalopex) gymnocercus

Inhabits the pampas of Paraguay, Chile, southeastern Brazil, from southern through eastern Argentina to Rio Negro.

Body length – 62-65 cm, tail – 34-36 cm, weight – 4.8-6.5 kg.

Sekuran fox Dusicyon (Pseudalopex) sechurae

It lives in the coastal deserts of northern Peru and southern Ecuador.

Body length – 53-59 cm, tail – about 25 cm, weight – 4.5-4.7 kg. The coat is light gray, the tip of the tail is black.

Dusicyon (Pseudalopex) vetulus

Inhabits southern and central Brazil.

Body length is about 60 cm, tail is about 30 cm, weight is 2.7-4 kg. The muzzle is short, the teeth are small. The coat color of the upper body is gray, the belly is white. There is a dark line on the dorsal surface of the tail.

Darwin's fox Dusicyon (Pseudalopex) fulvipes

Found on the island of Chiloe and in national park Nahuelbuta, Chile.

Body length is about 60 cm, tail is 26 cm, weight is about 2 kg. The coat of the upper body is dark gray, the neck and belly are the color of cream. The species is endangered.

While traveling by ship in 1831, Charles Darwin acquired a specimen of the gray fox, which later received his name. In his journal, he recorded that on the island of Chiloe a fox was caught, belonging to a genus which appears to be unique to the island and very rare on it, and has not yet been described as a species. Although Darwin suspected the uniqueness of this fox, which was recently confirmed, the status of this animal remained unclear for a long time. It is distinguished by a dark brown, almost rusty head color and relatively short legs.

Dusicyon (Cerdocyon) thous

Distributed from Colombia and Venezuela to northern Argentina and Paraguay. Inhabits savannas and forests.

Body length - 60-70 cm, tail - 28-30 cm, weight -5-8 kg.

The coat is gray-brown, the ears are dark; tail with dark dorsal strap and white tip; paw pads are large; the muzzle is short.

(small fox or short-eared zorro) Dusicyon (Atelocynus) Microtis

Lives in tropical forests basin of the Orinoco and Amazon rivers. Found in Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela and Brazil.

Body length -72-100 cm, tail - 25-35 cm, weight up to 9 kg. The color is dark, the ears are short and round. The teeth are long and strong. Cat's gait.

Literature: Mammals: Complete illustrated encyclopedia /Translated from English/ Book. I. Predatory, marine mammals, primates, tupayas, woolly wings. / Ed. D. MacDonald. – M: “Omega”, – 2007.

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The fox is without any doubt the most interesting animal on our planet. How many stories, fables and fairy tales do we know about this fiery red beauty? What makes her so popular is not only her beauty, but also her unique character, intelligence and savvy. The wild fox has caused a lot of trouble for agriculture with its thievery; it is especially attracted to poultry. However, in addition to the red fox, so well known to all of us, there are more than 40 species in the world, varying in size and color of fur. All of them are united by the canine family, and have characteristics characteristic of them. Occupying different continents, all species are united by basic similarities, way of life, way of feeding and reproduction.

The brightest of the foxes. The red fox can be found throughout Eurasia and North America, it’s hard to say where they don’t live, it’s all hers native home. Its phenotype is characterized by a strong body structure, large size, good health, and a playful temperament. Animals of this type have thick, lush and silky hair of the same length throughout the body. The chest is light or yellowish, the belly is white or reddish (as are the sides), or with a black spot on a red background. The ears and toes of the paws are black. The tip of the tail is usually white, but black hair is scattered along the entire length, and not rarely over the body. The down all over the body is gray or brown in various shades. The backbone and sides of the animal are bright red in color, which can be of various shades. The red fox is the most great view kind of foxes The length of its body reaches 90 cm, tail -60 cm, weight from 6 to 10 kg.

The fox is the most typical predator that knows no pity for the object of its hunt. Its usual diet consists of rodents and insects, but it is not averse to eating hares, bird eggs, and even the bird itself. Jumping high like a cat, it will not be difficult for her to catch it.

Plant foods, such as fruits, berries or fruits, although they do not play a role in feeding the fox, are nevertheless included in its diet.

Foxes breed only once a year. The female's pregnancy lasts from 7 to 9 weeks. In a litter, from 4 to 12 puppies are born, colored dark brown. Outwardly, they can easily be confused with wolf cubs if you do not see the white tip of the tail. After 14 days, the fox cubs can already see and hear, and can already boast of sharp teeth. The fox cannot be named bad parents, both mother and father take care of the offspring. However, the constant absence of parents in search of prey leads to early development offspring, and after 1.5 months of life, fox cubs can gradually develop new territory and eat adult food. After half a year, they are considered fully grown and can live independently.

In Alaska, there is a mutation of the Canadian red breed - the black and brown fox. Currently, various breeds of foxes are known in fur farming, characterized by the type of coloration of animals bred by humans in captivity to obtain fur, which are the result of crossing the red fox and the silver fox.

Korsak, the second representative of the fox family. Outwardly, it resembles a red wild fox, but is smaller in size with large ears and long paws. With wide cheekbones and small triangular-shaped ears, the corsac's muzzle is short and pointed. The fur of this fox is light gray and reddish-gray. But, there are individuals with an element of red on their fur coat. The belly is white or slightly yellowish, and the chin is light. The tail tassel is dark brown or completely black. In winter, you can observe the appearance of a gray coating near the ridge of the animal. The length of hair in animals is also subject to seasonal changes. Summer short coat winter time it changes to longer and heavily pubescent fur. It is a colonizing species of the southern and eastern parts of Europe and Asia. They inhabit steppes and deserts with a small amount vegetation. The corsac avoids dense thickets, which is why it is also called the steppe fox. As a home, it uses ready-made badger holes, holes of marmots, gerbils or other foxes.

Corsac fish usually hunt at night. The main diet consists of rodents, reptiles, insects or birds, which constitutes competition common fox. If there is a shortage of food, it will not disdain carrion or various garbage. They are not attracted to plant food. At the sight of a person, the corsac exhibits fox cunning; it often pretends to be dead, and runs away at the first opportunity. Interestingly, representatives of this species are apparently monogamous, which is not typical for the common fox. As for the rest, as far as reproduction and nutrition of puppies are concerned, they are almost similar. The female bears from 2 to 11 puppies (rarely 16) within 2 months. From the second week, the offspring show their first activity, they begin to see and hear. After 5 months they leave their home.

Korsak is listed in the Red Book.

This fox is also a representative of the fox genus. Lives in the Middle East up to Afghanistan. The Afghan fox is not afraid of hot climates; it can be found both in the mountains and in the driest areas, for example in the Dead Sea. This representative of the fox family cannot boast large sizes and bright color, but her long tail with thick fur is equal in length to her body, and attracts attention to her external appearance. The height of foxes does not exceed 30 cm, and the body length ranges from 45 to 55 cm, with a weight of 1.5-3 kg.

The animal has a small graceful head with a short and pointed muzzle, on which it extends symmetrically to each other from the eyes to upper lip black stripe. Nature, having awarded this fox with large ears, which serve not only as an organ of hearing, but also as a heat sink in hot weather, deprived it of the protective thick layer of hair that covers the paw pads of all types of desert foxes, protecting it from the hot sand.

In summer, the fox's fur is covered in an unremarkable steel color with a lightish stripe on the throat and belly. Depending on where they live, animals can be light brown or almost black. And in winter, the coat of the Afghan fox is colored rusty-brown, with a gray underfur and black guard hairs. It looks very velvety and lush. The diet of the Afghan fox is quite different from other species. In addition to insects and rodents, plant food plays an important role in her life. In “love” these foxes are fickle, and form a pair only during the mating season. The female plays a major role in caring for the offspring. The male can only perform the security function of the den. A fox's pregnancy lasts about 2 months, compared to common fox and even the corsac fox, which does not differ in size, the Afghan fox has low fertility. 1-3 cubs are born, rarely three.

This species is also listed in the Red Book.

They are inhabitants of dry, sandy, siliceous desert types stretching from Africa to the Sahara. African foxes act contentedly hidden view life. From known facts existence of this species, we can say that these are rather small representatives of foxes: body size 38 -45 cm, a small tail up to 30 cm and height at the withers up to 25 cm, weight from 1.5 to 3.6 kg. The body color can be light red or brown, the tail is darker with a black tip. The back along the entire length in the center is painted with a dark stripe. Belly, muzzle and outer sides of ears white. The eyes of older individuals are framed with black edging. It is interesting that representatives of this genus of foxes have scent glands at the base of their tail. The African fox's diet is similar to other foxes.

A feature of their way of life is the presence of so-called family groups, which consist of the main couple, a single male and growing young foxes that have not yet reached maturity. The breeding season of the African fox is unknown. Pregnancy in a female proceeds faster and lasts almost one and a half months. The offspring number from 3 to 6 kids, in whose upbringing all members of their social group take part.

Bengal fox or Indian fox

This is a moderately built animal. The length of the body reaches 45-60 cm. The tail is half the length of the body, the height of the fox varies up to 28 cm. The brown color of the fur can be of various shades: from light to red. But the tip of the tail always remains black. Inhabits the foothills of the Southern Himalayas, Nepal, Bangladesh and India. Avoids dense vegetation, but the bare desert is not to its taste either. The Bengal fox feels good in sparsely populated forests, fields and mountains.

This fox also does not adhere to a diet; floral food is a rare occurrence in its diet. The objects of its hunt are insects, arthropods, reptiles, birds, eggs and rodents. Bengal foxes are monogamous. Females whelp 2-5 puppies after a month and a half of pregnancy.

It is a desert native extending from Morocco to Tunisia, Egypt to Somalia. Fennec fox is the tiniest fox with an unusual appearance. This animal is the size of a pet

cat. At the withers, the fennec reaches 18-22 cm, the body length is on average 30 cm, and the animal weighs one and a half kilograms. The muzzle is short and sharp. Fenech attracts a lot of attention with its ears. He is the owner of the largest ears, disproportionate to the head, among predators. Their length reaches almost half of the animal’s body. However, such an inharmonious build of the fennec is due to its habitat. The ears, as well as the furry feet, characteristic of all steppe foxes, serve them for cooling.

The fennec cat's fur is thick, silky and long. Its upper part is red or fawn, and its lower part is white. The tail is quite pubescent, with a black tip. In the wild habitat it digs a deep hole with numerous tunnels, in the vicinity of bushes and grass thickets. Fenech does not like their loneliness family groups consist of 10 individuals. The members of such a family are usually usually a “married” couple and children from the previous litter who have not reached puberty. The chanterelle's food consists of small vertebrates, eggs, insects, carrion, plant rhizomes and fruits.

When catching food, they show agility, agility, mobility and the ability to jump high and far, up to 70 centimeters in height.

Fennec breeding occurs once a year. Puppies are born after 50-53 days.

The female does not leave the den until they are two weeks old, and does not allow the male to approach them. After 3 months of life, babies can already leave their mother.

The little fennec can also be found at home as a pet. Fans of exotic animals are ready to pay a considerable amount for a pretty fennec. Domestic phoenixes are very inquisitive, affectionate and funny animals.

This is one of the representatives of the genus of South American foxes, an inhabitant of the steppes South America. It has quite large dimensions: height 40 cm, body length 65 cm, weight from 4 to 6.5 kg. The fox's back is reddish to black, with dark stripes down the middle. The top and sides of the head are red, the bottom of the head and white. The animal's ears are triangular in shape and red with white hair inside. The back, shoulders and sides of the street are gray. The hind legs are gray, on the sides with black spots below. The sides of the forelimbs are red. This fox was lucky in the variety of food on the continent. In addition to the main diet: rodents, insects, birds, the Paraguayan fox can feast on snails, scorpions, fish, crabs, possums or armadillos. Pregnancy in the species lasts almost two months. The offspring number from 3 to 6 cubs, which are looked after by both parents. At 2 months they are considered fully grown.

This is the only species of the gray fox genus.

Bush thickets, forest edges and mountain coppices of southern Canada and northern South America native range her habitat. The tree species is characterized by an elongated, rather plump body on short and strong limbs, and a long shaggy tail. With the size (body length 48-69 cm, tail length 25-47 cm, height at the withers up to 30 cm) of a fox, there are quite large individuals up to 7 kg. Their average weight ranges from 3 to 6 kg. Unlike the American, Afghan and corsac foxes, the tree fox has a rather remarkable appearance. The fur on the back, sides and top of the tail is gray or silver-flecked. The back may be decorated with barely noticeable dark stripes. The neck, chest, front part of the forelimbs and the inside of the hind legs are painted with white tan marks. Bright red-red spots adorn the top of the head, neck, edges of the abdomen and the outer parts of the animal’s paws. The fox's muzzle is gray.

The gray fox is perfectly adapted to climb trees; for this it has two dozen strong hook-shaped claws.

Diet woody type Foxes are quite diverse. For lunch, a predator can feast on fresh meat of small rodents, or it can get by with lean food in the form of nuts, fruits, and grains. And, in some cases, the carrion will not pass by. The ability to climb trees makes it easier for a fox to succeed in hunting squirrels, birds or their nests. Sedentary image Foxes lead lives in pairs. Animal dens vary widely. These can be abandoned holes, tree hollows, rock crevices, voids under piles of stones and trunks. The couple produces offspring after 51-63 days of gestation. On average, female foxes give birth to 3 to 7 black puppies.

Name: Gray fox, tree fox, lat. Urocyon cinereoargenteus.

Appearance

The gray fox differs from the common fox in having a denser build, short legs and shorter stature. Her tail looks bushier and longer. However, due to its thin undercoat, it does not tolerate cold weather so well. The gray fox also has a shorter muzzle and ears. Top part their bodies, head and tail are gray, with a black tint, condensing on the ridge and tail into a black belt. The sides and neck are reddish-brown, and there are white spots around the nose.

Another distinctive feature is another black line crossing the face from the nose to the eyes, then “going” back along the sides of the head. The height at the withers is 30-40 cm. The gray fox is very agile and dexterous for its family, it runs fast, and also knows how to climb trees (it is also called the tree fox).

It is noteworthy that gray foxes have an unusual coloring of the tip of their tail - it is black.

Behavior

Gray foxes feed on all kinds of small animals, birds, insects, and sometimes carry chickens. More than other types of foxes, they have a penchant for plant foods, so sometimes fruits and green parts of plants even predominate in their diet. After 63 days of pregnancy, the female brings up to 7 puppies covered with black fur in the spring. After a month and a half, they begin to eat regular food, and in late summer or early autumn they begin to live independently, while their parents continue to live together.

Gray foxes live only where there are trees. They are the only representatives of the wolf family that can climb trees well, which is why they are often called tree foxes. They freely climb the trunk to the crown, walk along the branches, rest there, hide from persecution, and, on occasion, destroy the nests of squirrels and birds . This ability likely allowed the gray fox to coexist with coyotes, while the brown fox population declined significantly as the coyote population increased.

However, the main shelters for gray foxes are holes, crevices among stones and rocks, caves, and hollows in fallen trees.

How do gray foxes climb trees? Lightly grasping the tree trunk with her front paws, she pushes her body up with her hind legs, which, thanks to her long and strong claws, hold her firmly to the trunk. In addition, the fox is able to jump onto the branching branches of a tree, using this ability to ambush prey from above.

It hunts mainly at night and twilight, and lies down all day in a secluded place, sleeps and rests. Animals are usually attached to the same place, so their lifestyle is sedentary; they have never been seen migrating. They rarely dig burrows on their own, but more often they are occupied by strangers; sometimes they choose hollow trees as their own home; they can settle in rock crevices, voids under stones and trunks, even in abandoned buildings.

Gray foxes need clean water for drinking, so they regularly visit the pond. In this regard, they locate their dens near a source of drinking water, where, over time, a clearly visible path is trodden down.

Reproduction: During the breeding season, numerous fierce fights occur between males, after which the winning male remains with the female and forms a pair. After the birth of offspring, males take Active participation in obtaining food for puppies and protecting the boundaries of the family plot from the penetration of other foxes.

Habitat

The gray fox is found throughout most of North America from southern regions Canada to the Isthmus of Panama also in northern South America (Venezuela and Colombia). The gray fox is not found in the Rocky Mountains of the far northwestern United States. The gray fox disappeared from Canada in the late 17th century, but they have recently been found in southern Ontario, Manitoba and Quebec. In a number of places it disappeared after the brown fox from Europe acclimatized there.

Most often, the gray fox can be found in thickets of bushes, on forest edges, and in mountain copses.