Fox Facts
You will find Foxes on every continent except Antarctica
Generally, you’d expect to see them in the countryside or rural areas. But, you also find them thriving in towns and cities.
There are 12 different species of Foxes, and the most common are Red foxes and Grey Foxes, found in significant populations in towns and cities.
Fox Facts for Kids
- A female fox is called a Vixen
- A male fox is called a Dog
- Their home is called a Den
- A baby fox is called a cub
- A group of foxes is called a leash or a skulk
- They are slightly bigger than a cat
- Around cities, they are most active at night
- They have narrow faces and long bushy tails
- They have large, triangular ears which help them hear rodents scurrying about
- The Grey fox can retract their claws just like cats do
- They have excellent hearing
Foxes are solitary animals
They are related to dogs, jackals, and wolves. They are a little bit bigger than cats and weigh between 7 and 15 pounds. They have big ears with pointy faces, small frames, and bushy tails.
They are very solitary; you do not see them hunting in packs. They like to dig simple but roomy dens to raise their families. A group of foxes is called a “skulk of foxes” or a “leash of foxes.”
Red Fox Built for Speed
The Red Fox can live for about 2-5 years, and at top speed can run 50 km/h (31 miles an hour). Females weigh on average 6kg, with males being only slightly bigger and weighing 7kg when fully grown.
Their tracks are similar to dogs but have a slightly more oval shape.
The red fox species are highly vocal and use a range of sounds to communicate. These vary from very high pitched murmuring whines emitted by cubs to the very distinctive triple bark used by adults.
Vixen uses a high pitched scream, especially during the breeding season.
Are Foxes similar to Cats?
They canter along with a trot like stride, and when required, they can sprint for long distances. They can climb trees and are excellent swimmers.
Just like a cat, they are most active at night. There vertically oriented pupils allow them to see in dim light, a great advantage, especially when hunting prey at night.
Other similarities the fox has to the cat. It has very sensitive whiskers. It has a small footprint generally measures 5cm in length. It walks on its toes, which attributes for its elegant, cat-like tread. It has spines on its tongue.
Habitat
They are highly adaptive mammals. We traditionally associated them living in open countryside and woodlands. But, they can also be found living in mountainous areas, coastal areas, farmlands, and urban areas.
It has a flexible diet, which allows it to adapt to different environments.
Depending on the fox’s territory, it impacts on the quality and abundance of food. In larger rural areas, they might cover up to 1,000ha looking for prey and other food sources.
In small urban territorial, they might simply have 20 to 40ha but more opportunities to scavenge regular food sources.
Related resources
All about the amazing fox – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fox
Living with foxes (PDF file) – https://www.rspca.org.uk
