Species: Vulpes vulpes

Red Fox
Species
    Kingdom
    Animalia
    Phylum
    Craniata
    Class

    Mammalia

    Order

    Carnivora

    Family

    Canidae

    Genus

    Vulpes

    Classification
    Other Global Common Names
    renard roux
    Informal Taxonomy
    Animals, Vertebrates - Mammals - Carnivores
    Formal Taxonomy
    Animalia - Craniata - Mammalia - Carnivora - Canidae - Vulpes - ).
    Migration
    true - false - false
    Non-migrant
    true
    Locally Migrant
    false
    Food Comments
    Opportunistic omnivore; eats whatever is available--small mammals, carrion, birds, insects, fruit, human refuse, etc. Rabbits and mice are common prey. Often uses same foraging route.
    Reproduction Comments
    Breeds in winter. Gestation lasts 51-56 (average 53) days. Litter of 1-10 (average 4-5) young is born in March-April. Young are weaned in 8-10 weeks, when young leave den and learn to hunt with parents. Male and female may divide young between two dens. Young become independent in fall. Sexually mature the winter after their birth.
    Ecology Comments
    Summer home range varies greatly, 142-1280 acres (Ables 1969); winter ranges more extensive; home range diameter usually 2-4 km, up to 8 km or more if food scarce (see Caire et al. 1989). Social groups in a city in England exhibited drifting territoriality; ranges averaged about 40 ha (Doncaster and MacDonald 1991). In Japan, spring-summer home range was 357-631 ha; foxes moved about 6 km each night in going from village to village (Cavallini, 1992, J. Mamm. 73:321-325). Averages one family (about 7 foxes) per 4 sq miles (Baker 1983). May be excluded by coyote from some areas of otherwise suitable habitat.
    Length
    103
    Weight
    6800
    NatureServe Global Status Rank
    G5
    Global Status Last Reviewed
    1996-11-15
    Global Status Last Changed
    1996-11-15
    Conservation Status Map
    <img src="http://www.natureserve.org/explorer/servlet/GetMapGif?CA.AB=S5&CA.BC=S5&CA.LB=S5&CA.MB=S5&CA.NB=S5&CA.NF=S5&CA.NT=S4&CA.NS=S5&CA.NU=SNR&CA.ON=S5&CA.PE=S5&CA.QC=S5&CA.SK=S5&CA.YT=S5&US.AL=S4&US.AK=S5&US.AZ=S3&US.AR=S4&US.CA=SNR&US.CO=S5&US.CT=S5&US.DE=S5&US.DC=S4&US.FL=SNR&US.GA=S5&US.ID=S5&US.IL=S5&US.IN=S4&US.IA=S4&US.KS=S4&US.KY=S5&US.LA=S4&US.ME=S5&US.MD=S5&US.MA=S5&US.MI=S5&US.MN=SNR&US.MS=S4&US.MO=SNR&US.MT=S5&US.NN=S5&US.NE=S5&US.NV=S3&US.NH=S5&US.NJ=S5&US.NM=S3&US.NY=S5&US.NC=S5&US.ND=SNR&US.OH=SNR&US.OK=S3&US.OR=S4&US.PA=S5&US.RI=S5&US.SC=SNR&US.SD=S5&US.TN=SE&US.TX=S4&US.UT=S5&US.VT=S5&US.VA=S5&US.WA=S5&US.WV=S5&US.WI=S4&US.WY=S5" alt="Conservation Status Map" style="width: 475px; height: auto;" />
    Global Range
    Holarctic. Throughout North America north of Mexico except for parts of the Southwest (but see Mikesic and Larue 2003) and Rocky Mountains. Though the species is native to North America, introductions were made in eastern North America during colonial times, resulting in increased numbers and/or range expansion in some areas. Range expanded in North Amercia in the 1900s (Nowak 1991).
    ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.105935