Vulpes vulpes
Table of Contents
Scientific Classification
| Kingdom: Animalia |
| Phylum: Chordata |
| Class: Mammalia |
| Order: Carnivora |
| Family: Canidae |
| Genus: Vulpes |
| Species: Vulpes vulpes |
Conservation Status
Identifying Features
Red foxes are quick to distinguish from their grey cousins by looking at the tip of their tail. Red foxes have white-tipped tails, while grey foxes have a black tipped tail.
Red fox coat color may vary. The “silver morph” is a genetic mutation found in around 2% of the wild population. Individuals may have both red and silver coloration, or a variation of their red color.
Habitat & Range
Red foxes are found throughout much of North America and Europe. They have a wide range of habitats, including both forests and fields, and are quite adaptable to human impact.
Behavior
Red foxes are typically solitary, however some female kits can stay with their mother for over a year in small family groups. They also are very adaptable to changes in their environment and can be found on the edges of man-made fields as well as forests, meadows, and wetlands.
Life Cycle
Red fox mating season starts in late winter, and kits stay with both parents throughout the summer before they are ready to live independently in the fall.
Featured image of Daisy, by Katie Bagnall-Newman.
See Me At Cayuga Nature Center