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Make a donationThe fox, also called red fox, is the most common species of fox. It has the widest range of all land predators.
Distinctive features
It usually has an orange-red fur, with a white belly, black ears and legs. Its eyes are golden-yellow and have distinctive cat-like vertical slit pupils. The adult fox weighs up to 4.1-5.4 kg. The length of its body reaches 80 to 110 cm.
Nutrition
The foxes are omnivores. They eat rodents, insects, fruit, worms, carrion, eggs, mice and other small animals. They use a special method for hunting mice. The fox “freezes”, listening and looking intently at the mouse. Then the fox jumps highly and slams its front legs onto the mouse, pinning the prey to the ground.
Breeding
Although a female can pair with several males (competing for her), she ultimately chooses to live with only one. The males bring food to females until and after birth. The average number of cubs per mother is 5, but there are described cases when the mother has 13 babies. They are born blind and weigh up to 150 grams. They begin seeing at the age of 2 weeks and begin walking outside kennel up to 5 weeks. The mother weans them by the 10th week.
Characteristics
At the top of their tail, almost at its base, foxes have a small bald spot. When resting curled up in a ball, they often stick their noses inside, because there is a gland emitting the smell of wild violets. Both male and female foxes have a violet gland. It is especially fragrant in winter. Scientists do not know yet what it serves them for.
