Canidae Central

History

Foxes have been popular to hunt in England for hundreds of years. They have been hunted for sport and for fur. Methods usually consisted of having many hound dogs to chase the fox back into it's den where they dig it out and tear it apart.

Foxes were introduced the North America for sport. They have adpated well and bred with the native foxes and expanded their regions. Eversince, they have been hunted in North America as well but rather than using hounds, they were hunted with guns.

Foxes are very common in the Northeren Hemisphere, but they also live in parts of the Southeren Hemisphere. Foxes were introduced to Australlia as well. Before they were introduced to the continet, no foxes have lived there before. The introduction of foxes in Australlia was to help control the rabbit population that was going through the roof at that time.

Habitat

Foxes live just about everywhere. Since they have been introduced to many places, foxes are in vast regions of Europe, Asia, Australlia and NorthAmerica. Foxes even live in the northeren part of Africa and parts of the Middle East.

Foxes are extremely adaptive, which is one reason why the introduction of them has been so sucessful. They have adapted to urban areas and can be seen in people's gardens or backyards. They scavange for food in the cities, dig up worms, eat birds and eat hand-outs. Though you should not feed a fox, they will become dependant on you to feed them and if you can't give them a regular supply of food, they could die of starvation. Or if you do want to feed a fox for as long as it lives, don't feed it too much. They still need to hunt for themselves just in case you are not able to feed them for whatever reason.

Foxes are smaller than wolves and most dogs. Usually weigh from 5.4kg - 6.7 kg. They have extremely long tails which is about the same legnth of the whole body excluding the tail. They use their tail to keep themselves war at night. They'll curl into a tight ball and bring their tail across their body and bury their nose in it so they'll stay nice and warm throughout the entire night. Foxes usually sleep outside in the open. They sleep in their dens when either there are new kits or the weather if too severe.

The average red fox consist of red or orange fur across their back and front of their faces. Black fur on their legs and feet, back of ears and sometimes on the tip of the tail. White fur cover their belly, chest and lower part of muzzle. On the end of their tail is usually white. Though vulpes vulpes can be in many different colors and have many different markings.

Full-grown foxes measure from 63cm - 67cm. And their tail measures 38cm - 45cm. So their tail makes up much of their total body length.

In a litter there could be anything from three kits to ten kits. Most common there are only four to five kits.

Fact: The amount of kits born each year depends on the amount of food supply there is each year.

Sadly, foxes only live on average three years in the wild. In captivity they have been know for living up to fifteen years.

Front paw:                            Back Paw:         

Foxes paws are padded with plenty of fur to keep them warm throughout the winter. It's difficult to see a foxes paw print in hard dirt, their fur helps keep them from leaving any prints. Though it is quite easy to see a fox paw print in the snow, sand or any other soft soil.

Foxes can carry rabies, though cases of a fox attacking a human is very rare (acutally haven't even heard of any). Foxes are territorial and will attack something that may get to close to the den, sometimes children. To avoid any unwanted confrontion of a fox and a child, tell you child of the dangers of getting to close to a territorial animal.

Never touch a wild fox, they could carry fleas, ticks or worst of all, mange. Mange is caused by a tiny parasites that eats away at a foxes flesh. Signs of mange will include loss of fur and constant scratching. If you see a fox with mange, contact the local wildlife rescue oraganziation as fast as possible. Mange is lethal.

When foxes go out in search of their own territory, they'll usually be hunted before they can find a territory. Or young foxes will become something along side of the road. When you're driving, please watch for animals, follow the laws and don't speed. That could reduce the amount of animals killed everyday by a car.

Foxes are often hunted for their fur or sport, some are raised in terrible conditions on fur farms only to be killed six months after birth. Go here to help close down fur farms.

Do not promote fox huntings. They may claim that fox hunting helps control fox populations. That's not true. It will stay the same either way. The more food supply there is such as mice, the more fox kits will be born. The less food there is, the less fox kits are born. Nature can deal with itself and does not need the help of humanity to control it. Foxes are unique in this way that they naturally do this. It's one of the reasons why the fox population hasn't change dramatically in thousands of years. In truth, they should have dropped because of huntings, but foxes are very unique.

If foxes are not hunted, then they will just not give birth to as many kits per year because the food supply will be low. Many hunters think that they are helping but they are only killing foxes in cruel and inhumane ways.