About Fox: Appearance, biology, life cycle, habitat, diet, behavior

The red fox is a medium size animal with fur colored a rusty red. It is closely related to dogs. A red fox can weigh up to 9 kg. The males of the species are heavier than the females, and their length is up to 1000 mm.

The red fox is considered athletic as they can run fast, jump and leap without being captured. However, they leave claw marks on fences and trees. In general, there are 11 species of fox that inhabit Asia, North America, North Africa and Europe. Their wide distribution has also reached Australia.

Fox in Australia prey on rabbits, and it has become their favorite species to hunt. The population has spreads to the north, and the only state where the foxes are quite rare is Tasmania. However, the decline of the Tasmanian devil may actually result in an increasing fox population.

Behavior

The red fox marks its territory with its scent. This is especially the case during the breeding season, as this is also the sign a fox is ready to mate. Foxes can be defensive, especially toward other species. In the breeding cycle, foxes usually form a group and many of them become helpers. They commonly mark their home so that other species don’t mistakenly make it their home.

Food

Foxes rest during the day. They can sleep by a tree, log or burrow. And when the night comes, they go out to hunt and make a patrol to watch their territory. The red fox is an opportunistic predator that can prey on subordinate species. They are also scavengers that can be wild carnivores. They can eat up to 15 kg of meat, including carrion, rabbits, mice and birds. They are also known to eat fruits and insects like beetles. If the food source is abundant, they bury an extra stash of food to be obtained during the winter when they are not able to go for a hunt.

The fox is a major contributor to the declining population of other animals, so their presence can become a concern.

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