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About Fox

Fox are special mammals, they come in various sizes that range from small to medium, and they are omnivorous or carnivorous in nature , depending on the species. They normally hunt for smaller preys such as rabbits and rats and they can sometimes eat eggs, and small insects such as grasshoppers.



Appearance
Foxes normally appear smaller than adult dogs, and they are characterized by their flattened skulls, alongside their triangular ears that are always upright. They have a pointed and upturned snout as well as a long bushy tail (the brush). The red fox is the most commonly widely distributed species of foxes, and these species are found in almost all the continents of the world except the Antarctica. Foxes are believed to be suffering from extinction as the hunt for them began in the British Isles and up till now the animals are still being hunted in Europe and North America.

The red foxes are the largest species with males weighing between 9 and 19.2lb while Fennec( one of the smallest species of Foxes), can weigh between 1.5 and 3.5lbs. Foes are also characterized by triangular faces, and elongated rostrum. Foxes walk on their toes, unlike dogs, and they also have retractable claws while their forelimb point downward and backward.

Biology
The male fox has scrotums that are held very close to the body, and the scrotum of red foes are usually smaller than those foxes found in the arctic. Red foes do produce sperm especially between August and September , while the scrotums attain their biggest weights by the month of December and February. The female foxes are normally on heat every 6 days, therefore they do have reproductive cycles that stretch all through the year. The gestation periods in foxes should last between 52 and 53 days, and an adult fox can have up to 11 kits at a single time. Foes give birth to their offspring alive, and these can take up to 6 months to develop into matured foxes that can forage on their own.

Life cycle
Foxes that reside in the wild can live for between 3 and 5 years, however, some individual species have lived for about 10 years. Unlike similar animals, foxes don’t naturally lived as packed wild animals; they can however live in small family groups, while artic foxes are known to be solitary in nature.

Habitat
Foxes can live in diverse habitats and these include; Grasslands, deserts, mountains and grasslands. There is no doubt about the fact that Foxes will prefer an environment where they can have access to food, shelter and out of sight of predators. Foxes can also adapt quickly to human environments such as suburban areas, farmlands, and some moderately large communities. The red fox is known to be some of the most resourceful and adaptable foxes in the world and this are why they can be found in virtually all continents of the world. Red foes also remain some of the most intelligent foxes you can find around

Diet
Foxes are largely omnivores and their diet contains primarily invertebrates such as insects alongside small vertebrate animals such as birds and reptiles. Foxes can also consume bird eggs and some varieties of plants. The predator fox is known to consume crabs and some other sea animals. It is believed that most Fox species will consume about 1kg of food on daily basis, and they are capable of getting excess food which they bury for consumption at later period (foxes can bury their excess foods under leaves , soil or snow, depending on their habitat).

Behaviour
Foxes are smart animals, they can use some pouncing techniques to camouflage for the predators, and then use their hind legs to leap up at tremendous forces to catch their targeted prey. Foxes also have canine teeth that help them have a strong grip on their prey’s neck before they disembowel the animal. There are just two canine species of foxes that can climb trees and the gray fox is one of such.

Foxes are known to hibernate during the cold winter months and this is the period when most species are hunted, especially when they are found hidden underground. In most cases, Foxes would have gathered as much food as possible before the hibernating seasons, and they gather as much food that can sustain them for over 6 months- but this does not mean foes do not forage in winter months( the animals forage all year round).

Foxes normally burrow the ground mostly for taking care of their new born babies, and during the courtship periods, the female foxes do have a pungent and musky odour that emanates from the hole they dug. The presence of a fresh den simply means there is a pregnant female fox around. Foxes are generally not as aggressive as other wild animals, however, when provoked; they can bite with their canine teeth. Foxes can attack smaller animals for game , even though they are largely carnivorous but can eat animals when they are hungry and can’t find their usual preferred diet. Foxes will normally run from the sight of humans , as they are generally alert to the sounds of guns and other human activities.

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About Fox