II.

Red Fox

The red fox is by far the most common species of fox. It is 90 to 105 cm (36 to 42 in) long, not including the tail, weighs about 7 kg (15 lb), and is distinguished by black ears and feet, and a white tip on the tail. The coat is usually some shade of rusty-red or reddish-brown, sprinkled with light-tipped hairs. The red fox ranges across Eurasia and northern Africa and from northern Mexico to the Arctic. Within these vast zones diverse variations of the red fox have developed; those of the south are smaller and have lighter-coloured coats, and those of the north are larger, with thicker and darker coats. The silver fox, valued for its black fur speckled with white, is simply a variant of the red fox.

The great alertness of the red fox, and its keen senses of smell, hearing, and sight, enable it to live close to human habitation without being easily noticed. Farmland with copses and open fields provides it with good cover and abundant rodents, especially voles. When red foxes have been eradicated from rural areas, populations of rodents have swelled. Red foxes were introduced to Australia to cope with its plague of previously introduced rabbits.

On pairing, red foxes occupy a territory of 3 to 8 sq km (1y to 3 sq mi). They mate in midwinter, and following a 49- to 56-day gestation period, the vixen bears two to eight cubs in a den in an underground hollow. The cubs are born with their eyes closed and are attended in the den by both parents for about five weeks. By autumn the young leave or are driven from the territory. Red foxes are believed to pair for life; their lifespan is about 12 years.