Red fox

The red fox (Vulpes vulpes) is the largest of the true foxes and one of the most common animals in the order Carnivora. It lives across the entire Northern Hemisphere, including most of North America, Europe and Asia, as well as parts of North Africa. Because people have moved around the world, the red fox has also moved, and today it can be found in many cities and towns.

This clever animal can live in many different places and does well near people. Red foxes usually live in pairs or small family groups. They eat small animals like rodents, but they will also eat rabbits, squirrels, birds, reptiles, and even fruit.

For thousands of years, red foxes have been hunted for their fur, and they appear in many stories and myths around the world. In fact, scientists in Russia have even begun to domesticate red foxes, creating a special kind called the domesticated silver fox. Even though they are clever hunters, red foxes are generally not a danger to people.

Terminology

Males are called tods or dogs, and females are called vixens. Young red foxes are known as cubs or kits. The red fox is the only type of fox that lives naturally in Western Europe, which is why people in Britain often just call it "the fox." The Arctic fox lives in parts of northern Scandinavia, and the corsac fox can be found in European Russia, but the red fox is the most common one in Western Europe.

Etymology

The word "fox" comes from Old English. This word came from an ancient language called Proto-Germanic. Many languages have similar words for fox, like Dutch and German. The name is linked to the fox’s bushy tail. The scientific name vulpes comes from the Latin word for fox.

Evolutionary history

The red fox is a larger, more specialized fox compared to the Afghan, corsac, and Bengal fox. It has a more developed face and fewer baby-like skull features, though it is not as adapted to eating only meat as the Tibetan fox.

The red fox's closest relative is the Rüppell's fox. Their DNA shows they are closely related, leading scientists to think Rüppell's fox may have split from the red fox recently, or that their genes mixed in the past. Fossils suggest this is likely true, even though the two look and act differently.

Origins

The red fox originally lived in Europe and Asia, possibly evolving from ancient foxes like Vulpes alopecoides or V. chikushanensis. The oldest red fox fossils, found in Hungary, are between 3.4 and 1.8 million years old. These early foxes were smaller than today’s foxes. Fossils show red foxes lived near early human settlements, perhaps hunted by humans or eating leftover food.

Colonisation of North America

Red foxes reached North America in two big waves—once before and during big icy periods called the Illinoian and Wisconsinan glaciations. Genes show that North American red foxes have been separate from those in the Old World for over 400,000 years, suggesting they may have become a distinct type. Fossils found in Alaska and many U.S. states show their wide range. When the climate warmed, their numbers dropped in southern areas, but they are now returning due to changes caused by humans. Genetic tests show two main groups of red foxes in North America: one in the north (Alaska and western Canada) and another in the mountainous west (Rocky Mountains to Sierra Nevada).

Though European red foxes were brought to some U.S. areas in the 1900s, recent studies show no European fox genes are in North American populations. Eastern North American red foxes have spread through much of California, mixing only a little with local foxes in the Sacramento Valley. Even with their ability to live in cities, red foxes are still more common in northern California’s wilder, alpine areas than in the south.

Subspecies

The third edition of Mammal Species of the World recognized 45 subspecies of red foxes. In 2010, a 46th subspecies—the Sacramento Valley red fox—was identified in California’s grasslands. Studies show that red foxes often mix genes with other subspecies. For example, British red foxes have mixed with those from Germany, France, Belgium, and possibly other places. However, genetic studies show very little difference between red foxes across Europe, likely because they can travel great distances quickly—one red fox can cover 320 km (200 mi) in under a year.

Red fox subspecies in Eurasia and North Africa are divided into two main groups:

• Northern foxes are large and brightly coloured.
• Southern grey desert foxes, such as V. v. griffithi, V. v. pusilla, and V. v. flavescens, are smaller and show traits between northern foxes and other small fox species. Their skulls have more baby-like features, and their bodies are smaller, with longer legs and bigger ears.

Red foxes in Middle Asia have features in between the northern and southern types.

Subspecies	Trinomial authority	Trinomial authority (year)	Description	Range	Synonyms
Scandinavian red fox V. v. vulpes (nominate subspecies)	Linnaeus	1758	A large subspecies measuring 70–90 cm in length and weighing 5–10 kg; the maximum length of the skull for males is 163.2 mm. The fur is bright red with a strongly developed whitish and yellow ripple on the lower back.	Scandinavia and the northern and middle (forest) districts of the European part of the former Soviet Union, southwards to the forest-steppe and eastwards approximately to the Urals and probably Central and Western Europe	alopex (Linnaeus, 1758) communis (Burnett, 1829) lineatus (Billberg, 1827) nigro-argenteus (Nilsson, 1820) nigrocaudatus (Billberg, 1827) septentrionalis (Brass, 1911) variegates (Billberg, 1827) vulgaris (Oken, 1816)
British Columbia red fox V. v. abietorum	Merriam	1900	Generally similar to V. v. alascensis, but with a lighter, longer and more slender skull	Southern Yukon, the North-West Territories, northern Alberta, the interior of British Columbia and in the adjoining coastal southeast Alaska (US).	sitkaensis (Brass, 1911)
Northern Alaskan fox V. v. alascensis	Merriam	1900	A large, long-tailed, small-eared form with golden-fulvous fur	The Andreafsky Wilderness, Alaska, U.S.
Eastern Transcaucasian fox V. v. alpherakyi	Satunin	1906	A small subspecies weighing 4 kg; its maximum skull length is 132–39 mm in males and 121–26 mm in females. The fur is rusty grey or rusty brown, with a brighter rusty stripe along the spine. The coat is short, coarse and sparse.	Geok Tepe, Aralsk, Kazakhstan
Anatolian fox V. v. anatolica	Thomas	1920	A medium subspecies, 46–65cm long, with a tail length of 33–46cm, weighing 2.2–3.2kg. Fur colour is pale yellow, light grey, red, or brown. Its fur has less red than other subspecies. The ears and tail are long.	Turkey, Armenia, Iran, Iraq.	Persian fox
Arabian red fox V. v. arabica	Thomas	1920	The smallest supspecies, about 42–63cm long, with a tail length of 25–38cm, weighing 2.4–3.2kg. It has short, pale red or brown fur. The ears are large, and have black tips. The legs are the same colour as the rest of the body.	Widely ranging across the Arabian Peninsula. Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Jordan. Possibly in Iraq and Israel.
Atlas fox V. v. atlantica	Wagner	1841		The Atlas Mountains, Mila Province, Algeria	algeriensis (Loche, 1858)
Labrador fox V. v. bangsi	Merriam	1900	Similar to V. v. fulva, but with smaller ears and less pronounced black markings on the ears and legs.	L'Anse au Loup, the Strait of Belle Isle, Labrador, Canada
Barbary fox V. v. barbara		Shaw	1800		The Barbary Coast, northwestern Africa	acaab (Cabrera, 1916)
Anadyr fox V. v. beringiana	Middendorff	1875	A large subspecies; it is the most brightly coloured of the Old World red foxes, the fur being saturated bright-reddish and almost lacking the bright ripple along the back and flanks. The coat is fluffy and soft.	The shores of the Bering Strait, northeastern Siberia	anadyrensis (J. A. Allen, 1903) beringensis (Merriam, 1902) kamtschadensis (Brass, 1911) kamtschatica (Dybowski, 1922) schantaricus (Yudin, 1986)
Cascade red fox V. v. cascadensis	Merriam	1900	A short-tailed, small-toothed subspecies with yellow rather than fulvous fur; it is the subspecies most likely to produce "cross" colour morphs.	The Cascade Mountains, Skamania County, Washington, U.S.
North Caucasian fox V. v. caucasica	Dinnik	1914	A large subspecies; its coat is variable in colour, ranging from reddish to red-grey and nearly grey. The fur is short and coarse. This subspecies could be a hybrid caused by mixing the populations of V. v. stepensis and V. v. karagan.	Near Vladikavkaz, the Caucasus, Russia
European fox V. v. crucigera	Bechstein	1789	A medium-sized subspecies; its yellowish-fulvous or reddish-brown pelt lacks the whitish shading on the upper back. The tail is not grey, as in most other red fox subspecies. It is primarily distinguished from V. v. vulpes by its slightly smaller size, distinctly smaller teeth and widely spaced premolars. Red foxes present in Great Britain (and therefore Australia) are usually ascribed to this subspecies, though many populations there display a great degree of tooth compaction not present in continental European red fox populations.	All of Europe except Scandinavia, the Iberian Peninsula and some islands of the Mediterranean Sea; introduced to Australia and North America	alba (Borkhausen, 1797) cinera (Bechstein, 1801) diluta (Ognev, 1924) europaeus (Kerr, 1792) hellenica (Douma-Petridou and Ondrias, 1980) hypomelas (Wagner, 1841) lutea (Bechstein, 1801) melanogaster (Bonaparte, 1832) meridionalis (Fitzinger, 1855) nigra (Borkhausen, 1797) stepensis (Brauner, 1914)
Trans-Baikal fox V. v. daurica	Ognev	1931	A large subspecies; the colour along its spine is light, dull yellowish-reddish with a strongly developed white ripple and greyish longitudinal stripes on the anterior side of the limbs. The coat is coarse but fluffy.	Kharangoi, 45 km west of Troizkosavsk, Siberia	ussuriensis (Dybowski, 1922)
Newfoundland fox V. v. deletrix	Bangs	1898	A very pale-coloured form; its light, straw-yellow fur deepens to golden yellow or buff-fulvous in some places. The tail lacks the usual black basal spot. The hind feet and claws are very large.	St. George's Bay, Newfoundland, Canada
Ussuri fox V. v. dolichocrania	Ognev	1926		Sidemi, southern Ussuri, southeastern Siberia	ognevi (Yudin, 1986)
V. v. dorsalis	J. E. Gray	1838
Turkmenian fox V. v. flavescens	J. E. Gray	1838	A small subspecies with an infantile-looking skull and an overall grey-coloured coat; its body length is 49–57.5 cm and it weighs 2.2–3.2 kg.	Northern Iran	cinerascens (Birula, 1913) splendens (Thomas, 1902)
American red fox V. v. fulva	Desmarest	1820	This is a smaller subspecies than V. v. vulpes, with a smaller, sharper face, a shorter tail, a lighter pelt more profusely mixed with whitish and darker limbs.	Eastern Canada and the eastern U.S.	pennsylvanicus (Rhoads, 1894)
Afghan red fox V. v. griffithi	Blyth	1854	Slightly smaller than V. v. montana; it has a more extensively hoary and silvered pelt.: 121	Kandahar, Afghanistan	flavescens (Hutton, 1845)
Kodiak fox V. v. harrimani	Merriam	1900	This large subspecies has an enormous tail and coarse, wolf-like fur on the tail and lower back. The hairs on the neck and shoulders are greatly elongated and form a ruff.	Kodiak Island, Alaska, U.S.
South Chinese fox V. v. hoole	R. Swinhoe	1870		Near Amoy, Fukien, southern China	aurantioluteus (Matschie, 1907) lineiventer (R. Swinhoe, 1871)
Sardinian fox V. v. ichnusae	Miller	1907	A small subspecies with proportionately small ears.	Sarrabus, Sardinia, Italy; may have been introduced to the English Midlands: 6
Cyprus fox V. v. indutus	Miller	1907		Cyprus
Yakutsk fox V. v. jakutensis	Ognev	1923	This subspecies is large, but smaller than V. v. beringiana. The back, neck and shoulders are brownish-rusty, while the flanks are bright ocherous reddish-yellow.	The taiga south of Yakutsk, eastern Siberia	sibiricus (Dybowski, 1922)
Japanese fox V. v. japonica	Ognev	1923		Japan, except for Hokkaido
Karaganka fox V. v. karagan	Erxleben	1777	A smaller subspecies than V. v. vulpes; its fur is short, coarse and of a light sandy-yellow or yellowish-grey colour.	The Kirghiz Steppes, Khirgizia, Russia	ferganensis (Ognev, 1926) melanotus (Pallas, 1811) pamirensis (Ognev, 1926) tarimensis (Matschie, 1907)
Kenai Peninsula fox V. v. kenaiensis	Merriam	1900	One of the largest North American subspecies; it has softer fur than V. v. harrimani.	The Kenai Peninsula, Alaska, U.S.
Transcaucasian montane fox V. v. kurdistanica	Satunin	1906	A form intermediate in size between V. v. alpheryaki and V. v. caucasica; its fur is pale yellow or light grey, sometimes brownish-reddish and is fluffier and denser than that of the other two Caucasian red fox subspecies.	Northeastern Turkey	alticola (Ognev, 1926)
Wasatch Mountains fox V. v. macroura	Baird	1852	This fox is similar to V. v. fulvus, but with a much longer tail, larger hind feet and more extensive blackening of the limbs.	Named for the Wasatch Mountains near the Great Salt Lake, Utah, found in the Rocky Mountains from Colorado and Utah, western Wyoming and Montana through Idaho north to southern Alberta
Hill fox V. v. montana	Pearson	1836	This subspecies is distinguished from V. v. vulpes by its smaller size, proportionately smaller skull and teeth and coarser fur. The hairs on the sole of the feet are copiously mixed with softer, woolly hairs.: 111	The Himalayas and northern Indian subcontinent	alopex (Blanford, 1888) himalaicus (Ogilby, 1837) ladacensis (Matschie, 1907) nepalensis (J. E. Gray, 1837) waddelli (Bonhote, 1906)
Sierra Nevada red fox or High Sierra fox V. v. necator	Merriam	1900	Externally similar to V. v. fulvus; it has a short tail, but cranially it is more like V. v. macroura	The High Sierra, California
Nile fox V. v. niloticus	E. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire	1803	A small subspecies; it measures 76.7–105.3 cm in body length, 30.2–40.1 cm in tail length and weighs 1.8–3.8 kg. It is ruddy to grey-brown above and darker on the back of the neck. The flanks are greyer and tinged with buff. It is larger than V. v. arabica and V. v. palaestina.	Egypt and Sudan	aegyptiacus (Sonnini, 1816) anubis (Hemprich and Ehrenberg, 1833) vulpecula (Hemprich and Ehrenberg, 1833)
Turkestan fox V. v. ochroxantha	Ognev	1926		Aksai, Semirechye, eastern Russian Turkestan, Kirgizia
Palestinian fox V. v. palaestina	Thomas	1920	A small subspecies, about 45–60cm long, with a tail length of 30–40cm, weighing 2–4kg. Fur colour is a dull red or slate grey with red or brown tinges, especially around the face. The ears are black. It is sometimes considered to be the same as Vulpes vulpes arabica, and genetic analysis has not been conducted to prove their difference.	Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, Syria. Boundaries with arabica, aegyptiacus, flavescens and pusilla are unclear. Palaestina is the prevailing form along the Mediterranean from Ramleh and Jerusalem up to Lebanon.
Korean fox V. v. peculiosa	Kishida	1924		Northeastern China, Southeastern Russia, and Korea	kiyomassai (Kishida and Mori, 1929)
White-footed fox V. v. pusilla	Blyth	1854	Slightly smaller than V. v. griffithii;: 123  it closely resembles the Bengal fox (V. bengalensis) in size, but is distinguished by its longer tail and hind feet.: 129	The Salt Range, Punjab, Pakistan	leucopus (Blyth, 1854) persicus (Blanford, 1875)
Northern plains fox V. v. regalis	Merriam	1900	The largest North American red fox subspecies; it has very large and broad ears and a very long tail. It is a golden-yellow colour with pure black feet.	The Elk River, Sherburne County, Minnesota, US
Nova Scotia fox V. v. rubricosa	Bangs	1898	A large-sized subspecies with a large, broad tail and larger teeth and rostrum than V. v. fulvus; it is the deepest-coloured subspecies.	Digby County, Nova Scotia, Canada	bangsi (Merriam, 1900) deletrix (Bangs, 1898) rubricos (Churcher, 1960) vafra (Bangs, 1897)
Ezo red fox V. v. schrencki	Kishida	1924		Sakhalin, Russia and Hokkaido, Japan
Iberian fox V. v. silacea	Miller	1907	Though equal in size to V. v. vulpes, it has smaller teeth and more widely spaced premolars. The fur is dull buff without any yellowish or reddish tints. The hindquarters are frosted with white and the tail is clear grey in colour.	The Iberian Peninsula
Kurile Islands fox V. v. splendidissima	Kishida	1924		The northern and central Kurile Islands, Russia
Steppe red fox V. v. stepensis	Brauner	1914	This subspecies is slightly smaller and more lightly coloured than V. v. crucigera, with shorter, coarser fur. Specimens from the Crimean Mountains have brighter, fluffier and denser fur.	The steppes near Kherson, Ukraine	krymeamontana (Brauner, 1914) crymensis (Brauner, 1914)
Tobolsk fox V. v. tobolica	Ognev	1926	This large subspecies has yellowish-rusty or dirty-reddish fur with a well-developed cross and often a black area on the belly. The coat is long and fluffy.	Obdorsk, Tobolsk, Russia
North Chinese fox V. v. tschiliensis	Matschie	1907	Slightly larger than V. v. hoole, but unlike other Chinese red foxes, it closely approaches V. v. vulpes in size.	Beijing and Hebei province, China	huli (Sowerby, 1923)

Description

The red fox has a long body and shorter legs. Its tail is fluffy and longer than half its body, often touching the ground when standing. Red foxes are very agile and can jump over fences and swim well.

Red foxes are the largest of their kind but are lighter compared to similarly sized dogs. They vary in size depending on where they live. On average, they are about 45–90 cm (18–35 in) long, not counting the tail, and weigh between 2.2–14 kg (4.9–30.9 lb). Their fur changes with the seasons, keeping them warm in winter and cool in summer. Most red foxes have reddish fur, but some have different colored coats. They have excellent hearing and can hear small animals from a distance. Their sense of smell is good but not as strong as some dogs'.

Colour morph	Image	Description
Red		The typical colouration (see fur above)
Smokey		The rump and spine is brown or grey with light yellowish bands on the guard hairs. The cross on the shoulders is brown, rusty brown or reddish-brown. The limbs are brown.
Cross		The fur has a darker colouration than the colour morph listed directly above. The rump and lower back are dark brown or dark grey, with varying degrees of silver on the guard hairs. The cross on the shoulders is black or brown, sometimes with light silvery fur. The head and feet are brown.
Blackish-brown		The melanistic colour morph of the Eurasian red foxes. Has blackish-brown or black skin with a light brownish tint. The skin area usually has a variable admixture of silver. Reddish hairs are either completely absent or in small quantities.
Silver		The melanistic colour morph of the North American red foxes, but introduced to the Old World by the fur trade. Characterised by pure black colour with skin that usually has a variable admixture of silver (covering 25–100% of the skin area)
Platinum		Distinguished from the silver colour morph by its pale, almost silvery-white fur with a bluish cast: 251
Amber
Samson		Distinguished by its woolly pelt, which lacks guard hairs: 230

Distribution and habitat

The red fox lives in many places around the world. It can be found across Europe, parts of Africa, Asia, and North America. It does not live in very cold areas like the Arctic islands or extreme deserts. It is also not found in New Zealand.

Australia

Main article: Feral foxes in Australia

Red foxes were brought to Australia in the 1800s by people who wanted to hunt them. They are now found all over the mainland but not on the island of Tasmania. These foxes have hurt some native animals, such as small kangaroos. People are trying to control their numbers, but it is difficult.

Sardinia, Italy

The red foxes on the island of Sardinia in Italy may have arrived there a long time ago when people brought them over. This is why the foxes there look a bit different from others.

Behaviour and ecology

Red foxes live in family groups that share a territory. In places with plenty of food and less hunting, there may be a few extra foxes in the group. These extra foxes often help take care of the babies, called kits. Sometimes, they stay with the family even after they grow up, especially if it is hard to find their own territory.

Red foxes have their babies once a year in the spring. The mother fox has between four and six kits, but sometimes more. Baby foxes are born with their eyes closed and can’t hear yet. They stay with their mother for a few weeks while they learn to open their eyes, start eating solid food, and grow up. By the time they are a few months old, they look more like adult foxes and start exploring beyond their home area.

Relationships with humans

In folklore, religion and mythology

The red fox appears in stories and beliefs from many cultures. In Greek mythology, there was a famous fox called the Teumessian fox that could never be caught. In Celtic mythology, the fox is a special symbol. Stories from places like the Cotswolds tell of witches turning into foxes. In Europe, a character named Reynard the Fox is known for being clever. He first appeared in an old poem called "Ysengrimus". In China and Korea, there are tales of fox-spirits, while in Japan, kitsune are wise fox spirits who can look like humans. In Arab tales, the fox is seen as clever but weak, and in the Bible, foxes are used to describe clever but dishonest people.

Hunting

Fox hunting has a long history, starting around the 4th century BC. Important leaders like Alexander the Great hunted foxes. Over time, hunting foxes became popular among noble people in Europe. Red foxes were also brought to places like Virginia and Maryland for hunting.

Fur use

Red foxes are important for their fur, which is used to make things like scarves and jackets. The fur from silver foxes is especially valued. In the past, many fox skins were traded around the world.

Livestock and pet predation

Red foxes sometimes eat young lambs, especially if the lambs are weak. They may also eat pets like rabbits or kittens if they can find them. Keeping pets safe in sturdy homes helps prevent this.

Taming and domestication

Red foxes are not good pets in their wild state. They need a lot of care and can be tricky to handle. Scientists have been able to raise foxes that are friendly to people by carefully choosing which ones to breed.

Urban red foxes

Distribution

Red foxes have adapted well to living in cities and suburbs around the world, including places like Bristol, London, Melbourne, and Zurich. They prefer areas with fewer buildings and more space. City foxes often find food in human waste and can grow larger than foxes in the countryside.

Behaviour

Urban foxes are most active at dawn and dusk. They rest during the day in hidden spots and come out at night to find food. Some people leave food for them, which can make the foxes trust humans more.

Urban red fox control

Foxes in cities can sometimes cause trouble, like taking chickens or getting into garbage. In the UK, hunting foxes is not allowed. Instead, people use traps or scare tactics to keep foxes away from certain areas. Removing food and blocking dens can also help.

Relationship between urban and rural red foxes

Studies show that urban foxes can travel long distances to rural areas. For example, a fox named "Fleet" traveled from Hove to Rye, showing how foxes move between cities and the countryside.