At any time of year, when they jump on prey, they do it mainly in a northeasterly direction, about 20 degrees off from magnetic North. They use their hearing almost exclusively in the winter for hunting, listening for the sounds of mice and voles moving about under layers of snow or debris. Their sense of smell is excellent, and their hearing is so sharp they can hear small animals digging underground, even under snow (if they’re hungry, they dig them up). They’re fast on their feet-for short bursts, they can run as fast as 30 miles per hour (48km/h). They have five toes on the front feet, four on the back, and long sharp claws. Still, they’re the largest fox species, at about 20–26 inches long (51–66 cm), and their tail is another 14–16 inches (36–41 cm). Beneath, their frame is delicate and thin-they weigh only 10–15 pounds (4.5–7 kg)-comparable to a miniature poodle. They have long, silky guard hairs and a soft, thick underfur that bulks up their appearance, especially when wearing their winter coats. However, there’s one tell-tale tip, so to speak, that makes it pretty conclusive: The tip of their bushy tail is almost always white. So, you can’t always expect to identify a Red Fox by its hair color. As if that wasn’t enough color variation for the “Red” Fox, there are also several genetic mutations. The hair color of Red Foxes may vary in shade from a light-yellowish tone to deep auburn-red, and some are an entirely different color-black, silver (black with white hair tips), or red with black across the shoulders. Their eyes, which are a distinctive amber color with vertical pupils, face forward on their head, giving them binocular vision like a human’s, but they primarily react to movement like cats do. The ears, legs, and feet are dark brown to black. It typically has white hair under its neck and on its chest. The Red Fox resembles a little dog with a long, pointed snout and triangle-shaped ears. Canidae also includes the Coyote, wolves, jackals, domestic dogs, and other canids. Canidae (CAN-uh-dee) is the family to which it belongs, and that name comes from the Latin canis, meaning dog. The accepted Latin name for the Red Fox is Vulpes vulpes. The word “fox” is derived from the Old English and Old Saxon vohs, Middle Low German vox, and Old High German fuhs. The Bering Land Bridge was covered by deep water 10,000–11,000 years ago. It’s thought that foxes found their way to North America between 300,000 and 130,000 years ago by crossing a sheet of ice that connected Asia and N.A. Their oldest fossils, found in Hungary, date back to the late Pliocene and early Pleistocene Epochs, 3.4 to 1.8 million years ago. Ten of them inhabit the United States, except the desert Southwest. There are 45 subspecies spread around the world, except for Antarctica and South America. There are many species of foxes, but when we think of ‘fox,’ isn’t it the Red Fox that first comes to mind? It’s one of the earth’s most widely distributed land carnivores and the fox most often seen in our cities. That might mean calling your yard home, where they quietly rest out of sight by day and stealthily sweep it at night for edibles. They’re intelligent, clever, and resourceful, so they simply exchange their country-bumpkin ways for the life of a city slicker. The common phrase “smart as a fox” isn’t an empty one. This is simply because he is in his thinner summer coat, whereas most Red Foxes shown in the TV specials are in their thick, dense winter coats.Would it surprise you to learn a Red Fox is your neighbor? Even in the city? They often stay put when urbanization consumes their habitat, remaining just out of sight as the city builds around them. In summer, people often ask about Loki because he appears so thin. The Red Foxes are well-known for their pouncing, which is often featured in TV programs. The evasive skills of the Red Fox is one reason they have proved difficult to remove. An experienced Red Fox may lead the dogs all day and still get away. These foxes were often the target of foxhunts, a major reason for their introduction into North America and Australia. The Red Fox is often portrayed in literature and mythology as a cunning schemer. In many areas of Australia various marsupials, ground-nesting birds, and even reptiles are threatened by foxes, however, they are now difficult to eradicate. Red Foxes have been widely introduced around the world, often with devastating effects on the native wildlife. Many of the fur varieties are rare, like the cross fox, and often highly prized. Some eight variations are known, primarily colored in gray, silver, and brown. The color of a Red Fox's coat can be highly variable. Red Foxes are known to make at least 28 different vocalizations. The Red Fox is the most widespread wild canid of the family Carnivora in the world.
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