Seeing a Red Fox always seems to be a highlight of anyone’s day. They are not the most commonly observed of the larger furry creatures that live amongst us. Raccoons, possums, and even river otters are more commonly spotted. But Red Foxes are not as rare as many may think – they are just a bit shyer than the others. And as with many animals that we do not know well, they have a mixed reputation.
Foxes are not, for example, the devious creatures that most of us think, despite what many children’s books have reported. They are just trying to get along in life and have found a way to live amongst us – in the shadows. In reality, Red Foxes are one of the most adaptable of the family of foxes worldwide, having colonized the entirety of the Northern Hemisphere.
Our Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) originated in Eurasia and is believed to have made their way to North America after the retreat of the last period of glaciation (the Wisconsin Glaciation) that ended about 11,000 years ago. They were also apparently imported from Europe for hunting as far back as the 1700s. This species is the most widely distributed of the true foxes in the continent, with as many as 45 recognized subspecies. Gray Foxes are the other species of fox common in the southeast.
Their success is largely a result of their omnivorous diet, feeding on sources of meat and vegetation, and their range across a variety of habitats, including suburban and urban environments. Red Foxes will eat small birds, rodents, reptiles, and any small invertebrate they can capture. They also eat fruits and leaves of a variety of vegetation. They will also eat any chickens that they may encounter, making them unwanted by my chicken-growing neighbors.
And yet, many of us simply do not even know they live amongst us – hiding mostly during the day, either in burrows dug in dry hills or in dense vegetation. Red Foxes are most active in the early mornings and late evenings in low light which can give them an advantage. They have acute hearing and good eyesight. Most of our observations of them are during these times, but on occasion, they can be seen sneaking about during the day.
As a member of the canid family, they are susceptible to rabies and mange, as are other of our common furry neighbors. By and by, however, Red Foxes mind their own business, even though they are living nearby, whether we know it or not. And we should not be too worried about our pets, as most adult pets are too large for a Red Fox to tackle. It is reported that they give cats a wide berth, assumedly after their first encounter.
As with many of our wild neighbors, the more you know the better and Red Foxes may not be the beast you might have thought.
Hope to see you in our great outdoors!
