Mammals

The red fox

Vulpes vulpes

The Red Fox is a canid that is widespread over the northern hemisphere. In Sweden, it occurs from the northernmost wildernesses to the villa garden in the south. This is probably partly due to its great ability to utilize different types of food. “Sly as a fox” is a well-known saying in Sweden. And of course, the fox is a wise and instructive dog that can relatively easily become tame in the aspect that they show no great fear of humans.

About

The foxes are common in our fairy tales and usually represent a crafty and cunning personality. They have orange fur, but they can also be beige, brown, almost black or silver colored. In the summer the fox looks leggy and slim but in winter it gets a thicker coat making it look chubbier with shorter legs and a furry tail. Foxes eat anything; rodents, birds, eggs, carcasses, insects, frogs and berries. Foxes live in couples or family groups consisting of one female and one male and several of their grown young, who help take care of younger offspring.

Did you know that:

Foxes rarely grow older than 10 years in the wild.

If you find a bird taken by a fox, the feathers are cut off, while birds of prey pull out the feathers.

Mortality rates vary between 7-70% depending on food availability (vole)

Fact

Class: Canids (Canidae)

Scientific name: vulpes vulpes

Conservations status: L

Size: 40 cm tall, 75 cm long.

Weight: Males 6-10 kg, females 5-7 kg

Number of youngs: 3-6 puppies, blind at birth but open their eyes after 12 days. The newborn weighs about 100g and nurses for 3-4 weeks. They are fully weaned at about 8 weeks of age and reach sexual maturity at 1 year of age.