Red Fox
Vulpes vulpes
Red foxes use the Earth's magnetic field as a rangefinder to calculate the distance and direction of prey moving under deep snow.
- Scientific name
- Vulpes vulpes
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Chordata › Mammalia › Carnivora › Canidae › Vulpes
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- forest
- Habitat
- Highly adaptable, inhabiting forests, grasslands, mountains, and increasingly, urban environments.
- Diet
- Omnivorous generalist consuming rodents, birds, insects, fruits, and human scraps.
- Range
- North America, Europe, Asia, North Africa, Australia
- Size
- 45-90 cm body length; weight 3-14 kg.
- Lifespan
- 2 to 5 years in the wild.
- Active
- crepuscular
- Threats
- Habitat fragmentation, road collisions, and diseases such as sarcoptic mange and rabies.
- Safe to approach?
- Generally harmless and shy. Maintain a safe distance and never attempt to feed them, as this leads to habituation. If bitten or scratched, wash the wound and seek medical help immediately due to potential rabies risk.
The red fox ( Vulpes vulpes ) is the largest of the true foxes and one of the most widely distributed members of the order Carnivora, being present across the entire Northern Hemisphere from the Arctic Circle to North Africa, North America and Eurasia. It is listed as least concern by the IUCN. Its range has increased alongside human expansion, having been introduced to Australia, where it is considered harmful to native mammals and bird populations. Due to...
Photo: David Willingham, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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