Foxes live on every continent except Antarctica and thrive in towns, cities, and rural settings. However despite being all around us, they are a bit of a mystery. Here’s more about this mysterious animal.
1. Foxes are solitary.
Alongside cats and tigers, foxes are solitary hunters. There has been the rare sighting of vixen hunting with her cub, but in general they will forage and hunt for food alone. Although a fox is classified as a carnivore they are omnivorous and will eat almost anything including fruit and vegetables. Some studies of urban foxes stomach contents reveal that the majority of a fox’s diet is scavenged.
Although foxes are solitary when it comes to hunting, they are generally social animals. Foxes will spend a lot of time together, whether they are caring for their offspring or when they are ready to mate. – Channel4.com
2. Foxes use the Earth’s Magnetic Field.
Jaroslav Červený spent over two years studying wild red foxes in the Czech Republic, with the help of a 23-strong team of wildlife biologists and experienced hunters. The team recorded almost 600 mousing jumps, performed by 84 foxes at a wide variety of locations and times.
They found that foxes strongly prefer to jump in a north-easterly direction, around 20 degrees off from magnetic north. This fixed heading was important for their success as hunters. They were more likely to make a kill if they jumped along their preferred axis, particularly if their prey was hidden by high cover or snow. If they pounced to the north-east, they killed on 73% of their attacks; if they jumped in the opposite direction, they success rate stayed at 60%. In all other directions, only 18% of their pounces were successful. – Blogs.discovermagazine.com
3. The smallest fox weighs under 4 pounds.
The fennec fox is the smallest of the fox species, weighing less than 4 pounds when fully grown. Long, thick hair insulates the fox from the heat and cold of the desert climate it inhabits, and their furry feet protect their paws from the extremely hot sand. The fennec is most known though for its incredibly large ears, which serve to release heat from their body. – Kirshner.org
4. Arctic foxes don’t shiver until –70 degrees Celsius.
An animal that does not begin to shiver until temperatures reach -70 C, the arctic fox is one of the most superbly cold-adapted mammals. Its dense, multi-layered coat, which is several inches thick during winter, provides excellent heat insulation. Short ears, a short muzzle, and short limbs reduce heat loss by minimizing the amount of body surface area exposed to the cold. Even the pads on the soles of the feet are covered with fur to insulate them. Arctic foxes change color seasonally. – MNH.si.edu
5. The fox does not chew its food.
Red fox do not chew their food, but tend to swallow whole. This accounts for the abundance of fur and crushed food bones found in fox droppings. They commonly kill more food that they eat at one time, and bury the extra food in caches. These caches are made by the fox digging shallow depressions with its front feet. The excess food is then placed in the depression and dirt is pushed over the food with the fox's nose. – Nationaltrappers.com