Fox

Foxes are members of the Canidae family, which also includes wolves, coyotes, and dogs. They are found throughout the world in a variety of habitats, including forests, grasslands, deserts, and urban areas. Known for their keen senses, agility, and intelligence, foxes are skilled hunters and opportunistic scavengers. They have slender bodies, pointed snouts, and bushy tails, which they use for balance and communication. Foxes are highly adaptable animals, able to thrive in diverse environments and successfully coexist with humans. At the Little Rock Zoo, visitors can observe these agile and adaptable animals and learn about their natural history and behaviors in the small carnivore area.

Red Fox

Gray Fox

Red Fox

Gray Fox

Red Fox

Named for their coloration they range from yellowish red to reddish brown with black legs and tail and an ashy belly. Mature foxes have yellow eyes and black noses. They are the largest of the Vulpes species with males being slightly larger than females.

Habitat/Range:

Found throughout the northern hemisphere from the Arctic Circle to Central America. They have a varied habitat from tundra, forest, prairie, desert, mountains, farmlands, and urban areas. They remain in their same home ranges for life.

Size:

Weight: 6-30 lbs. Length: 18 to 35in.

A red fox’s tail is about one third of its length. It is used as a warm cover in cold weather and as a signal flag to communicate with other foxes.
The male red fox is called a dog, while the female is called a vixen. A young fox is called either a ’Kit’, ’Pup’ or ’Cub’. A group of foxes is called a ’Skulk’.
The red fox will continue to hunt even when its tummy is full. It stores the extra food under leaves, snow or dirt, to be eaten later.
They can jump up to 3 meters in the air.
Foxes can be hard to tell apart because red foxes can sometimes have gray fur. Red foxes have black legs. They also have black-tipped ears (seen on the backsides), a white-tipped tail and a more dog-like face compared to the grey fox.
The fox’s ears are large and cup-shaped to funnel sound, and rotate in different directions to pinpoint the location of its prey.

Least Concern. Foxes help control pest populations such as rodents and rabbits. Foxes also help with the dispersal of seeds by eating fruit. They are threatened by humans hunting them for their fur and they are considered to be pests due to their taste for chicken.

Gray Fox

Native to North and Central America, Gray Foxes are known for their unique combination of traits that set them apart from other fox species. They are the only member of the Canidae family capable of climbing trees, thanks to their retractable claws and flexible bodies. Gray Foxes have beautiful grayish-brown fur, with white underparts and a distinctive black stripe running along their back and tail. They are skilled hunters, feeding on a variety of small mammals, birds, insects, and fruits.

Habitat/Range:

Found from southern Canada to northern Venezuela (South America), excluding the northwestern United States. They tend to stay away from urban areas, preferring a more secluded habitat.

Size:

Adult gray foxes vary in weight from 6 to 15 pounds.

If a gray fox has more food than it is able to eat, it will cache the remaining food and come back to eat it later. It will mark the spot that the food is buried by peeing on it.
The female fox can give birth to between 3 and 7 pups, although 4 is average.
Foxes can be hard to tell apart because red foxes can sometimes have gray fur. Red foxes have black legs. They also have black-tipped ears (seen on the backsides), a white-tipped tail and a more dog-like face compared to the grey fox.
The fox’s ears are large and cup-shaped to funnel sound, and rotate in different directions to pinpoint the location of its prey.
Also known as the tree fox, the grey fox is the only member of the dog family that can climb trees.

The gray fox is listed under least concern according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and their population trends continue to be stable.