Earlier one fallBob and I set off for a three-day visit to Algonquin Park in OntarioCanada. We were on a mission to find and photograph a Bull Moose. Given the time of yearthe odds were pretty good that we might come across one. Insteadwe were rewarded with the opportunity to observe and photograph not onebut twoRed Foxes. I was ecstatic!
We had picked a particularly nice stretch of weather for our getawayand the timing was perfect for taking in the colourful fall foliage. We were cruising along enjoying the spectacular autumn colours when we first spotted the Red Fox. It appeared a little shy as it held back under the cover of some low-hanging pine tree branches . Red Foxes have a reputation for being boldcunning and deceitfulbut in actual factthey are shysecretive and have a nervous disposition.
The Fox was very cautious and yet did not seem to be afraid of people. We learned thatduring harsh winter monthsPark personnel have supplemented this Fox’s diet to prevent starvationand soit has become somewhat familiar with people. Feeding wild animals in Algonquin Parkincluding foxesis strictly prohibited by members of the publicso although this Red Fox came looking for handoutsnone were dispensed.
Red Foxes are widely distributed across all provinces and territories in Canada from the Arctic Circle south through the United States and Central Americaand they inhabit EuropeAsiaNorth Africa and Australia. This small dog-like mammal has a sharp-pointed faceprominent black-tipped earsa faint black muzzle with white upper lipsa coat of lustrous fur and a huge bushy tail. In factthe tail makes up one-third of a fox’s overall length.
Given the name Red Foxone might assume that all members of this species are redbut there are three main colour variations or colour morphsredsilver/black and a cross phase. Within a litternot all pups may have the same coloured furalthough red is the most common colour of a red fox. Even at thatthere are different shades of red ranging from pale yellowish-red to orangish-red on the upperparts while the paws are blackthe throat and underparts are white and the longbushy tail has a white tip.
As Bob and I photographed the Red Foxother people in the area were hand-feeding the numerous Canada Jays or Grey Jays that flitted from Pine Tree to Pine Tree. Smelling the nuts and seedsthe Red Fox was encouraged to come ever closer.
With such an acute sense of smellthe Red Fox was able to locate pieces of bird food in the sand and lichenand obviously found them quite tasty. For the most partRed Foxes eat small rodents such as voleschipmunksmicesquirrels and rabbitsbut their diet does vary according to the season. In wintertheir diet consists of a higher percentage of small mammalswhereas in the summer monthsthey consume a wider variety of foods including cricketsearthwormscrayfishgrasshoppers and a selection of fruits. Their wide distribution throughout the northern hemisphere can partly be attributed to their diverse diet.
Red Foxes do most of their hunting between twilight and dawnduring which time they will traverse their home range. That represents a lot of traveling in one night because a fox’s home range can be anywhere from 4-8 square kilometres (1.5-3 sq. mi.) around their den site. Judging by this fox’s wide yawnit is either dreadfully bored or thoroughly worn out from its nighttime foray.
It is a fox’s acute senses that make it an excellent nocturnal predator. InterestinglyRed Foxes have binocular vision that mostly reacts to movementand the eyes are specially adapted to work well in low light. In combination with their keen sense of hearing that includes the ability to detect low-frequency sounds very wella skill not shared by other mammalsRed Foxes are expert at finding small rodents even below ground or under snow. A Fox easily maneuvers its largeerect ears to pinpoint the faint rustling noises of rodentszeroes in on the location with its eyes and earsand then pounces.
It just so happens that the first Red Fox that Bob and I photographed was the female or vixen from a known pair of Red Foxesand we observed her one morning on our fall visit to Algonquin Park. The following dayBob and I were on our way to a trailhead for a morning hike when we came across the male half of the pairknown as the dog. The distinction was made possible by the fact that the male limps and is slightly larger than his mate. On both occasionsonly one fox was seen.
Getting back to the manner in which Red Foxes huntit is important to note that these mammals have longer legs and smaller stomachs than other canid specieswhich are mammals of the dog family that includes grey wolvesdogs and coyotes. This means that Red Foxes can run fasteralmost 48 kilometres/hour (30 mi./hr.)but must eat more frequently. As Bob and I observed the maleit became evident that he was much more wary than the female. Being very lightly builtRed Foxes are extremely nimble on their feetand this male proved it when he expertly navigated through dense bush and hopped fallen logs. He essentially disappeared into the underbrush time and time again.
It would have been nice to see the male and female Foxes simultaneously since they are a mated pair that has been together for many years. It was too late in the season to see the kits or pupsthose having been born sometime between March and May. While Red Foxes pair for lifethey are primarily solitary animals; they do not form packs and they hunt by themselves. It is only for breeding and denning that they remain together as a family. This handsome dog fox and his sleek vixen have successfully raised many litters. I love how his richrusty-coloured coat matches the ripe fern fronds.
With patienceBob and I waited for the dog fox to return to open ground where we had ample opportunity to observe its behaviour and snap a few photos. The habitat was perfect for the Red Foxeswhich prefer to live on the edge of a forested area. Sandy soil in that area guarantees ease of digging a denbut after breeding and denning seasonRed Foxes choose to live in the open where there is dense vegetation. Only during a streak of wetcold weather are they apt to return to one of their burrows at other times of the year. Otherwisewhen sleeping out in the fresh airit is a Red Fox’s longwide tail that supplies warmth when it is wrapped around the fox’s curledprone body.
The body language of a Red Fox can tell you a lot about what it is thinking. You just need to observe the movements of the earstail and overall posture. When other people showed up behind usthe dog fox was intrigued. We recognized the telltale signs when the fox began to rotate and flick its ears while at the same time doing a lot of sniffing.
Ifon the other handa Red Fox is afraidit will arch its backcurve its bodycrouchlash its tail and present a facial expression reminiscent of grinning while at the same time pointing its ears backwards and laying them flat against its head. When expressing submission to a dominant animalthe same body posture is assumed minus the arched back and curved bodyand at such timea Red Fox will render itself vulnerable by lifting its muzzle in greeting.
There is a little cat in every fox. An adult fox’s eyes are yellowand just like a cat’s eyesthey have vertically-slit pupils that open very wide to gather light. That is why they have excellent nighttime visionbut there are other reasons why a Red Fox is more like a cat than a dog. A fox’s tongue is coarse and raspy like a cat’s tongue owing to backward-facing barbs called papillae that make it easier to lap water and groom their fur. The whiskers on a fox’s muzzle are longer and finer than a dog’s making a fox again more like a cat. As wellboth cats and foxes have whiskers at their wrists that act as feelers to improve aim when pouncing and to facilitate maneuvering in the dark.
A little-known fact is that Red Foxes can climb very well and make use of that skill to scale trees in search of squirrelseggs and fruit and to stalk birds. You should not be surprised if one day you find a Red Fox sleeping in a tree. Red Foxes have superb balance and move with cat-like grace owing to their light frames and slender legs making them formidable hunters that stalk prey and move in for the kill with a pounce equivalent to small feline counterparts. It is likely that foxes share so many traits with cats because they hunt the same type of prey.
Considering that a Red Fox usually sleeps between nine and ten hours during the dayBob and I were fortunate to have seen onelet alone two of them within two days. We were so happy because on one of our evening drives through the Parkwe had seen no less than three foxesbut they were like phantoms…no sooner spotted but what they disappeared into the shadows. And just for the recordwe never did meet up with a bull moose on that trip to Algonquin Park.
Wow I’m surprised how close you were able to get to the foxes.
We were surprisedtoo! Actuallyif you just stand and waitthe foxes will almost walk right up to you. They are such attractive animalsand can throw you the most endearing looksbut they can dart away at a moment’s notice.