Red Foxes

Vulpes Vulpes

Appearance

• Average 60 – 90cms head & body length but can reach 1.5m.
• Male Foxes average weight is about 10kgs and the female Fox is 8kgs.
• The colour of the Fox’s fur varies and can range from yellowy orange, through red to black.
• Most common characteristic of the fox is white fur on the chin, chest and end of the tail.

Lifecycle

• Breeding season lasts for three months over the winter period.
• Foxes gestation period is about eight weeks.
• Litter sizes range from one to ten ‘kits’.
• ‘Kits’ leave their Mother at between 6 and 8 months old.
• Although a fox could live well beyond 10 their life expectancy in the wild is short and probably only averages between one and two years.

Habits

• Foxes tend to make their homes in woodland and farmland.
• Except for breeding females foxes do not tend to sleep in their ‘dens’ but may sleep in the open.
• Foxes are nocturnal creatures but do occasionally venture out in daylight.
• Foxes are curious animals but also wary of contact and are unlikely to approach a human and have seldom been known to attack fully grown domestic pets such as dogs and cats.
• The foxes diet is variable – whilst they are omnivores and eat chickens, rats, mice etc they also like berries, fruit, vegetable and grains. Foxes will, in fact, eat pretty much the same as a human being which is why they scavenge in dustbins.