FOX FACTS | Scientific name: Vulpes vulpes Common names:Red fox European fox European red fox |
Appearance and colour | Reddish-brown above; whitish chin, throat, chest and belly. Pointed muzzle and characteristic tail tip that is usually white but often black or dark red. |
Size | Weight: 4.7-8.3 kg (males), 4.0-6.8 kg (females) Head & body length: 610-740mm (males), 570-670mm (females) Tail length: 360-450mm (males), 380-430mm (females) |
Activity | Usually nocturnal, resting during the day in dens, logs and other shelter. May hunt and scavenge during the day during winter. |
Life expectancy | 2-4 years in the wild (and up to15 years in captivity). High mortality during their first year of life. Many animals breed only once in their lifetime. |
Diet | Predominantly carnivorous, but opportunistic predator and scavenger. |
Territory | Varies with resources. Averages 2-5 square kilometres for a family group. |
Reproduction | Males and females sexually mature at age of one year. Courting foxes can be heard barking and vocalising, dog and vixen hunt and travel together for three weeks before mating. Gestation is 53 days (during winter). Litters average four cubs, born August-September. Lactation lasts around five weeks. Cubs are born blind. Eyes open after 10-14 days, and cubs start to emerge from the den at 4-5 weeks. |
Features | Foxes have excellent hearing and their eyes adapted to night-time vision. They are very agile and can scale most fences to take prey animals. Faeces and urine are used to define territories by scent marking. |
Further information | http://www.pestsmart.org.au/pestsmart-factsheet-fox/ |
Source of information | Strahan, R (2002) The Mammals of Australia |