Briefly about the fox for children. Description of the fox: appearance, nutrition, habits
Fox (fox) ( Vulpes) is a predatory mammal, belongs to the order Carnivora, family Canidae. The Latin name for the fox genus appears to have come from corruptions of the Latin “lupus” and the German “Wolf,” both translated as “wolf.” In the Old Church Slavonic language, the adjective “fox” corresponded to the definition of yellowish, red and yellowish-orange color, characteristic of the color of the widespread common fox.
Fox (fox): description, characteristics, photo
Depending on the species, the size of the fox varies from 18 cm (for the fennec) to 90 cm, and the weight of the fox ranges from 0.7 kg (for the fennec) to 10 kg. Foxes have a characteristic generic feature - a slender, elongated body with rather short limbs, a slightly elongated muzzle and tail.
The fox's fluffy tail serves as a kind of stabilizer while running, and in winter cold it is used for additional protection from frost.
The length of a fox's tail depends on the species. It reaches 20-30 cm. The length of the common fox's tail is 40-60 cm.
Foxes rely more on touch and smell than sight. They have a sensitive sense of smell and excellent hearing.
Their ears are quite large, triangular, slightly elongated, with a sharp tip. The largest ears are those of the fennec fox (up to 15 cm in height) and the bat-eared fox (up to 13 cm in height).
The vision of animals, adapted for a nocturnal lifestyle, allows representatives of the genus to respond perfectly to movement, however, the structure of the fox's eye with vertical pupils is not adapted for recognizing colors.
A fox has a total of 42 teeth, except for the bat-eared fox, which grows 48 teeth.
The density and length of the hair of these predators depends on the time of year and climatic conditions. In winter and in areas with harsh weather conditions, the fox's fur becomes thick and lush; in summer, the lushness and length of the fur decreases.
The color of a fox can be sandy, red, yellowish, brown with black or white markings. In some species, the fur color can be almost white or black-brown. In northern latitudes, foxes are larger and have a lighter color; in southern countries, the color of the fox is duller, and the size of the animal is smaller.
When chasing a victim or in case of danger, a fox can reach speeds of up to 50 km/h. During the mating season, foxes may make barking sounds.
The lifespan of a fox in natural conditions ranges from 3 to 10 years, but in captivity the fox lives up to 25 years of age.
Classification of foxes
In the canine family (wolf, canine), there are several genera, which include different types of foxes:
- Maikongi ( Cerdocyon)
- Maikong, savannah fox ( Cerdocyon thous)
- Small foxes ( Atelocynus)
- Small fox ( Atelocynus microtis)
- Big-eared foxes ( Otocyon)
- Big-eared fox ( Otocyon megalotis)
- South American foxes ( Lycalopex)
- Andean fox ( Lycalopex culpaeus)
- South American fox ( Lycalopex griseus)
- Darwin's fox ( Lycalopex fulvipes)
- Paraguayan fox ( Lycalopex gymnocercus)
- Brazilian fox ( Lycalopex vetulus)
- Sekuran fox ( Lycalopex sechurae)
- Gray foxes ( Urocyon)
- Gray fox ( Urocyon cinereoargenteus)
- Island fox ( Urocyon littoralis)
- Foxes ( Vulpes)
- Common or red fox ( Vulpes vulpes)
- American fox ( Vulpes macrotis)
- Afghan fox ( Vulpes cana)
- African fox ( Vulpes pallida)
- Bengal fox (Indian) ( Vulpes bengalensis)
- Corsac, steppe fox ( Vulpes corsac)
- American corsac ( Vulpes velox)
- Sand fox ( Vulpes rueppelli)
- Tibetan fox ( Vulpes ferrilata)
- Fennec ( Vulpes zerda, Fennecus zerda)
- South African fox ( Vulpes chama)
Types of foxes, names and photographs
Below is a brief description of several varieties of foxes:
- Common fox (red fox) ( Vulpes vulpes)
The largest representative of the fox genus. The weight of the fox reaches 10 kilograms, and the length of the body including the tail is 150 cm. Depending on the area of residence, the color of the fox may vary slightly in tonal saturation, but the main color of the back and sides remains bright red, and the belly is white. Black “stockings” are clearly visible on the legs. A characteristic feature is the white tip of the tail and dark, almost black ears.
Its habitat includes all of Europe, North Africa, Asia (from India to Southern China), North America and Australia.
Representatives of this species of foxes happily eat field foxes and young roe deer; when the opportunity arises, they destroy the nests of geese and wood grouse, and feed on carrion and insect larvae. Surprisingly, the red fox is a fierce destroyer of oat crops: in the absence of a meat menu, it attacks cereal farmland, causing damage to it.
- American fox (Vulpes macrotis )
A medium-sized predatory mammal. The body length of a fox varies from 37 cm to 50 cm, the tail reaches a length of 32 cm, the weight of an adult fox ranges from 1.9 kg (for a female) to 2.2 kg (for a male). The back of the animal is colored yellowish-gray or whitish, and the sides are yellowish-brown. The distinctive features of this fox species are a white belly and a black tip of the tail. The lateral surface of the muzzle and the sensitive whiskers are dark brown or black. The length of the fur hairs does not exceed 50 mm.
The fox lives in the southwestern deserts of the United States and north of Mexico, feeding on hares and rodents (kangaroo hoppers).
- Afghan fox (Bukhara, Balochistan fox)(Vulpes cana )
A small animal belonging to the Canidae family. The length of the fox does not exceed 0.5 meters. The length of the tail is 33-41 cm. The weight of the fox ranges from 1.5-3 kilograms. The Bukhara fox differs from other types of foxes in its rather large ears, the height of which reaches 9 cm, and dark stripes running from the upper lip to the corners of the eyes. In winter, the color of the fox's fur on the back and sides becomes a rich brownish-gray color with individual black guard hairs. In summer, its intensity decreases, but the whitish color of the throat, chest and belly remains unchanged. The Afghan fox does not have hair on the surface of its paw pads, which protects other desert foxes from the hot sand.
The main habitat of the fox is the east of Iran, the territory of Afghanistan and Hindustan. Less common in Egypt, Turkmenistan, UAE, Pakistan. The Afghan fox is an omnivore. He eats mice with gusto and does not refuse the vegetarian menu.
- African fox(Vulpes pallida)
Has an external resemblance to a red fox ( Vulpes vulpes), but has a more modest size. The total length of the fox's body including the tail does not exceed 70-75 cm, and the weight rarely reaches 3.5-3.6 kg. Unlike the common fox, its African relative has longer legs and ears. The color of the back, legs and tail with a black tip is red with a brown tint, and the muzzle and belly are white. A black rim is clearly visible around the eyes of adult individuals, and a strip of dark-colored fur runs along the ridge.
The African fox lives in African countries - it can often be seen in Senegal, Sudan and Somalia. The fox's food consists of both animals (small rodents) and plant components.
- Bengal fox (Indian fox)(Vulpes bengalensis )
This type of fox is characterized by medium size. The height of adult individuals at the withers does not exceed 28-30 cm, the weight of the fox ranges from 1.8 to 3.2 kg, and the maximum body length reaches 60 cm. The length of the fox's tail with a black tip rarely reaches 28 cm. Wool, which forms the hairline , short and smooth. It is colored in various shades of sandy brown or reddish brown.
The animal lives in the foothills of the Himalayas and thrives in India and in Bangladesh and Nepal. The Indian fox's menu always includes sweet fruits, but preference is given to lizards, bird eggs, mice, and insects.
- Corsac fox, steppe fox(Vulpes corsac )
It bears a vague resemblance to the common fox, however, unlike it, representatives of this type of fox have a shorter pointed muzzle, large wide ears and longer legs. The body length of an adult corsac is 0.5-0.6 m, and the weight of a fox ranges from 4 to 6 kg. The color of the back, sides and tail of the fox is gray, sometimes with a red or red tint, and the color of the belly is yellowish or white. A characteristic feature of this species is the light coloration of the chin and lower lip, as well as the dark brown or black color of the tip of the tail.
The steppe fox lives in many countries: from southeastern Europe to Asia, including Iran, the territory of Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Afghanistan and Azerbaijan. Often found in the Caucasus and the Urals, lives on the Don and in the lower Volga region.
Steppe foxes feed on rodents (voles, jerboas, mice), destroy nests, hunting for bird eggs, and sometimes attack hares. There is practically no plant food in the diet of the steppe fox.
- American corsac fox, dwarf agile fox, prairie fox(Vulpes velox )
A small fox with a body length from 37 to 53 cm and a weight from 2 to 3 kg. The height of the animal at the withers rarely reaches 0.3 m, and the length of the tail is 35 cm. The characteristic light gray color of the thick short fur of the fox on the sides and back in the summer acquires a pronounced red tint with red-ocher tan marks. The fox's throat and belly are lighter in color. Also characteristic of the American Corsac are the black markings located on both sides of the sensitive nose and the dark tip of the tail.
The dwarf fox lives in areas of plains and semi-deserts and has practically no territorial attachment.
The fox feeds on mice, loves to feast on locusts and will not refuse the carrion left over from the prey of more seasoned predators.
- sand fox(Vulpes rueppelli )
The animal has characteristically large, wide ears and paws, the pads of which are protected from the hot sand by a thick coat of fur. Unlike most of their relatives, representatives of this species of fox have well-developed not only hearing and smell, but also vision. The pale brown color of the back, tail and sides with individual white guard hairs serves as a good camouflage color for the fox in sandy and stone placers in its habitat. The weight of adult animals rarely reaches 3.5-3.6 kg, and the length of the fox’s body including the tail does not exceed 85-90 cm.
The sand fox lives in desert areas. Numerous populations are found in the sands of the Sahara Desert - from Morocco and sultry Egypt to Somalia and Tunisia.
The sand fox's diet is not very diverse, which is due to its habitat. The fox's food includes lizards, jerboas and mice, which the animal is absolutely not afraid of and deftly absorbs.
- Tibetan fox(Vulpes ferrilata )
The animal grows to a size of 60-70 cm and weighs about 5 kg. The rusty-brown or fiery red color of the back, gradually turning into the light gray color of the sides and white belly, creates the impression of stripes running along the body of the fox. Fox fur is dense and longer than other species.
The fox lives on the territory of the Tibetan plateau, and is less common in northern India, Nepal, and some provinces of China.
The food of the Tibetan fox is varied, but its basis is pikas (hay stands), although the fox happily catches mice and hares, does not disdain birds and their eggs, and eats lizards and sweet berries.
- Fennec ( Vulpes zerda)
This is the smallest fox in the world. The height of adult animals at the withers is only 18-22 cm with a body length of about 40 cm and a weight of up to 1.5 kg. The fennec fox has the largest ears among the representatives of the genus. The length of the ears reaches 15 cm. The surface of the pads on the fox's paws is pubescent, which allows the animal to calmly move along the hot sand. The animal's belly is painted white, and its back and sides are painted in various shades of red or fawn. The tip of the fox's fluffy tail is black. Unlike other relatives, who make sounds out of necessity, foxes of this species often communicate with each other using barking, growling, and howling sounds.
Fennec foxes live mainly in the central Sahara, but this fox can often be seen in Morocco, the Sinai and Arabian Peninsulas, near Lake Chad and in Sudan.
Fenech is an omnivorous fox: it hunts rodents and small birds, eats locusts and lizards, and will not refuse the roots of plants and their sweet fruits.
- South African fox ( Vulpes chama)
A fairly large animal with a weight of 3.5 to 5 kg and a body length of 45 to 60 cm. The length of the tail is 30-40 cm. The color of the fox varies from gray with a silver tint to almost black on the back and gray with a yellowish tint on the belly.
The fox lives exclusively in the countries of Southern Africa, with especially large populations found in Angola and Zimbabwe.
Omnivorous species: food includes small rodents, lizards, low-nesting birds and their eggs, carrion and even food waste, which the animal looks for when entering private yards or landfills.
- Maikong, savannah fox, crabeater fox ( Cerdocyon thous)
The species has a body length of 60 to 70 cm, the fox's tail reaches 30 cm, and the fox weighs 5-8 kg. The height of the maikong at the withers is 50 cm. The color is brown-gray with brown spots on the muzzle and paws. The color of the throat and belly may be grey, white or various shades of yellow. The tips of the fox's ears and tail are black. The legs of the maikong are short and strong, the tail is fluffy and long. The weight of an adult maikong reaches 4.5-7.7 kg. The body length is approximately 64.3 cm, the tail length is 28.5 cm.
- Big-eared fox ( Otocyon megalotis)
The animal has disproportionately large ears, reaching 13 cm in height. The fox's body length reaches 45-65 cm, the tail length is 25-35 cm. The weight of the fox varies between 3-5.3 kg. The hind legs of the animal have 4 fingers, the front legs are five-toed. The color of the animal is usually gray-yellow with brown, gray or yellow spots. The belly and throat of the fox have a lighter shade. The tips of the paws and ears are dark, there is a black stripe on the tail, and the same stripe is on the fox’s face. This species of fox differs from other species by the presence of 48 teeth (other representatives of the genus have only 42 teeth).
The fox lives in southern and eastern Africa: Ethiopia, Sudan, Tanzania, Angola, Zambia, South Africa.
The fox's main food is termites, beetles and locusts. Sometimes the animal feeds on bird eggs, lizards, small rodents, and plant foods.
The distribution range of foxes includes all of Europe, the African continent, North America, Australia and a large part of Asia. The fox lives in the forests and groves of Italy and Portugal, Spain and France, in the steppe and forest-steppe regions of Russia and Ukraine, Poland and Bulgaria, desert and mountainous regions of Egypt and Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria, Mexico and the United States of America. Foxes feel at ease in the fertile climate of India, Pakistan and China, as well as the harsh conditions of the Arctic and Alaska.
Under natural conditions, foxes live in ravines and ravines overgrown with vegetation, forests or plantings interspersed with fields, in desert and highland areas. Burrows of other animals or those dug themselves are often used as shelter. Burrows can be either simple or with a complex system of passages and emergency exits. Foxes can hide in caves, rock crevices, and also in tree hollows. They can easily survive spending the night in the open air. The animal easily adapts to life in cultivated landscapes. Fox populations were observed even in park areas of large cities.
Almost all members of the family lead an active nocturnal lifestyle, but foxes often go hunting during the daytime.
The little fox was born in a deep, cramped hole. The fox was blind, her eyes did not open, she had no teeth, and her fur was short.
The fox had four brothers and sisters, and all of them were just as pathetic, clumsy and blind as she was. The mother fox fed them with her milk and warmed them with her body: she had such fluffy, soft fur. The mother fox rarely left her hole; runs off to eat and again comes to the fox cubs. It was warm and good for the fox cubs in the hole near their mother.
After two weeks, the fox cubs' eyes opened and teeth began to emerge. But it was dark in the hole, you still couldn’t see anything. One day, the mother took the fox by the back with her teeth, carried it out of the hole and carefully laid it on the soft grass.
For the first time, the fox saw the free world. At first, the sunlight blinded her unusual eyes so much that she couldn’t see anything and closed her eyes, then little by little she opened her eyes. It was so nice around: everything was so green, the grass was soft, fluffy, the flowers were yellow! The sun warmed the fox, she felt warm and cheerful.
The mother fox began to drive the fox cubs out of the hole every day. He will sit next to them and watch to see if a hunter is coming, if a dog is running, if an angry kite is flying. He sits with his ears pricked up, looking at the fox cubs, and they are tumbling in the grass, wrestling, rolling on the ground, running after each other. The mother will run away for a while and bring them food: a mouse, or a grasshopper, or a frog, or even catch a little hare. Hungry fox cubs are happy, they will rush and eat everything in an instant. And as soon as the mother hears some rustling, she will perk up, rush to the children, drive them home, and grab the weak one by the neck with her teeth and drag her into the hole.
The fox cubs grew a little, and their mother began to teach them how to catch prey. He will bring a live mouse and let it go among the fox cubs, and they will catch it. The mother sits and strictly monitors the children:
As soon as someone gapes or misses the mouse, she will bite the little fox with her teeth. The little fox will squeal, but there’s nothing to do, it’s your own fault: don’t yawn.
Then the fox will take the children to a hillock and show them how to catch butterflies and bugs. All fox cubs catch everything that moves, boldly rush to their prey, and are not afraid of anything. And their mother teaches them how to be careful, how to listen to whether a hunter is coming, whether a dog or some other large animal is running.
By autumn, the fox cubs had grown up and began to run around alone, without their mother; Their fur became red and fluffy, but they still lived together in the hole.
Winter has come, the cold has set in, and snow has fallen. The trees in the forest and bushes became bare, and it became more difficult for the fox to hide. Hunters began to travel with dogs. Hungry fox cubs are sitting in a hole, waiting for their mother, they are afraid to get out, but she doesn’t go for a long time, because she is afraid to run straight to the hole, afraid to show the way to the hunter. The fox circles around the hole, confuses its tracks, and leads the dogs astray.
The fox cubs wait and wait, but hunger plagues them.
They will start barking and howling. Then they will crawl out and go after the prey themselves, only rarely will they find anything, the more and more hungry they sit and remember the warm and well-fed summer...
The fox is one of the most beautiful predatory animals. She has a graceful elongated body, slender legs, and a long fluffy tail. The head has a pointed muzzle and large erect ears.
Common fox photo.
The fox is the size of a small dog. The body length of an adult is from 60 to 90 cm, the tail length is from 40 to 60 cm. The weight of a fox usually does not exceed 10 kg. Foxes living in northern latitudes are often larger than their southern counterparts.
The fox's fur is long and fluffy, mostly colored red. The belly is often white, less often black. The further north a fox lives, the brighter its color. Sometimes in nature there are foxes with unusual colors - black-brown, white. During the year, foxes molt twice, changing their fur either to winter fur - thick and long, or to summer fur - sparse and short.
Spreading
The habitat of the common fox is very wide. It is found in Europe and Asia, North America and North Africa. Foxes live in different landscapes - in forests and steppes, in deserts and tundra, in mountains and on flat terrain. But they still prefer open spaces with copses and ravines.
Fox in the forest photo.
Lifestyle
Foxes live in pairs or families. They usually lead a sedentary lifestyle, occupy an area where they hunt and make a home for themselves to spend the night and breed. In deserts and tundras, where they have to travel long distances in search of food, foxes migrate from one place to another.
Foxes dig deep holes in the ground with narrow passages and a wide nesting chamber. They usually make their burrows on the slopes of ravines or hills, protected by dense grass and bushes. Often not one, but two or even more passages lead to the nesting chamber. This allows foxes to escape from their pursuers in case of danger.
Photo of a fox with cubs near a hole.
The fox is a very careful and intelligent animal; it easily evades pursuit, skillfully confusing its tracks and resorting to all sorts of tricks. The fox has a good sense of smell and hearing, thanks to which it easily detects its prey. The fox is capable of making sounds reminiscent of the yapping bark of a dog.
Nutritional Features
Foxes are predators, so their main diet consists of animal food. Foxes hunt both small animals (voles, mice, hamsters) and larger ones (hares and baby roe deer). On occasion, the fox will not refuse to catch a bird or a chick; it may willingly feast on eggs from a nest found in the grass. If there is a lack of food, the fox can feed on carrion.
Most often, the prey of foxes are voles - small mouse-like rodents. They usually make up the main menu of foxes, especially in winter, when food is scarce and very difficult to obtain. In winter, the fox has developed its own method of hunting small rodents, which is called mouseing. This method consists in the fact that the fox listens to rustles and sounds under the snow, and upon hearing the squeak of a vole, quickly jumps headfirst into the snow, tears it with its paws and tries to catch the rodent.
Fox on the hunt photo.
Sometimes foxes steal poultry such as geese or chickens from yards, but this does not happen too often.
In the warm season, foxes supplement their diet with plant foods - berries, herbs, fruits.
Reproduction of foxes
Foxes usually breed once a year. Animals prepare for this important event in advance - even in winter. Foxes find suitable places to burrow and guard them from others.
One female can be courted by several males at once. They often fight among themselves, seeking the favor of the female.
The male whom the female chooses becomes a good family man. He takes care of the female, helps her improve the hole, and when the cubs appear, he participates in their upbringing.
Pregnancy in a fox lasts from 49 to 58 days. After this, from 4 to 13 fox cubs are born. Cubs are born blind and deaf, but at the age of two weeks they begin to see and hear, and by this time they are teething.
Fox cubs photo.
The fox feeds the cubs with milk for a month and a half. Gradually, the fox cubs are accustomed to regular adult food. To achieve this, foxes have to hunt a lot to bring their prey home.
If something happens to the father fox and he dies, then some other fox who has no offspring takes over his care. He takes care of both the female and the cubs.
When the fox cubs grow up, their parents take them hunting and teach them how to get food. By autumn, the fox cubs become independent and leave the parental hole.
Brief information about the fox.