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Fox is a name applied to any of roughly 27 species of small to medium-sized canids, characterized by possessing a long, narrow snout, and a bushy tail, or "brush". In Biology, a species is one of the basic units of Biological classification and a Taxonomic rank. The Canidae (ˈkænədiː ′kanə′dē family is a part of the order Carnivora within the Mammals (Class Mammalia A snout is the protruding portion of an animal's face consisting of its nose mouth and jaw The tail is the section at the rear end of an Animal 's Body; in general the term refers to a distinct flexible Appendage to the Torso. By far the most common and widespread species of fox is the red fox (Vulpes vulpes), although various species are found on almost every continent. The Red Fox ( Vulpes vulpes) is a Mammal of the order Carnivora. The presence of fox-like carnivores all over the globe has led to their appearance in the popular culture and folklore of many nations, tribes, and other cultural groups (see Foxes in culture). The diverse order Carnivora (kɑrˈnɪvərə or sometimes /ˌkɑrnɪˈvɔərə/ from Latin carō (stem carn-) "flesh" + vorāre Popular culture (or pop culture) is the Culture — patterns of human activity and the symbolic structures that give such activities significance and importance — History The concept of folklore developed as part of the 19th century ideology of Romantic nationalism, leading to the reshaping of oral traditions to serve modern ideological This article discusses foxes in culture. Cultural connotations In many cultures the Fox appears in Folklore as a symbol of cunning and Trickery
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Etymology
The Modern English "fox" is derived from Old English fox. English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States The Old English word itself comes from the Proto-Germanic word *fukh – compare German Fuchs, Gothic fauho, Old Norse foa and Dutch vos. Proto-Germanic, or Common Germanic, is the hypothetical common ancestor ( Proto-language) of all the Germanic languages such as modern English The German language (de ''Deutsch'') is a West Germanic language and one of the world's major languages. Gothic is an extinct Germanic language that was spoken by the Goths. Old Norse is the North Germanic language that was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and inhabitants of their overseas settlements during the Viking Age Dutch ( is a West Germanic language spoken by around 24 million people 22 million of which are from the Netherlands, Belgium and Suriname It corresponds to the Proto-Indo-European word *puke meaning "tail" (compare Sanskrit puccha, also "tail"). Sanskrit (sa संस्कृता वाक् saṃskṛtā vāk, for short sa संस्कृतम् saṃskṛtam) is a historical The bushy tail is also the source of the word for fox in Welsh: llwynog, from llwyn, "bush", Lithuanian: uodegis, from uodega, "tail", and Portuguese: raposa, from rabo, "tail". Welsh ( cy Cymraeg or cy y Gymraeg, kəmˈrɑːɨɡ and {{IPA|[ə ɡəmˈrɑːɨɡ]}}, is a member of the Brythonic branch of Celtic Lithuanian ( lietuvių kalba) is the official state language of Lithuania and is recognised as one of the official languages of the European Union. Portuguese ( or língua portuguesa) is a Romance language that originated in what is now Galicia (Spain and northern Portugal. [1]
Dogs (male foxes) weigh on average, 5. 9kg and vixens (female foxes) weigh less, at 5. 2kg (13 lbs and 11. 5 lbs, respectively).
General characteristics
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Most foxes live 2 to 3 years, but they can survive for up to 10 years or even longer in captivity. The Red Fox ( Vulpes vulpes) is a Mammal of the order Carnivora. The Arctic Fox ( Vulpes lagopus) also known as the White Fox or Snow Fox, is a small Fox native to cold Arctic regions of the Foxes are generally smaller than other members of the family Canidae such as wolves, jackals, and domestic dogs. The Canidae (ˈkænədiː ′kanə′dē family is a part of the order Carnivora within the Mammals (Class Mammalia The grey wolf or gray wolf ( Canis lupus) also known as the timber wolf or simply wolf, is a Mammal of the order Carnivora A jackal (from Turkish çakal, via Persian shaghal ultimately from Sanskrit sṛgālaḥ) is a member of any of three The dog ( Canis lupus familiaris) is a domesticated Subspecies of the gray wolf, a Mammal of the Canidae family of the order Fox-like features typically include an acute muzzle (a "fox face") and bushy tail. Other physical characteristics vary according to their habitat. For example, the fennec fox (and other species of foxes adapted to life in the desert, such as the kit fox) has large ears and short fur, whereas the Arctic fox has small ears and thick, insulating fur. The Fennec Fox ( Vulpes zerda) is a small nocturnal Fox found in the Sahara Desert of North Africa which has distinctive very large ears The Kit Fox ( Vulpes macrotis) is a relatively common North American Fox. The Arctic Fox ( Vulpes lagopus) also known as the White Fox or Snow Fox, is a small Fox native to cold Arctic regions of the
Another example is the red fox which has a typical auburn pelt, the tail normally ending with white marking. The Red Fox ( Vulpes vulpes) is a Mammal of the order Carnivora. Fur is a body hair of any non-human Mammal, also known as the Pelage. Animals exhibit a variety of bodily colorations and patterns or markings, which have evolved for a number of reasons
Unlike many canids, foxes are usually not pack animals. Typically, they are solitary, opportunistic feeders that hunt live prey (especially rodents). Rodentia is an order of Mammals also known as rodents, characterised by two continuously-growing incisors in the upper and lower jaws which must Using a pouncing technique practiced from an early age, they are usually able to kill their prey quickly. Foxes also gather a wide variety of other foods ranging from grasshoppers to fruit and berries. Grasshoppers are Insects of the suborder Caelifera in the order Orthoptera. The term fruit has different meanings dependent on context and the term is not synonymous in Food preparation and Biology. The word berry has two meanings one based on a botanical definition the other on common identification
Foxes are normally extremely wary of humans and are not kept as pets (with the exception of the fennec); however, the silver fox was successfully domesticated in Russia after a 45 year selective breeding program. The Tame Silver Fox is the result of nearly 50 years of experiments in the Soviet Union and Russia to domesticate the silver morph of the Domestication (from Latin domesticus) refers to the process whereby a Population of Animals This selective breeding also resulted in physical and behavioural traits appearing that are frequently seen in domestic cats, dogs, and other animals: pigmentation changes, floppy ears, and curly tails. [2]
Classification
Canids commonly known as foxes include members of the following genera:
- Alopex -- Arctic fox, sometimes included with the "true" foxes in genus Vulpes. The Arctic Fox ( Vulpes lagopus) also known as the White Fox or Snow Fox, is a small Fox native to cold Arctic regions of the
- Cerdocyon -- Crab-eating fox
- Chrysocyon -- Maned wolf (in English), aguara guazú ("big fox" in Guarani) and zorro rojizo ("reddish fox", one of several names used by Spanish speakers). The Crab-eating Fox ( Cerdocyon thous) also known as the Forest Fox, Wood Fox, and the Common Fox, is a medium-sized canid found The Maned Wolf ( Chrysocyon brachyurus) is the largest canid of South America, resembling a big fox with reddish fur English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States Guaraní /gwaraˈni/ (local name avañe'ẽ) is an indigenous language of South America that belongs to the Tupí-Guaraní subfamily of the
- Dusicyon -- Falkland Island fox
- Lycalopex -- Hoary fox
- Otocyon -- Bat-eared fox
- Pseudalopex -- Four South American species, including the culpeo. The Falkland Islands Wolf ( Dusicyon australis) also known as the Warrah and occasionally as the Falkland Islands Dog, Falkland Islands Fox The Hoary Fox ( Lycalopex vetulus) also called the Hoary zorro, is a Species of zorro or "false" fox endemic to The Bat-eared Fox is a canid of the African Savanna. It is named for its large ears Lycalopex is the Genus name for some South American members of the Canidae family South America is a Continent of the Americas, situated entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a The Culpeo ( Lycalopex culpaeus) sometimes known as the Patagonian Fox or (Common Andean Fox, is a South American Species of
- Urocyon -- Gray fox, island fox and Cozumel fox
- Vulpes -- Including the ten or so species of true ("vulpine") foxes, including the red fox, V. The genus Urocyon is a Genus that contains two (or possibly three living Western Hemisphere foxes in the family Canidae, the Gray Fox ( The Gray Fox ( Urocyon cinereoargenteus) is a Mammal of the order Carnivora ranging throughout most of the southern half of North America The Island Fox ( Urocyon littoralis) is a small Fox that is native to six of the eight Channel Islands of California. The Cozumel Fox ( Urocyon sp nov) is an unnamed Species of Fox which is apparently close to Extinction or even already extinct Vulpes is a Genus of the Canidae family It includes the true Foxes although there are species in other genera whose common names include the The Canidae (ˈkænədiː ′kanə′dē family is a part of the order Carnivora within the Mammals (Class Mammalia vulpes, Tibetan fox, Vulpes ferrilata, and their closest kin. The Tibetan Sand Fox ( Vulpes ferrilata) is Species of true fox endemic to the high Tibetan Plateau in Nepal,
Diet
The diet of foxes comprises rodents, insects, worms, fruit, fish, birds, eggs, and all other kinds of small animals. Rodentia is an order of Mammals also known as rodents, characterised by two continuously-growing incisors in the upper and lower jaws which must Insects ( Class Insecta) are a major group of Arthropods and the most diverse group of Animals on the Earth with over a million described Worms (voɐms is a City in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, on the Rhine River The term fruit has different meanings dependent on context and the term is not synonymous in Food preparation and Biology. Fish are aquatic Vertebrate animals that are typically ectothermic (previously Cold-blooded) covered with scales, and equipped with two Birds ( class Aves) are bipedal endothermic ( Warm-blooded) Vertebrate animals that lay eggs. An egg is a round or oval body laid by the female of many animals consisting of an Ovum surrounded by layers of Membranes and an outer casing which acts to nourish The fox generally consumes around 1 kg of food every day. Foxes that live in neighborhoods mainly depend on household waste and even rodents and birds that keep moving around these areas. Foxes are known to cache their food, burying the excess for later consumption.
They mostly thrive in the higher latitudes, suburban and even urban environments both in Europe and in North America. They are found also in Eurasia, North Africa, India (Ladakh, Himalayas, Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan and Gujarat), China, Japan and in Australia. For the superstate in George Orwell 's novel see Nations of Nineteen Eighty-Four. North Africa or Northern Africa is the Northernmost Region of the African Continent, separated by the Sahara from Sub-Saharan India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Ladakh ( Ladakhi lad̪ɑks लदाख لدّاخ "land of high passes" is a region in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir between History of Jammu Many historians and locals believe that Jammu was founded by Raja Jamboolochan in 14th century BC. This article is about the geographical region of greater Kashmir Rājasthān ( Devanāgarī: राजस्थान raːdʒəst̪ʰaːn is the largest state of the Republic of India in terms of area Gujarat (ગુજરાત Gujǎrāt, pronounced) is a state in western India. China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics.
Conservation
Foxes are readily found in cities and cultivated areas and (depending upon species) seem to adapt reasonably well to human presence.
Red foxes have been introduced into Australia and some other countries for hunting. The Red Fox ( Vulpes vulpes) is a Mammal of the order Carnivora. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. Australia lacks similar carnivores, and the introduced foxes prey on native wildlife, some to the point of extinction. In Biology and Ecology, extinction is the cessation of existence of a Species or group of taxa. A similar introduction occurred in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries in America, where European reds (Vulpes vulpes) were brought to the colonies for fox hunting, where they decimated the American red fox (Vulpes veloxi) population through more aggressive hunting and breeding. Interbreeding with American reds, traits of the European red eventually pervaded the genepool, leaving European and American foxes now virtually identical.
Other fox species do not adapt as well as the red fox, and are endangered in their native environments. An endangered species is a population of an organism which is at risk of becoming Extinct because it is either few in numbers or threatened by changing environmental or predation Key among these are the crab-eating fox (Cerdocyon thous) and the African bat-eared fox. The Crab-eating Fox ( Cerdocyon thous) also known as the Forest Fox, Wood Fox, and the Common Fox, is a medium-sized canid found Other foxes such as fennecs, are not endangered, but will be if humans encroach further into their habitat.
Foxes have been successfully employed to control pests on fruit farms, where they leave the fruit intact. A farm is an area of land including various structures devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food ( Produce, Grains, or Livestock [3]
Historians believe foxes were imported into non-native environments long before the colonial era. The first example of the introduction of the fox into a new habitat by humans seems to be Neolithic Cyprus. The Neolithic (from Greek νεολιθικός — neolithikos from νέος neos, "new" + λίθος lithos Prehistory See also Cyprus (Prehistory Cyprus was not settled in the old stone age, which led to the survival of numerous dwarf forms Stone carvings representing foxes have been found in the early settlement of Göbekli Tepe in eastern Turkey. Göbekli Tepe ( Turkish for "Hill with a Belly") is a hilltop sanctuary built on the highest point of an elongated mountain ridge about 15km northeast Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches
References
See also
External links
- Fox sound files.
- More fox sound files.
- Australian Department of the Environment and Heritage fact sheet, 2004
Dictionary
fox
-noun
- A red fox, small carnivore (Vulpes vulpes), related to dogs and wolves, with red or silver fur and a bushy tail.
- Any of numerous species of small wild canids resembling the red fox. In the taxonomy they form the genus Vulpes within the family Canidae, consisting of nine genera (see the Wikipedia article on the fox).
- A fox terrier.
- A cunning person.
- (slang) An attractive man or woman.
-verb
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