How many kinds of foxes are there? | ECOVIEWS
Q. I live in the Atlanta area and recently heard that a fox had been spotted in our suburban neighborhood. Should the community be concerned about this? What precautions should we take? Also, how many kinds of foxes are there, and which kind would likely be here?
A. Foxes should be appreciated, not feared. They are fascinating creatures and more abundant in suburban areas than most people realize. They are often nocturnal, which decreases the likelihood of their being seen by people. Two foxes — red and gray — live in your area. They vary enough from each other that mammologists assign them to different genetic groups. Both are engaging animals with pointed noses, fluffy tails and agile movements.
A gray fox is a small, graceful mammal with a silver-gray body tinged with orange. The tail sports a black stripe on top and a black tip. A gray fox on California’s Channel Islands is considered by some geneticists to constitute a different species. Gray foxes, which frequent wooded areas and swamps, are sometimes called cat foxes because of their ability to climb trees. The gray fox ranges from eastern Canada through the southeastern United States to Central America and into South America.
The typical red fox is easily recognizable by its black feet and orangish body, although a variety of coat colors exist. The orange tail has a distinctive white tip. Red foxes are more common around open fields and pastures than in forests. One of the most widespread carnivorous mammals in the world, they inhabit much of Europe, Asia and North America, including most of the Southeast. They are the target species of the centuries-old English pastime of fox hunting. In Australia red foxes (introduced by humans over a century ago) are considered a scourge. They prey on native fauna that have no defense against a doglike predator.
The smallest foxes in North America are the kit foxes of the Southwest and the swift foxes of the Midwestern prairies. These little critters have enormous ears and look more like a gray fox than a red fox, although they are more closely related to the latter. Another red fox relative is the Arctic fox, which inhabits cold northern regions of North America, Europe and Asia. They change their coat color from brown in summer to white in winter. The Arctic fox is the only land mammal that is a natural resident of Iceland, where they display a rare coat color that is pale bluish gray in winter and darker in summer.
I have seen red foxes and gray ones in suburban areas. Like other carnivores, they must not only find prey but also avoid becoming victims themselves. In addition to eating other animals, foxes will consume a variety of food, such as berries, fruit or dog food left in a bowl on a back porch. Being hit by a vehicle figures as a common source of mortality for adult foxes in many rural and residential areas, as well as on highways through natural habitats. Coyotes and bobcats are known predators, both of which now occur in suburban areas.
Concerns about foxes attacking pets are almost always overblown. A fox would think twice before attacking a full-grown house cat that might easily outweigh it. A clawing, biting cat could end up being a costly meal and wouldn’t be a sure thing in the first place. A squirrel, rat or rabbit would be a much better bargain. As far as squaring off with a dog, especially a large one, forget it. Most foxes will run like the wind when confronted by a dog.
Except in the rare case of a fox with rabies, which could happen with other wild mammals, we should welcome foxes to the suburbs. They offer a bit of intrigue to the average suburban neighborhood. Plus, a baby fox is as cute as any puppy or kitten.
Whit Gibbons is professor of zoology and senior biologist at the University of Georgia’s Savannah River Ecology Laboratory. If you have an environmental question or comment, email ecoviews@gmail.com.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: How many kinds of foxes are there? | ECOVIEWS
