Fox
MammalCanidOmnivore
Red fox (Vulpes vulpes) in Ireland.
Image: Greg Clarke, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Overview
"Fox" is a common name applied to small to medium-sized canids, principally those of the genus Vulpes (the "true foxes"). The red fox (Vulpes vulpes) is the most widespread member of the group and the reference species used on this page. Foxes are members of the family Canidae and are therefore relatives of wolves and domestic dogs, though they branched from the wolf-dog lineage long ago and differ in many aspects of ecology and behaviour.
Habitat & Range
The red fox is one of the most widely distributed wild carnivores on Earth, occupying habitats across Europe, much of Asia, North Africa, and North America, and also introduced (with significant ecological impact) to Australia. Habitats include forest, farmland, tundra, mountains, scrubland, and increasingly urban and suburban environments. Other fox species have much narrower ranges — for example the Arctic fox in tundra environments and the fennec fox in North African deserts.
Diet
Foxes are opportunistic omnivores. Diet varies seasonally and regionally but typically includes small mammals (notably rodents and rabbits), birds, eggs, insects, fruit, carrion, and — for urban populations — human food waste. Foxes commonly cache surplus food and revisit caches later.
Behavior
Foxes are typically solitary or live in small family groups consisting of a breeding pair and their offspring of the year, sometimes assisted by older non-breeding relatives. Territories are marked by scent. Foxes are largely crepuscular or nocturnal, particularly in areas with high human activity.
Urban foxes have been the subject of extensive ecological study and tend to show altered activity patterns, smaller home ranges, and behavioural adjustments compared with rural populations.
Human Interaction & Conservation
Foxes have a long history of interaction with humans, ranging from cultural and mythological roles to historic persecution as predators of poultry and small livestock. Today red foxes are generally not of conservation concern at the species level, but local populations — and some other fox species — face habitat, disease, and persecution pressures. Where foxes have been introduced outside their native range, they can have severe impacts on native fauna.
Appearance & Recognition
True foxes are small to medium-sized canids with a narrow pointed muzzle, large upright triangular ears, a slender agile body, and a long bushy tail (often called a "brush") that is typically more than half their head-and-body length. The red fox — the reference species for this page — is famously rusty-red over the back and flanks with paler underparts, dark stockings on the lower legs, and a white tip to the tail that is itself a useful field cue.
Coat colour and overall size vary considerably across the genus and within species. The Arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) turns near-white in winter in northern populations; the fennec fox (V. zerda) of North African deserts is small and pale with disproportionately large ears; melanistic "silver", "cross", and almost-black colour morphs occur naturally within red fox populations. Foxes are usually distinguishable from wolves and dogs of similar weight by their smaller stature, sharper-featured head, and proportionally longer, fluffier tail.
Similar Animals
Foxes share the family Canidae with the wolf (Canis lupus) and the domestic dog. Despite the shared family, foxes generally do not interbreed with wolves or dogs and have different chromosome numbers from those species.
More photos of the fox
Red fox (Vulpes vulpes) in an urban-adjacent environment in Łódź, Poland.
Image: Jerzy Strzelecki, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Newfoundland red fox — a regional subspecies of Vulpes vulpes — in winter conditions.
Image: Paul Asman and Jill Lenoble, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.