19 Fascinating Fox Facts

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There are foxes living in many parts of the world, and for most people, they know very little about them, other than what they have read in fairy tales.

They are often portrayed as nasty little animals that break into chicken coops at night and eat all the chickens. But this is just one facet of an intriguing, clever and playful animal. Here are some fascinating fox facts that may surprise you.

Fascinating Fox Facts:

1. Foxes are Loners

The fox is related to the wolf, jackal, and dog families, but unlike most of those, the fox prefers to stick to its own company rather than live in a pack.

When foxes are raising their young they will live in a small family group called a ‘skulk of foxes’ or a ‘leash of foxes’. Other than that time in their lives, they will hunt and sleep alone.

2. Foxes are Similar to Cats

You may think the fox is more like a dog, but in reality, they have more in common with cats. They are both more active in the evening after the sun goes down, and the fox has pupils that are vertically oriented like a cat, which allows the fox to see well when the light is dim. The fox also stalks and hunts its prey like a cat, stalking before pouncing on the prey.

There are sensitive whiskers and spines on the tongue of the fox which is similar to the cat. It also walks like a cat, on its toes rather than on the full paw. The fox is also the only member of the dog family that can and will climb trees. They have claws that enable them to climb up and descend quickly down the tree. Sometimes they even sleep in a tree!

3. Red Fox

The red fox is the most common of the foxes, and it covers more areas geographically than the other types of foxes.

Its natural habitat is in the woodlands, but because its diet is so flexible, it is able to adapt to most types of environments. The red fox can be found throughout the Northern Hemisphere, and also in Australia.

4. Foxes Use the Earth’s Magnetic Field

The fox is able to use the earth’s magnetic field to hunt. According to scientists, the fox can see the magnetic field as a ‘ring of shadow’ on its eyes that darkens as it heads towards magnetic north.

When the sound of the prey and the shadow line up, it is time for the fox to pounce.

5. Foxes are Good Parents

The female fox delivers a litter of up to 11 pups once a year. The baby foxes are blind when they are born and they don’t open their eyes until they are 9 days old.

For the first several days, the female fox takes care of the pups constantly while the male fox brings them all food. The young foxes stay with their parents until they are about 7 months old. The females are well known to go to extreme measures to protect their pups.

6. The Smallest Fox

The smallest fox is the fennec fox, which is about the same size as a kitten, and weighs less than 3 pounds. The fennec fox has a cream-colored coat and elongated ears, and it lives in the Sahara Desert. It sleeps during the day to protect itself from the extreme heat of the Sahara.

The large ears have two functions: they help the fox hear prey and they also radiate body heat which helps to keep the fox cool. The paws of the fennec fox are covered with fur which allows it to walk safely on the hot sand.

7. Foxes are Playful

Like a dog or a cat, the fox is also a friendly, curious, and playful animal. They will play with other animals, as well as just with themselves.

If there is a ball lying around, they will steal it and play with it for hours. They can often be seen playing with balls on golf courses and in backyards.

8. Foxes as Pets

Although they are considered wild animals, it is possible to purchase a domesticated fox as a pet. It depends on which country you live in and the laws around owning a pet fox.

Those who have them as pets state they are friendly and mild-tempered but tend to dig up the garden.

9. Arctic Foxes
arctic fox

The arctic fox is able to handle much cooler temperatures and harsh conditions a lot better than almost any other animal on earth. It doesn’t start to feel the cold until the temperature reaches -94°F or -70°C.  

Because the arctic foxes’ coat is white, it helps them to camouflage among the snow, so it is easier to hide from predators.

As the season changes and warms, the coat color changes to suit, going from white to brown or gray.

10. Controversial Fox Hunts

Fox hunting became a popular activity in Britain in the 16th century, largely as a means to protect chickens from foxes.

By the 19th century, it had become a formalized sport for the upper class, where a group of men on horseback and a pack of hounds would chase a fox until it was killed. It is still a very controversial subject, particularly in England, and at present, it is not allowed.

11. Foxes in Folklore

There have been many tales and stories throughout the centuries involving foxes. These include Aesop’s ‘The Fox and the Crow’, the nine-tail fox in a variety of Asian cultures, and Reynard tales from medieval Europe, and many more.

There is a story where the Finnish people believed a fox made the Northern Lights by running in the snow so that its tail swept sparks up into the sky. This is where the phrase ‘fox fires’ originated.

12. Bat-Eared Fox

The bat-eared fox has ears that are 5 inches in size, which is how it got its name. These foxes have the ability thanks to those ears to hear insects at night.

The fox will travel along the African savannah listening until it hears the movement of insects and lizards. The bat-eared fox dines on termites fondly, and will often make its home in a termite mound after it has eaten all the termites.

13. Darwin’s Fox
darwin's fox

As Charles Darwin undertook his voyage on the Beagle, he picked up a fox that is now known as Darwin’s Fox. This fox is small in size and gray in color and is only found in two places throughout the world.

One area is the Island of Chiloe in Chile, and the other is a Chilean national park. This animal is critically endangered sadly. The biggest threat to these foxes is the domestic dog, which often carries diseases such as rabies, which they then pass on to the fox.

14. Fox Sounds

The fox is able to make up to 40 different sounds.

The most ear-splitting sound of course is the scream they emit.

15. Fox’s Revenge

But, during the struggle with the fox, the fox was able to pull the trigger using its paws. The man was shot and the fox got away.

In Belarus, a man had hunted a fox and tried to kill it by striking it with the butt of his rifle.

16. Vaccinating Foxes

Rabies has just about been eradicated in Switzerland because of a vaccination program the scientists cleverly came up with.

They placed chicken heads with the vaccine included in areas of the Swiss Alps. The foxes then ate the heads and in effect, immunized themselves against rabies.

17. Jumping and Diving
fox jumping

The average fox can jump up to 3 feet into the air and can dive 3 feet into the snow, usually to catch mice.

They work out the trajectory and the speed of the mouse so that when they dive into the snow they are right on target with amazing accuracy.

The fox can also run at speeds of up to 30 miles per hour.

18. Whiskers

The fox not only has whiskers on their faces but also on their legs.

This enables them to move around better in the dark.

19. Storing Food

Whether the fox is living in the forest or in an urban area, they are very careful about their food intake. Although they are often seen rummaging in trash cans for food, this doesn’t mean the fox thinks there is always going to be an abundance of food.

Unlike many other animals, the fox thinks ahead. It will often eat what it can to feel full or nourished, and then it will take the rest of the food back to its den and store it for later. This means that if the weather turns really bad or there is a food shortage, the fox will still have something to eat.

In Summary

As you can see from these fascinating facts, the fox is a very interesting creature. It is far more than just a pest or a nuisance.

The family values the fox has for caring for its young, and the way the fox is able to interact with other animals and humans, means that they are well worth having around.