Foxes black white gray red brown. Photo of a gray fox - behavior of a gray fox. Subspecies of gray fox

Description

Small gray fox. Around the dark brown nose, the fur is “painted” with a white spot, the main color is red-brown, the sides, neck and paws of the gray fox are covered with fur of this color. The belly area is covered with white fur. Also characteristic black line, stretching from the base of the tail to its tip. Another distinctive feature there is another black line crossing the face from the nose to the eyes, then “going” back along the sides of the head. The height at the withers is 30-40 cm. The gray fox is very agile and dexterous for its family, it runs fast, and also knows how to climb trees (it is also called tree fox).

The gray fox has a dense build, with shorter paws compared to the red fox, so it is smaller in stature, but its long fluffy tail looks more luxurious than that of its rival, but its undercoat does not protect against the cold as well as at the red fox. Therefore, the gray fox cannot live in particularly cold climates.

Reproduction and population

Gray foxes are monogamous and live with a partner for the rest of their lives. After mating, in February, the mother can give birth to 4 to 10 fox cubs, which, after 11 months of age, already leave their parents. Perhaps it was precisely because of this ability for fertility that this species was not on the verge of death. The annual extermination of the gray fox, for example, in Wisconsin, because of its soft fur, reduced the population size of the species by up to half.

Subspecies

• Urocyon cinereoargenteus borealis
• Urocyon cinereoargenteus californicus
• Urocyon cinereoargenteus colimensis
• Urocyon cinereoargenteus costaricensis
• Urocyon cinereoargenteus floridanus
• Urocyon cinereoargenteus fraterculus
• Urocyon cinereoargenteus furvus
• Urocyon cinereoargenteus guatemalae
• Urocyon cinereoargenteus madrensis
• Urocyon cinereoargenteus nigrirostris
• Urocyon cinereoargenteus ocythous
• Urocyon cinereoargenteus orinomus
• Urocyon cinereoargenteus peninsularis
• Urocyon cinereoargenteus scotti
• Urocyon cinereoargenteus townsendi
• Urocyon cinereoargenteus venezuelae

Notes

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• Wuhou (Kingdom of Wei, Zhangguo era)
• O-Ban

See what "Gray Fox" is in other dictionaries:

gray fox- pilkoji lapė statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas taksono rangas rūšis atitikmenys: lot. Urocyon cinereoargentatus engl. eastern gray fox; gray fox; Virginian fox vok. Festland Graufuchs eng. gray fox pranc. renard gris; renard gris argenté… Žinduolių pavadinimų žodynas

Argentine gray fox- ? Argentine gray fox Scientific classification Kingdom ... Wikipedia

Island gray fox- ? Island fox Scientific classification Kingdom: Animals Type: Chordata ... Wikipedia

Fox- This term has other meanings, see Fox (meanings). Fox, or vixen common name several species of mammals of the canine family. Only 11 species of this group belong to the genus of foxes proper (lat. Vulpes). Most... ... Wikipedia

FOX- (fur) skin beast of prey foxes. In the USSR, foxes are hunted almost everywhere; in addition, they are bred in fur farms. Skins from wild foxes are obtained: common fox, or so-called. red, gray, cross, black-brown; from... ... Concise encyclopedia household

Corsac fox

Corsac fox- ? Corsac Scientific classification Kingdom: Animals Type: Chordata Class ... Wikipedia

gray flying fox- pilkoji skraidančioji lapė statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas taksono rangas rūšis atitikmenys: lot. Pteropus griseus engl. gray flying fox rus. gray flying fox ryšiai: platesnis terminas – skraidančiosios lapės … Žinduolių pavadinimų žodynas

Crab-eating fox- ? Maikong Scientific classification Kingdom: Animals Type: Chordata Subphylum ... Wikipedia

Andean fox- ? Culpeo Culpeo (Lycalopex culpaeus) Scientific classification Kingdom: Animals Type ... Wikipedia

Books

• Gray neck, Dmitry Mamin-Sibiryak. A little defenseless duck named Gray Neck The fox injured her, and she could not fly away with the others when autumn came. About her friendship with the hare and the wood grouse, about their struggle with the fox, about her...

Gray fox or tree fox - a representative of wolves, most often found in North America and the northern part of South America. When disappeared from Canada, it appeared in Southern Ontario, Manitoba and Quebec.

Appearance of a gray fox

The gray fox looks like a small dog with a beautiful fluffy tail. She is much smaller than brown foxes.

Appearance like common fox, only with a shorter muzzle and ears. Short, powerful legs have tenacious nails that allow them to climb trees and branches well. Has uneven coat color. The muzzle, back, sides and long fluffy tail are painted with gray or silver light. Red light spreads over the neck, sides of the head and torso. Present below White light, the tip of the tail is painted black. The fur is short and coarse and covers the entire body of the fox. The fox's tail is of an unusual triangular shape.

Sixty-nine centimeters body length. Nine and a half centimeters head.
Weighing from two and a half to seven kg. The tail reaches forty centimeters.
In nature it lives for about six years, in zoos up to fifteen.

Gray fox habitat

The animal has fallen in love with forest thickets and can also be found at the edge of the forest and small copses. Likes to approach crop fields, sometimes found in the vicinity of villages and cities. She considers pine groves her home and makes a den in them. But he hunts in deciduous tree bushes, there are more small mammals for feed. Foxes live in holes, but rarely dig themselves; they usually find secluded places, sometimes use tree hollows, are settled between stones, and other people's holes.

live sedentary way life. Animals love to drink clean water, so habitats are chosen closer to water. Well-trodden fox paths can be seen near the water.
When foxes see people, they bark, and in the forest they make other sounds similar to howls and whimpers.

Gray fox behavior

Because foxes love to climb trees, they are called tree foxes. When an unfamiliar or dangerous object approaches, with a quick jump and tenacious claws they cling to a hill, to fallen and small trees, stumps located higher. Clinging with hooked claws, they can jump to another tree. The fox is held on the tree by strong powerful legs and strong claws; it can jump from the tree for prey.

In pursuit of prey or to hide from the enemy, it runs at speeds of up to seventeen kilometers, in short intervals. The tree serves as a shelter from the enemy, here she rests, but breeds offspring in burrows.

Foxes live in pairs, each family has its own land boundary. They mark territorial spaces with their urine and droppings. They've been prowling all summer family packs until the offspring grows up. Grown foxes move long distances from their mothers and subsequently look for mates. The boundaries of the areas of married couples reach large areas up to 27 square meters. The outskirts of neighboring territories often overlap.

Reproduction of gray foxes

Depending on where they live, they breed from December to April. At this time, the males fight among themselves for the female, the winner forms a pair with her. When the babies appear, the males show care and obtain food for the little foxes and defend their territory.

Before giving birth, the den is covered with dried leaves, grass, or small tree bark. The fox brings from two to seven babies. They are born blind and helpless, weighing no more than a hundred grams. They open their eyes on the tenth, fourteenth day. The mother suckles for seven to nine weeks, then switches to solid food. There are a lot of fleas in the den, they eat the whole family. As soon as the puppies grow a little and can move independently, the fox moves to another place. Upon reaching three months taken away from breast milk. From three months old, babies are taught to hunt small animals.

Feeding of the gray fox

The main diet of the tree fox consists of plant foods. Among all wolves, this species is most prone to plant foods. It feeds on insects, mice, gophers, hares, birds and their eggs, and carrion. Enjoys fruits, bulbs and grains. He can catch a squirrel in a tree and eat it.

Representatives of the gray fox danger

The greatest danger to the gray fox is the hawk, golden eagle, big owls. They attack from above, the fox cannot cope with them. Red lynxes and dogs hunt small foxes.

Gray fox fur is not valued. That's why people don't hunt gray foxes. The state of Texas is overrun with gray fox numbers. Animals love to catch mice in farmers' crop fields, this helps in the fight against rodents. But often foxes become pests of farms, then they are caught in traps and shot.

Video about the gray fox

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Description

Small gray fox. Around the dark brown nose, the fur is “colored” with a white spot, the main color is reddish-brown, the sides, neck and paws of the gray fox are covered with fur of this color. The belly area is covered with white fur. Also characteristic is a black line stretching from the base of the tail to its tip. Another distinctive feature is another black line crossing the face from the nose to the eyes, then “going” back along the sides of the head. The height at the withers is 30-40 cm. The gray fox is very agile and dexterous for its family, it runs fast, and also knows how to climb trees (it is also called tree fox).

The gray fox has a dense build, with shorter paws compared to the red fox, so it is smaller in stature, but its long fluffy tail looks more luxurious than that of its rival, but its undercoat does not protect against the cold as well as that of red fox. Therefore, the gray fox cannot live in particularly cold climates.

Reproduction and population

Gray foxes are monogamous and live with a partner for the rest of their lives. After mating, in February, the mother can give birth to from 4 to 10 fox cubs, which are already 11 months old and leave their parents. Perhaps it was precisely because of this ability for fertility that this species was not on the verge of death. The annual extermination of the gray fox, for example, in Wisconsin, because of its soft fur, reduced the population size of the species by up to half.

Subspecies

• Urocyon cinereoargenteus borealis
• Urocyon cinereoargenteus californicus
• Urocyon cinereoargenteus colimensis
• Urocyon cinereoargenteus costaricensis
• Urocyon cinereoargenteus floridanus
• Urocyon cinereoargenteus fraterculus
• Urocyon cinereoargenteus furvus
• Urocyon cinereoargenteus guatemalae
• Urocyon cinereoargenteus madrensis
• Urocyon cinereoargenteus nigrirostris
• Urocyon cinereoargenteus ocythous
• Urocyon cinereoargenteus orinomus
• Urocyon cinereoargenteus peninsularis
• Urocyon cinereoargenteus scotti
• Urocyon cinereoargenteus townsendi
• Urocyon cinereoargenteus venezuelae

Gallery

Keulemans gray fox.png

U. cinereoargenteus, drawing by J. G. Kjolemans, 1890

NIE 1905 Fox.jpg

Drawing of six species of the canid family, gray fox below, left

Urocyon cinereoargenteus.jpg

U. cinereoargenteus, New Mexico

Urocyon cinereoargenteus in brushwood.jpg

U. cinereoargenteus, Minnesota

GrayFoxApr04NFla.jpg

U. cinereoargenteus, northern Florida

Urocyon cinereoargenteus grayFox fullFace.jpg

U. cinereoargenteus at an altitude of 2.1 thousand meters in California

Red Fox vs Gray Fox - San Joaquin National Wildlife Refuge.jpg

Meeting the red fox ( Vulpes vulpes) with sulfur ( Urocyon cinereoargenteus)

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Notes

Excerpt characterizing the Gray Fox

The so-called partisan war began with the enemy’s entry into Smolensk.
Before guerrilla warfare was officially accepted by our government, thousands of people of the enemy army - backward marauders, foragers - were exterminated by the Cossacks and peasants, who beat these people as unconsciously as dogs unconsciously kill a runaway rabid dog. Denis Davydov, with his Russian instinct, was the first to understand the meaning of that terrible club, which, without asking the rules of military art, destroyed the French, and he is credited with taking the first step to legitimize this method of war.
On August 24th the first partisan detachment Davydov, and after his detachment others began to be established. The further the campaign progressed, the more the number of these detachments increased.
The partisans destroyed Great Army in parts. They picked up those fallen leaves that fell of their own accord from the withered tree - the French army, and sometimes shook this tree. In October, while the French were fleeing to Smolensk, there were hundreds of these parties of various sizes and characters. There were parties that adopted all the techniques of the army, with infantry, artillery, headquarters, and the comforts of life; there were only Cossacks and cavalry; there were small ones, prefabricated ones, on foot and on horseback, there were peasant and landowner ones, unknown to anyone. There was a sexton as the head of the party, who took several hundred prisoners a month. There was the elder Vasilisa, who killed hundreds of French.
The last days of October were the peak time guerrilla warfare. That first period of this war, during which the partisans, themselves surprised at their audacity, were afraid at every moment of being caught and surrounded by the French and, without unsaddled or almost getting off their horses, hid in the forests, expecting a pursuit at every moment, has already passed. Now this war had already been defined, it became clear to everyone what could be done with the French and what could not be done. Now only those detachment commanders who, with their headquarters, according to the rules, walked away from the French, considered many things impossible. The small partisans, who had long since begun their work and were closely looking out for the French, considered it possible what the leaders of large detachments did not dare to think about. The Cossacks and men who climbed among the French believed that now everything was possible.
On October 22, Denisov, who was one of the partisans, was with his party in the midst of partisan passion. In the morning he and his party were on the move. All day long, through the forests adjacent to the high road, he followed a large French transport of cavalry equipment and Russian prisoners, separated from other troops and under strong cover, as was known from spies and prisoners, heading towards Smolensk. This transport was known not only to Denisov and Dolokhov (also a partisan with a small party), who walked close to Denisov, but also to the commanders of large detachments with headquarters: everyone knew about this transport and, as Denisov said, sharpened their teeth on it. Two of these large detachment leaders - one Pole, the other German - almost at the same time sent Denisov an invitation to each join his own detachment in order to attack the transport.

Photo © Alan Harper on iNaturalist.org. www.alanharper.com. California, USA. CC BY-NC 4.0

Distribution: Southeastern Canada to Venezuela and Colombia, excluding parts Great Plain and mountainous regions (Rocky Mountains) of the northwestern United States and east coast Central America (watersheds of Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and western Panama). Over the past 50 years, the gray fox's overall range has expanded to new areas and areas where the gray fox was previously extirpated, including New England, Michigan, Minnesota, Iowa, Ontario, Manitoba, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma and Utah.

Gray foxes resemble small, slender dogs with bushy tails. The body is elongated, the legs are relatively short.

Adult gray foxes have fur that is a mixture of white, red, black and gray. Their tail is approximately one-third of their total body length and has a distinct black stripe along the dorsal surface and a black tip. Top part the head, back, sides and the rest of the tail are grey. Belly, chest, legs and sides heads are reddish-brown. The cheeks and throat are white. The area around the eyes has a thin black stripe from the outer corner of the eye towards the head. In addition, a wide black stripe runs from the inner corner of the eye, down the muzzle to the mouth. Newborn puppies are dark brown.

The pupils of the eyes are oval, which is how gray foxes differ from red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), which have slit pupils.

There is no sexual dimorphism, but males are slightly larger than females. Males have longer pelvic areas and heel bones, wider shoulder blades and more powerful leg bones.

Length 80-112.5 cm, tail length 27.5-44.3 cm, height at withers 10-15 cm. Weight 3.6-6.8 kg, maximum up to 9 kg.

Gray foxes prefer to live in deciduous forests, alternating with thick forest areas. Many populations thrive where forests alternate with agricultural land, but unlike the red fox, they do not live in purely agricultural areas. Proximity to water - key feature most preferred habitat. In areas where gray foxes and red foxes occur, the former prefer mixed forests with dense undergrowth. In the absence of red foxes, they prefer other habitats.

Most often they live at altitudes up to 1000-3000 m above sea level.

In the eastern part North America The gray fox is most closely associated with deciduous or southern pine forests, interspersed with some old fields and clear forests. In western North America, it is commonly found in mixed agricultural, forest, chaparral, riparian, and shrubland landscapes. This species occupies forested areas and has abundant prey in Central America and wooded mountainous places in South America. Gray foxes are also found in semi-arid areas of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico where there is ample cover. Apparently they do well in some urban areas.

The territoriality of gray foxes is poorly studied. Territories are marked by urine and feces, but in many areas the areas overlap significantly. Family plots are formed so that the couple's individual territories overlap. The family plots themselves usually do not overlap. The fox probably reaches peak densities every 10 years, with an average density of about one family for every 10 km².

However overall size personal and family areas of the gray fox have not been determined. Foxes tracked from May to August 1980 and January to August 1981 had an average monthly home range of 299 hectares and an average family range of 676 hectares. The difficulty of the definition lies in the fact that although some individuals occupy the same area for a long time, their personal areas, as a rule, change from month to month. Only part of the home range is used that night. Composite home ranges of 4 gray foxes in another study ranged from 106 to 172 ha.

Gray foxes are more active at night and at dusk, resting during the day in dense vegetation or secluded rocky areas. Activity levels drop sharply at sunrise and increase at sunset. Gray foxes usually leave the resting area at daytime shortly before sunset, they explore the nearest territory and then move into the hunting zone. Shortly before sunrise they usually return to their daytime resting area. At the same time, gray foxes are often active during the daytime.

Gray foxes usually change their resting areas every day, starting in late spring when new vegetation grows. In winter, shelters are reused.

The gray fox is the only member of the family that can climb trees, especially to escape danger. However, these foxes often climb trees to rest, sometimes quite high. One gray fox was observed resting 4.6 m above the ground on a branch of a giant saguaro cactus (Carnegiea gigantea).

Gray foxes o portunisticallyomnivorous. Although they prey on small vertebrates and birds, fruits and invertebrates also form a significant part of their diet, usually in proportions depending on the time of year. Thus, rabbits (Sylvilagus floridanus), mouse-like animals (Peromyscus spp., Neotoma spp., Sigmodon hispidus, etc.) make up most their winter diet. Starting in spring, invertebrates, fruits, nuts and grains are included in the diet. Preferred insects are orthoptera and beetles. Depending on the region, the fox is often primarily dependent on rabbits and other small mammals in the winter and insects and fruit in the summer. In some areas, the general diet may consist predominantly of plant foods.

If the prey is large, foxes hide the remains, often burying it. After this, they usually mark the cache with urine or use scent glands on their paws and tail. If possible, gray foxes may also feed on carrion.

Like other members of the family, gray foxes communicate by barking and growling. Young foxes usually play with each other. Males, in an attempt to attract potential breeding partners, raise their hind leg to display their genitals. Adult animals use their scents to mark territory.

Dens, as a rule, are made in hollow trees (the highest den found was in a hollow at a height of 9.1 m) or logs, in small caves, cracks between rocks, abandoned buildings, tangled bushes, and less often in abandoned burrows of other mammals. Occasionally, gray foxes themselves dig holes in loose soil.

They are considered monogamous, but direct evidence is lacking. There are reports of rare cases of polygamy and polyandry.

During the raising of offspring, there are family groups consisting of a male, female and young. Pairs form in the fall, before breeding occurs in winter. During October and September, when females are attracting mates, males tend to be more aggressive. Like domestic dogs (Canis lupus familiaris), gray foxes have a violet gland. Foxes also have additional scent glands on their faces and pads. Although these glands are primarily used to demarcate territory, they can also be used to attract potential mates.

Reproduction occurs annually. The breeding season varies depending on geographic region, altitude, and habitat quality, and ranges from late winter to early spring (December to March). Where the gray fox is sympatric with the red fox, it begins breeding 2-4 weeks later than red foxes.

Pregnancy is from 53 to 63 days. The maximum number of births usually occurs in April. Litter from 1 to 7 puppies, average 3.8. However, litter size is not well studied. Puppies are born blind and almost naked. Average birth weight is 86-95 g. Eyes open 9 days after birth. Feeding with milk continues up to 6 weeks, but weaning begins at 2-3 weeks, then only complementary feeding continues. Solid food begins at around 3 weeks of age, mostly provided by the father. Parents begin teaching puppies to hunt at about 4 months. Until then, both parents hunt separately, and the pups practice their hunting skills by pouncing and chasing the half-dead prey they bring. First of all, their father teaches them to hunt. Pups depend on their parents for up to 10 months, after which they become sexually mature and disperse. According to other sources, families break up in late summer and autumn.

At about 10 months, both males and females become sexually mature. Most females give birth within the first year of life.

Life expectancy both in captivity and in wildlife ranges from 6 to 8 years. However, the oldest recorded wild gray fox was 10 years old, and the oldest in captivity was 12 years old.

The main enemies of gray foxes in nature are red lynxes ( Lynx rufus), golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos), eagle owls (Bubo virginianus) and coyotes (Canis latrans). Unlike red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), which flee from predators using speed and agility, gray foxes hide in cover (for example, in thickets). From terrestrial predators Gray foxes can use their ability to climb trees.

In addition to natural death, for greatest number deaths are the responsibility of humans and are therefore the greatest threat.

The weather outside was not the best. The rain drizzled slowly, as if prolonging the pleasure for itself, spoiling people's mood. Along with the rain, snow-white snowflakes sometimes swirled, creating a white wall, thereby slowing down the endless running of cars. Even despite this inclement weather walked in the streets caring parents with your kids. Someone drew inscriptions and hearts with a long stick on the wet snow surface, someone pushed their newborn children in strollers. Frankly, this picture is very nice, but not for Fox, he sighed on the bed, looking at the ceiling and dreaming of something completely different... his light gray hair, with a tint of silver, was spread out on the pillow, some long strands lying on sharp The boy’s shoulders were already dark from shed tears, his gray-green eyes, the color of dusty pine needles, either opened wide, or, on the contrary, covered themselves, one might even say, squinted. The eyes, wet from shed tears, were already red and slightly swollen, making the boy’s handsome face burst into tears. The doorbell rings and this whole picture disappears. The fox tries to put on colorful shorts and a T-shirt as quickly as possible; already as he runs, he wipes his cherry eyes, not forgetting to straighten his bangs that cover his eyes. The doorbell rang again, more insistently than last time, hitting the doorframe with his foot and quietly swearing, the boy flew up to the door. Hastily opening the door, he stepped back slightly, not expecting to see someone he didn’t want to see especially now. The fluffy ash tail, crowned with a white tassel, trembled gently, and a quiet growl, one might say, even a hiss, was born in the throat. - Long time no see, Little Fox. - the yellow-eyed guy purred, narrowing his eyes predatorily, almost a head taller than poor Fox. The guest really was tall, like a tower. The hair of this creature was shoulder-length, and the color was similar to wet asphalt, which we often see after heavy rain. The eyes, vaguely reminiscent of a cat, were especially attractive, the honey-yellow shine did not bode well, like a predator waiting for his stupid prey to come closer, but he always had that look, regardless of the situation, so what can you do, such a shape of the eyes . - Hmm, what do you need, Klee-e-n? - with some disgust, stretching out the syllables, the fair-haired boy mumbled something, wrapping his arms around himself. Still, he was not like that, do not kick out, even an unwanted guest. The little fox stepped aside, letting the guest into the apartment, and he urgently went to the bathroom to put himself in order and finally calm down, this will help not only him, but also the interlocutor in communication. Indeed, let him cry in front of his eyes loved one, I didn’t want to at all, although all the tears were because of him. - You also remained a cute little fox. - Having already tamed his ardor, Maple said, despite the fact that this subject had a different name, but they agreed this way with the Little Fox, who also has a different name. - You scare me...You, too, remained the same grumpy ball. - the Fox purred, smiling, sitting down next to the guest. Although the situation seemed so peaceful, still, through this “shell” of lies and smiles, it was felt like it was heated to the point of pain. They wanted to talk, they had wanted to for a long time, but all attempts ended in disagreements and loud yelling with assault, so then they didn’t communicate for a month, or even more. “Forgive me, I shouldn’t have done that... forgive me, my little one...” the guy’s voice trembled and he already wanted to get up from his seat and leave, not seeing anything at all in the eyes of his wonderful Little Fox, but he was stopped and firmly They pulled him close, hugging him as much as possible. “I’ll forgive you, but only if I’m the only light for you, and you don’t leave me to the mercy of fate... I just can’t survive this...” the fair-haired boy whispered quietly in the ear of the one he loved no matter what , the one for whom she shed tears at night, but continued to be faithful only to him. - I won’t let you go anywhere... I love you more than anyone in the world... Wo Ai Ni... - Maple whispered tenderly into his baby’s ear. - Wo Ai Ni... - quietly answering in response, the Little Fox remained in the arms of his beloved miracle. How long they stood like that, it’s unlikely that anyone will answer such a question for you, but they, hugging each other, afraid to say a word, stood and simply enjoyed each other’s company without unnecessary words, which would be inappropriate here.