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Post by Atheron on Jan 11, 2012 7:22:27 GMT -5
Crab-Eating FoxInformation from WikipediaThe crab-eating fox (Cerdocyon thous), also known as the crab-eating zorro, the wood fox, and the common fox, is a medium-sized canid found in the central part of South America. This fox is currently the only member of genus Cerdocyon, but an extinct species is known from the Pleistocene: Cerdocyon avius. This creature was probably similar to the crab-eating fox. The crab-eating fox is predominantly greyish-brown with areas of red on the face and legs, and black-tipped ears and tail. It has short, strong legs and its tail is long and bushy. It may reach an adult weight of 10 to 17 pounds. The crab-eating fox is a bush dog that ranges in savannas and woodlands, especially the llanos of South America. It is omnivorous, preferring insects or meat from rodents and birds when available. Other foods readily consumed include turtle eggs, carrion, and plants. As its name suggests, it often eats crabs and other crustaceans. During the wet season, the fox searches for crabs on muddy floodplains and then retreats to a den on higher ground, which may be no more than a large clump of grass. It is mainly nocturnal, emerging in the twilight. The adult female gives birth to one or two litters per year, and the breeding pair is monogamous. The pair ranges the plains together. This fox is occasionally hunted, but the fur is not valuable. The fox does not pose a danger to livestock. This is not currently a species of concern for conservation, however, its habitat is slowly shrinking due to human forces such as agriculture, as well as feral dogs' encroachment on its territory.
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Post by Atheron on Jan 11, 2012 7:25:20 GMT -5
Falkland Island FoxInformation from WikipediaThe Falkland Island Fox (Dusicyon australis, formerly named Canis antarcticus), also known as the Warrah and occasionally as the Falkland Island Wolf or Antarctic Wolf, was the only native land mammal of the Falkland Islands. This endemic canid became extinct in 1876 (on West Falkland island), the only known canid to have gone extinct in historical times. The most closely related species to the monotypic genus Dusicyon among southern hemisphere foxes is Pseudalopex griseus, the culpeo or Patagonian fox, which itself has been introduced to the Falkland Islands in modern times. It was known from both West and East Falkland, but it is unknown if the varieties were much differentiated. The fur of the Falkland Island Fox had a tawny colour. The tip of the tail was white. The diet is unknown. Due to the absence of native rodents on the Falklands, its diet probably consisted of ground-nesting birds such as geese and penguins, grubs and insects, as well as seashore scavenging (Allen 1942). They are sometimes said to have dwelt in burrows. The first recorded sighting was by Capt. John Strong in 1692. Louis Antoine de Bougainville, who established the first settlement in the Falkland Islands termed it a loup-renard ("fox-wolf") When Charles Darwin visited the islands in 1833 he named the species Canis antarcticus and described it as common and tame. The settlers regarded the fox as a threat to their sheep and organised poisoning and shooting on a massive scale. The absence of forests led to the speedy success of the extermination campaign. This was facilitated by the animal's tameness, as is common in insular species due to the absence of predators - trappers would lure the animal with a chunk of meat held in one hand, and kill it with a knife or stick held in the other. However, it would defend itself from humans occasionally if it needed to, as Admiral George Grey noted when they landed on West Falkland at Port Edgar (Falkland Islands) on December 17, 1836 "I landed in the creek and had hardly put a foot on shore, when one of the foxes of the country was chased by Pilot. I ran up as they were fighting and came to the poor dog's assistance who had nearly met his match, and a rifle ball soon settled the business, but the Pilot had received a terrible bite in the leg." A live Warrah was taken to London Zoo, England in 1868, but survived only a few years. In 1880, post-extinction, Thomas Huxley classified it as related to the coyote. In 1914, Oldfield Thomas moved it into the genus Dusicyon, with the culpeo and South American foxes. Darwin's descriptionDarwin writing about his 1834 visit to the Falklands in The Voyage of the Beagle has the following to say The only quadruped native to the islands is a large wolf-like fox (Canis antarcticus), which is common to both East and West Falkland. I have no doubt it is a peculiar species, and confined to this archipelago; because many sealers, Gauchos, and Indians, who have visited these islands, all maintain that no such animal is found in any part of South America. Molina, from a similarity in habits, thought that this was the same with his culpeu but I have seen both, and they are quite distinct. These wolves are well known, from Byron's account of their tameness and curiosity, which the sailors, who ran into the water to avoid them, mistook for fierceness. To this day their manners remain the same. They have been observed to enter a tent, and actually pull some meat from beneath the head of a sleeping seaman. The Gauchos also have frequently in the evening killed them, by holding out a piece of meat in one hand, and in the other a knife ready to stick them. As far as I am aware, there is no other instance in any part of the world, of so small a mass of broken land, distant from a continent, possessing so large an aboriginal quadruped peculiar to itself. Their numbers have rapidly decreased; they are already banished from that half of the island which lies to the eastward of the neck of land between St. Salvador Bay and Berkeley Sound. Within a very few years after these islands shall have become regularly settled, in all probability this fox will be classed with the dodo, as an animal which has perished from the face of the earth."
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Post by Atheron on Jan 11, 2012 7:29:11 GMT -5
CulpeoInformation from WikipediaThe Culpeo (Pseudalopex culpaeus), sometimes known as the Patagonian fox, is a South American species of wild dog. It is the second largest native canid on the continent after the Maned Wolf. In its appearance it bears many similarities to the widely recognized red fox. It has grey and reddish fur, a white chin, reddish legs, and a stripe on its back that may be barely visible. Its distribution extends from Ecuador and Peru to the southern regions of Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego. It is most common on the western slopes of the Andes, where it inhabits open country and deciduous forests. Populations of culpeos are also found in some of the westernmost of the Falkland Islands, where they were introduced by humans. The Falkland Island Fox, extinct by 1876, was probably a close relative. The culpeo's diet consists largely of rodents, rabbits, birds and lizards, and to a lesser extent, plant material and carrion. Allegedly the culpeo attacks sheep and therefore it is often hunted or poisoned. In some regions it has become rare, but overall the species is not threatened with extinction. Darwin's FoxInformation from WikipediaDarwin's Fox or Darwin's Zorro (Pseudalopex fulvipes) is a small endangered canine from the genus Pseudalopex. Darwin's Fox was first collected from Chiloé Island off the coast of Chile by the naturalist Charles Darwin in 1834. It was long held that Darwin's Fox was a subspecies of the Grey zorro (P. griseus); however, the discovery of a small population of Darwin's Fox on the mainland in Nahuelbuta National Park in 1990 and subsequent genetic analysis has clarified the fox's status as a unique species. Physical DescriptionDarwin's fox has a dark brown coat with red areas on its head and face, and it has shorter legs than the mainland foxes, and weighs 4.4-8.8 lbs, much smaller than the P. griseus which weighs between 11-22 lbs
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Post by Atheron on Jan 11, 2012 7:33:33 GMT -5
Argentine Grey FoxInformation from WikipediaThe Chilla, Grey Zorro or South American Grey Fox (Pseudalopex griseus), also known as the Patagonian Fox, is a species of zorro (false foxes). The South American grey fox is found in the Southern Cone of South America, particularly in Argentina and Chile. Its range comprises a stripe, both sides of the Andes Mountain Range between parallels 17ºS (northernmost Chile) and 54ºS (Tierra del Fuego). In Argentina, this species inhabits the western semiarid region of the country, from the Andean spurs (ca. 69ºW) to meridian 66ºW. South from the Río Grande river, the distribution of the grey fox widens reaching the Atlantic coast. In Chile "chillas" are present throughout the country. Their presence in Peru has been mentioned. To date, however, there has been no confirmation of it. The Patagonian Fox was introduced to the Falkland Islands in the late 1920's early 1930's and are still present in quite large numbers on Beaver and Weddell Islands plus several smaller islands. The South American grey fox occurs in a variety of habitats, from the warm, arid srcublands of the Argentinean Monte and the cold, arid Patagonian steppe to the forest of southernmost Chile. The Grey Zorro is a small South American canid, weighing 5–9 pounds, and measuring 17–27 inches in length. Its diet consists mainly of rodents, birds, and rabbits. They breed in late austral fall, around March. After a gestation period of 2 months, 2-4 kits are born in a den. Not much else is recorded about their lifestyle.
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Post by Atheron on Jan 11, 2012 7:36:27 GMT -5
Pampas FoxInformation from WikipediaPampas Fox (Pseudalopex gymnocercus), also known as Azara's fox, is a medium sized zorro (false fox) native to South America. The pampas fox resembles the red fox, but is smaller and gray in color. It has short, dense fur that is gray on the back and underparts. The head and neck are reddish, and the ears are triangular, broad and relatively large; the are reddish on the outer surface and white on the inner surface. Pampas foxes weigh 9 to 12 pounds. Pampas fox can be found in Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and Brazil. They prefer grasslands, forest and valleys. Pampas foxes mostly live a solitary life, but come together in breeding season and care for their young. They are most active at dusk and night. They are known to collect parts of clothing and take it back to their den. If a threatening or larger animal comes near them they are known to play dead with their eyes closed and will stay there until the animal leaves. Pampas foxes eat plants, rats, fruits, rabbits, frogs, lizards and birds and sometimes lambs. Sechura FoxInformation from WikipediaThe Sechuran Fox (Pseudalopex sechurae), also called Peruvian Desert Fox and sechuran zorro is a South American species of canid. The Sechuran fox is the smallest of the South American zorros (false foxes). The Sechura fox is a pure, pale agouti in colour with a black-tipped tail. Its distribution extends from Southern Ecuador to Central Peru. The Sechuran fox feeds on seed pods, beetles, rodents and birds. It can be seen in habitats ranging from deserts to dry forests.
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Post by Atheron on Jan 11, 2012 7:39:35 GMT -5
Hoary FoxInformation from WikipediaPlease note that the Blanford's Fox, or Afghan fox, is also known as 'Hoary Fox'The Hoary Fox, (Pseudalopex vetulus), or Hoary zorro, is a species of zorro (false fox) endemic to Brazil. It is a slender animal with a relatively short, pointed muzzle, and large ears. It inhabits, mainly, the Brazilian Cerrado ecosystem, although it can also be found in transitional habitats. It is an omnivorous animal but feeds, mainly, on termites, dung beetles and other insects and small vertebrates. The Hoary Fox has short muzzle, small teeth, short coat, and dark stripes on the dorsal suface. The tail is black on the tip with a marked dark stripe along the dorsal line. The ears and outside part of the legs are reddish or tawny. The upper part of the body is grey, and the underside of the body is cream or fawn. The Hoary Fox weighs between 6 and 9 lbs, the tail length is 11-13 inches, and the body length is between 23 and 25.2 inches. These animals are active during the day. The Hoary Fox mainly eats insects, but also may eat rodents, termites, and grasshoppers as well. The females usually give birth to 2-4 pups. They mostly breed in the autumn. Corsac FoxInformation from WikipediaThe Corsac Fox (Vulpes corsac) is a species of asiatic fox. This fox lives in the steppes and semi-desert of central and northeast Asia. They are found in large area of central Asia including Turkestan, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Mongolia, Transbaikalia, northern Manchuria and parts of Russia. The fox is gray to gray-red in colour with silver undertones. It has white under the chin. The length of head and body is 20-24 inches, and the tail length 9-14 inches. For a fox, it has small teeth. They are omnivores, eating small animals, birds, reptiles, insects & plants. The mating season is around January with a gestation period of 8 weeks. They have litters between two and six young. This fox lives three to twelve years. The Corsac Fox are more social than other foxes. They will share burrows and form hunting packs.
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Post by Atheron on Jan 11, 2012 7:45:01 GMT -5
Cape FoxInformation from WikipediaThe Cape Fox (Vulpes chama), also called Cama Fox or Silver-backed Fox is a small fox. It has black or silver gray fur with flanks and underside in light yellow. The tip of its tail is always black. Cape Foxes tend to be 18 to 24 inches long, not including a 12 to 16 inch tail. They are 11 to 13 inches tall at the shoulder, and usually weigh from 8 to 11 lbs. The Cape Fox is found in Southern Africa from Zimbabwe to Angola. It prefers the open savanna and semi-arid regions in southwestern Africa, from Southern Zimbabwe to the Cape province. It is nocturnal, found alone or in pairs, in savannas and steppes. Like most foxes it is an omnivore, preferring small mammals, reptiles, and carrion, but will also eat insects and fruit The Cape Fox, unlike the Red Fox, mates the whole year. It gives birth after 51–53 days, in a usual litter-size of 3 to 6. They are weaned after 6–8 weeks and grown up in about one year. They have an average weight at birth of 50 to 100 grams (1.7 to 3.5 oz). It reaches sexual maturity in nine months with an expected life span of 10 years. Pale FoxInformation from WikipediaThe Pale Fox (Vulpes pallida) is a species of fox which inhabits the Sahel from Senegal in the west to Sudan in the east. It is widespread throughout the Sahel but its environmental status is described as "data deficient" due to lack of intensified study of the pale fox in the wild. The pale fox is long-bodied with relatively short legs and a narrow muzzle. Its ears are long and rounded at the tip. Its tail is bushy and black-tipped. The upperpart of its body has a pale sandy color, while the underpart is whitish. A dark ring surrounds the fox's eyes. There are four recognized subspecies of pale fox: Vulpes pallida pallida, Vulpes pallida edwardsi, Vulpes pallida harterti, Vulpes pallida oertzeni.
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Post by Atheron on Jan 11, 2012 7:50:02 GMT -5
Bengal FoxInformation from WikipediaThe Indian fox (Vulpes bengalensis) is a fox endemic to the Indian subcontinent and is found from the Himalayan foothills and Terai of Nepal through southern India and from southern and eastern Pakistan to eastern India and southeastern Bangladesh. DescriptionVulpes bengalensis is a relatively small fox with an elongated muzzle, long pointed ears, and a bushy tail ca. 50 to 60% length of head and body. Dorsal pelage is grayish and paler ventrally; legs tend to be brownish or rufous. Tail is bushy with prominent black tip. Back of ears are dark brown with black margin. Rhinarium is naked and lips are black, with small black hair patches on upper part of muzzle in front of eyes. Extensive variation in coat color may occur between populations and seasonally within populations, but generally varies from grey to pale brown. - Head and Body Length: 18-24 in Tail Length: 10-14 in. Weight: 5-9 lb. DietThe Bengal fox feeds on rodents, reptiles, crabs, termites, insects, small birds, and fruits. Reproduction and LivingAlthough the Bengal fox lives in pairs, it hunts alone. It undergoes a gestation period of 53 days; after, four kits are born in a den. Tibetan FoxInformation from WikipediaThe Tibetan Fox (Vulpes ferrilata), also called the Tibetan Sand Fox or simply the Sand Fox, is a species of true fox that inhabits the high Tibetan Plateau in Nepal, China, and India, up to altitudes of about 5300 m. The fox was first described by the British naturalist Brian Houghton Hodgson in 1842. It has the highest sound sensitivity of all foxes. Physical DescriptionThe Tibetan Fox is one of the smaller fox species. It has thick, soft fur that protects it from the winds of the high mountains, with a dense undercoat that is brown to rusty yellow in color. The fur on the sides and rump is colored gray. The tip of the tail is white. The body has a length of 20 to 28 inches from head to body and a tail length of 11.4 to 16 inches. Weight ranges from 7 to 9 lbs. BehaviorMated pairs remain together for life and also hunt together. The mating season begins in late February and ends in late March. After a gestation period of about 50 to 60 days, two to four young are born in a den, and stay with the parents until they are eight to ten months old. Shortly after leaving they will search for mates and territory of their own. In contrast to other fox species, Tibetan foxes are not highly territorial, so they may be found near other foxes. DietTibetan Foxes feed on rodents, ground birds, and lagomorphs. A 1998 dropping analysis of 113 fox droppings to determine the Tibetan Fox diet showed a content of 95 percent black-lipped pika and 2.7 percent Tibetan antelope, most likely scavenged. The remainder consisted of insects, bird feathers, and plants, including Ephedra berries. A previous study in 1986 showed Tibetan woolly hare and a lizard of the Phrynocephalus genus, while a separate study the previous year of 158 droppings in the Qinghai Province of China noted additional content, including Himalayan marmot, Bharal, Himalayan Musk Deer, and livestock.
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Post by Atheron on Jan 11, 2012 8:22:00 GMT -5
Blanford's FoxInformation from WikipediaPlease note that two a.k.a.s of the Blanford's fox are 'Hoary fox' and 'Corsac fox'. There are entirely different species of foxes called Hoary Fox and Corsac fox.The Blanford's Fox (Vulpes cana), is a small fox found in certain regions of the Middle East. Other NamesAfghan fox, corsac, dog fox, hoary fox, and steppe fox. This can be confusing because other species are known as the corsac fox (Vulpes corsac) and the hoary fox (Pseudalopex vetulus). AppearanceLike all desert foxes, the Blanford's fox has large ears which enables it to dissipate heat. However, unlike other desert foxes, it does not have pads covered with hair, which would otherwise protect its paws from hot sand. Its tail is almost equal in length to its body. Its coat is light tan, with white underparts and a black tip on the tail. Shoulder height: 12 in. Head and body length: 17 in. Tail length: 12 in. Weight: 3-6.5 lb. DietOmnivorous, and more frugivorous than other foxes. It prefers seedless grapes, ripe melons and Russian chives when consuming domestic crops. In addition, it eats insects. ReproductionTime of mating: December-January. Gestation period: 50-60 days. Litter size: 1-3 kits. Lactation: 60 days. Age at sexual maturity: 8-12 months. Longevity: Generally 4-5 years, but reported to live up to 10 years.
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Post by Atheron on Jan 11, 2012 8:28:47 GMT -5
Ruppell's FoxInformation from WikipediaRüppell's Fox, Rueppell's Fox or Sand Fox (Vulpes rueppelli) is a species of fox living in North Africa and the Middle East, from Morocco to Afghanistan. It is named after the German collector Eduard Rüppell. It has an average life expectancy of up to 6 or 7 years in the wild, but can live much longer in captivity. Physical AppearanceThe Sand Fox is 16-20.5 inches long and has an average weight of 4 lbs. It is a very small canine, and is considerably smaller than the Red Fox. It is Sandy in color and has black patches on the muzzle, as well as a white tipped tail. The Sand Fox has fur on the pads on its feet, preventing the hot sand from burning them. Similar to other desert dwelling foxes, the Sand Fox has relatively large ears to cool it off. The tail is long and bushy. BehaviorThe Sand Fox relies on scent glands a lot in its life. It uses them to mark territories as well as to spray unwanted predators, similar to the behavior of the skunk. The female Sand Fox uses her scent glands to mark the cubbing den. Another use for the scent glands is that the foxes use them to greet each other. The Sand fox can bark, in a way similar to a dog. Around mating season, the Sand fox travels in monogamous groups, or a male and a female, but after breeding season, the fox reportedly moves in family groups of 3-15 individuals. One Animal occupies about 50-69 square kilometers of territory, though the male's territory is larger than that of the female's. The Sand Fox is nocturnal and gregarious. The animals change dens often, and will abandon a den if there is a dangerous disturbance in the area. Most dens are dug under rocks, or under trees. The Sand Fox was pushed to living in the desert biome due to competition with its larger cousin, the Red Fox. It is known as being an extremely good survivor. The Sand Fox's only predators are the Steppe Eagle and the Eagle Owl. DietThe Sand Fox is a solitary forager. It is an omnivore, and will eat almost anything that crosses its path. Mostly, it is an insectivore, but Its diet also consists of tubers and roots, as well as small mammals, reptiles, eggs, and arachnids. ReproductionThe female Sand Fox has a gestation period of around 51-53 days. She has 2-3 kits, and each are born blind. They are weaned at 6-8 weeks of age. They are born underground, to protect them from predators.
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Post by Atheron on Jan 11, 2012 8:31:47 GMT -5
FennecInformation from WikipediaThe Fennec Fox is a small fox found in the Sahara Desert of North Africa (excluding the coast) and in some parts of Arabia, which has distinctive oversized ears. Although some authorities classify this as the only species of the genus Fennecus, it is shown here in the genus Vulpes. Its name is derived from an Arabic word for "fox". This type of fox is considered rare but not endangered. DescriptionThe fennec is the smallest of the Canidae, weighing up to only 3.3 pounds. The fox is 8 inches tall at the shoulder, with a body length of up to 16 inches. The tail is an additional 10 inches or so, and the ears can be 6 inches long. The animals coats are often a sandy color, allowing them to blend in with their desert surroundings. Its characteristic ears, which are the largest in the canid family, serve to help dissipate heat and to hear the movement of prey at night. Their ears are so sensative that they can hear large insects, such as beetles and locusts, walk upon the sand. The coat can repel sunlight during the day and conserve heat at night. The soles of the feet are protected from the hot sand by thick fur. HabitsThe fennec is nocturnal. It is also an omnivore. During the night, it will hunt for rodents, insects (such as locusts), lizards, birds, and eggs of birds and insects. It also eats a small lizard known as a sandfish. A large portion of the fennec's diet consists of desert vegetation, from which the fennec gets most of its water. This consists of grasses, some roots, and some fruit and berries. They can survive for extremely long periods of time without drinking water, in some cases for years, but will drink water when available. Fennecs live in large dens (extending up to 10 meters or 33 ft), often with several foxes. They are the only pack-oriented breed of fox. Packs of fennecs are called harems and consist of one male 'tod' and a multitude of female 'vixen', sometimes with one or more subordinate male 'omega' to help with the protection of the harem. All other males are evicted from the den as soon as they mature, unless they are able to defeat the alpha tod and evict him instead. These battles are violent, but not often deadly. Evicted males, or 'rogues' wander the desert in search for other harems, where they attempt to displace the resident alpha by fighting, or to find a harem with space for another omega. Omegas are typically not allowed to breed during mating season. Vixens show that they are ready to mate by lying on top of their selected mate. Fennecs are not monogamous. An alpha will have many vixens, while an omega typically will only have one or none. Because of this arrangement, and similar arrangements among lions and cheetahs, wild fennecs are prone to genetic diseases from inbreeding. ReproductionIn the spring, after about 52 days of gestation, a female fennec will give birth to a litter of 2-5 young. Breeding season is normally January through March. The young will rely on their mother's milk for about a month. When the litter of young are born, the female will not allow the male to come into the den until the offspring become older.
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Post by Atheron on Jan 11, 2012 8:33:51 GMT -5
Grey FoxInformation from Wikipedia The Gray Fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) is a species of canid ranging from southern Canada, throughout most of the lower United States and Central America, to Venezuela. This species and the closely related Island Fox are the only living members of the genus Urocyon, which is considered to be among the most primitive of the living canids. DescriptionThe gray fox is small and has a pepper brown back and white smudge around its nose; tawny sides, neck, and legs; a white belly; and a black stripe along its back and tail. Another black stripe crosses its face from the nose to the eye and continuing to the side of the head. Standing about 12-16 inches at the shoulders, the gray fox is an agile canid able to scurry up and down trees with relative ease. Compared to the Red FoxThe red fox is the most commonly known fox. (Note that despite their names, these two species are not close relatives within the Canidae.) The gray fox is somewhat smaller than the red fox. The gray fox has a coat one inch shorter than the red, and is limited to warmer climates than the red, which can be found in polar regions. Its tail, however, is more luxuriant. Both foxes tend to travel in a straight line when not hunting or being hunted. The gray is more reclusive and less tolerant of human presence. The gray can easily climb trees, while the red fox only does so in areas where the two live near each other. In these areas, the red foxes seem to have learned how to climb trees from the gray foxes. They mate in February, at the same time as the coyote, and a few weeks after the red fox.
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Post by Atheron on Jan 11, 2012 8:37:29 GMT -5
Island FoxInformation from WikipediaThe Island Fox (Urocyon littoralis) is a small fox that is native to six of the eight Channel Islands of California. It is the smallest fox species in the United States. There are six subspecies of the fox, each unique to the island it inhabits, reflecting its evolutionary history. Other names for the Island Fox include Coast Fox, Short-Tailed Fox, Island Gray Fox, Channel Islands Fox, Channel Islands Gray Fox, California Channel Island Fox and Insular Gray Fox. The Island Fox shares the Urocyon genus with the mainland Gray Fox, the fox from which it is descended. Its small size is a result of island dwarfing, a kind of allopatric speciation. Because Island Foxes are geographically isolated they have no immunity to parasites and diseases brought in from the mainland and are especially vulnerable to those domestic dogs may carry. In addition, Golden Eagle predation and human activities devastated fox numbers on several of the Channel Islands in the 1990s. Four Island Fox subspecies were federally protected as an endangered species in 2004, and efforts to rebuild fox populations and restore the ecosystems of the Channel Islands are being undertaken. DescriptionThe Island Fox is much smaller than the gray fox, roughly the size of a house cat, and is the second smallest of all foxes after the Fennec. Typically the head-and-body length is18–20 inches, shoulder height is 4–6 inches, and the tail is 4–11 inches long, which is notably shorter than the 10–17 inch tail of the Gray Fox. Island foxes weigh between 2.8–6.2 lbs.. The male is always larger than the female. The largest of the subspecies occurs on Santa Catalina Island and the smallest on Santa Cruz Island. The Island Fox has gray fur on its head, a ruddy red coloring on its sides, white fur on its belly, throat and the lower half of its face, and a black stripe on the dorsal surface of its tail. In general the coat is darker and duller hued than that of the Gray Fox. The Island Fox molts once a year between August and November. Before the first molt pups are woolly and have a generally darker coat than adult foxes. ReproductionIsland Foxes typically form monogamous breeding pairs and are frequently seen together beginning in January and through the breeding season, from late February to early March. The gestation period is 50–63 days. The Island Fox gives birth in a den, a typical litter having one to five kits, with an average of two or three. Kits are born in the spring and emerge from the den in early summer; the mother lactates for 7–9 weeks. Sexual maturity is reached at 10 months, and the females usually breed within the first year. Island Foxes live for 4–6 years in the wild and for up to 8 years in captivity. Ecology and BehaviorTheir preferred habitat is complex layer vegetation with a high density of woody, perennially fruiting shrubs. The foxes live in all of the island biomes including temperate forest, temperate grassland and chaparral, with no island supporting more than 1,000 foxes. Island Foxes eat fruits, insects, birds, eggs, crabs, lizards, and small mammals, including the deer mouse. The foxes tend to move around by themselves, rather than in packs. They are generally nocturnal, albeit with peaks of activity at dawn and dusk. Activity also fluctuates with the season; they are more active during the day in summer than they are in winter. Island Foxes are not intimidated by humans, although at first may show aggression. They are quite easy to tame and are generally docile. Island foxes communicate with each other using auditory, olfactory and visual signals. A dominant fox uses vocalizations, staring, and ear flattening to cause another fox to submit. They mark territory with urine and feces.
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Post by Atheron on Jan 11, 2012 8:40:51 GMT -5
Conzumel FoxInformation from WikipediaThe Cozumel Fox (Urocyon sp.) is an unnamed species of fox which is apparently close to extinction or even already extinct, is (or was until recently) found on the island of Cozumel, Mexico (Cuarón et al., 2004). The Cozumel Fox, which has not been scientifically described to date, is a dwarf form like the Island Fox but slightly larger, being up to three-quarters the size of the Gray Fox (Gompper et al., 2006). Bat-Eared FoxInformation from WikipediaThe Bat-eared Fox is a canid of the African savanna. It is named after its huge ears. Bat-eared Foxes have tawny fur, their ears, legs and parts of the face are black. They are 55 cm in length (head and body), their ears are 13 cm long. It is the only species in the genus Otocyon. The teeth of the Bat-eared Fox are much smaller than teeth of other canid species. This is an adaptation to their insectivorous diet. 80% of the diet consist of insects. Bat-eared Foxes visit termite hills, follow locust swarms or stay close to herds of zebras or antelopes in order to feed on the insects landing on their excrements. In addition to insects Bat-eared Foxes eat rodents, birds and eggs, and sometimes fruits. Bat-eared Foxes are nocturnal animals that live in small groups consisting of a couple and their young. The pairs live in dens and raise the pups (two to five) together. Mated pairs are very social and are monagamous, although it is unknown if they mate for life. Due to their unusual teeth, Bat-eared Foxes were once considered as a distinct subfamily of canids (Otocyoninae). However, according to more recent examinations, they are closely related to the true foxes of the genus Vulpes. Other research places the genus as an outgroup which is not very closely related to foxes. The Bat-eared Fox is an old species that was widely distributed in the Pleistocene era. In that time it even lived in parts of West and South Asia.
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Post by Atheron on Jan 11, 2012 8:45:12 GMT -5
Swift FoxInformation from WikipediaThe Swift Fox (Vulpes velox) is a small fox found in the western grasslands of North America, such as Colorado, New Mexico and Texas. They also live in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta in Canada. General CharacteristicsSwift foxes weigh 4 to 7 pounds. The average size is 2.8 feet long, with a tail ranging in length between nine and thirteen inches. They are primarily nocturnal, and are more heavily dependent on their dens than most North American canids. They suffer serious predation by coyotes. Like most canids, the swift fox is an omnivore. Rabbits, mice, ground squirrels, birds, insects and lizards are staples. Grasses and fruits round out their diet. However, like any efficient forager, the swift fox takes advantage of seasonal foods. During the summer, adults eat large amounts of insects, including beetles and grasshoppers and feed their young with larger prey items. Winter-killed deer and other carrion may also be important food sources. Adult swift foxes live in pairs and may mate for life. They may occupy up to thirteen dens in one year, moving because prey is scarce or because skin parasites build up inside the den. Sometimes they make other burrows from other animals bigger, even though they are completely capable of digging one on their own. Recent research has shown that social organization in the swift fox is unusual among canids, since it is based on the females. Females maintain territories at all times, but males emigrate if the resident female is killed or removed. Kit FoxInformation from WikipediaThe Kit Fox (Vulpes macrotis) is a relatively common North American fox. Its range extends into northern Mexico. Some mammalogists classify it as conspecific with the Swift Fox V. velox, but molecular systematics imply that the two species are distinct. It has a generally gray coat, with rusty tones, and a black tip to its tail. Unlike the Gray Fox it has no stripe along the length of its tail. Hunting/Eating HabitsThe Kit Fox is mostly a nocturnal animal but sometimes ventures out of its den during the day. The Kit Fox usually goes out to hunt shortly after sunset, mostly eating small animals like kangaroo rats, jackrabbits, insects, fish, and small birds. Different Kit Fox families can occupy the same hunting grounds, but do not generally go hunting at the same time. MatingMale and female Kit Foxes establish pairs during October and November. Pairs can change year to year. They mate from December to February, when they use larger family dens. Litters are born throughout March and April, usually containing 3 to 14 young foxes.
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