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Foxes are mammals that are closely related to dogs and jackals. They all belong to the dog family, Canidae. Scientists have classified 10 or so species of foxes in the genus Vulpes. However, several other foxes belong to other genera. These include the North American gray fox and the Arctic fox.

Foxes live in North and South America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. European settlers introduced the red fox to Australia in the mid-1800s. In most regions where the fox has forest cover, it has survived in spite of hunting, trapping, and poisoning.

Physical Features and Behavior

Foxes resemble small to medium-sized dogs with long fur, pointed ears, and narrow snouts. The tails are long and bushy. The smallest foxes weigh about 3 pounds (1.5 kilograms) and the largest weigh about 17 pounds (8 kilograms).

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All foxes commonly live in burrows though they sometimes make their homes in hollow stumps or rock crevices. They hide by day, and by night they hunt birds and small animals, such as gophers and rabbits. Occasionally they eat frogs, fish, insects, and berries. Among the calls of the fox are a quick yapping bark and a shrill howl. The female fox is called a vixen. She bears her young—called kits, cubs, or pups—in the spring. There are from one to 10 kits in a litter.

Kinds of Foxes

Chris Russoniello/U.S. National Park Service

The most abundant species of fox throughout the world is the red, or common, fox (V. vulpes). This is the fox that has a reputation for being sly and clever. It often appears as a character in folktales. The red fox most commonly has upper parts that are reddish brown in color. The under parts and tip of the tail are white. The feet and the lower forelegs are black. However, the red fox has other fur colors. Black and silver coats are found in North America. These animals have black fur with varying amounts of white spread throughout.

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The gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) lives in the Americas, from Canada to northern South America. It has gray fur with a reddish color on the neck, ears, and legs. It is a good tree climber.

The Arctic fox (Alopex lagopus) lives in the Arctic regions. The Arctic fox has two different color phases. Individuals of the white phase are grayish brown in summer and white in winter. Those of the blue phase are grayish in summer and gray-blue in winter.

The swift fox (V. velox) lives on the plains of western North America. The size of a small domestic cat, it is the smallest fox in North America. The swift fox is gray to yellowish brown and has a black-tipped tail. It is known for its swiftness and agility.

Anthony Mercieca—The National Audubon Society Collection/Photo Researchers

The fennec (Fennecus zerda) lives in the deserts of northern Africa. It is the smallest of the foxes. It has whitish to sand-colored fur to help it blend in with the environment. It has large ears that help not only in hunting but also in cooling its body.

Mark Boulton—The National Audubon Society Collection/Photo Researchers

Other fox species include the sand fox (V. rueppelli), the pale fox (V. pallida), and the bat-eared fox (Otocyon megalotis). They are all native to Africa. The Bengal, or Indian, fox (V. bengalensis) is found in India. The corsac fox (V. corsac) inhabits steppes and semideserts of eastern Eurasia. The crab-eating fox (Cerdocyon thous) of South America is easily tamed and is sometimes kept as a pet.