This Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) is a “vixen” (female), and the only reason I know that is because she is a dear old friend. The Red Fox pair who breed on the Stratford Point property are well known to us, and we are well known to them. The male, usually called a “dog”, has a scar on his face and a damaged eye. They are intelligent and inquisitive creatures, and they do learn a little about who is around them frequently and whether or not they are a threat. In this case she was very sleepy and sunning as she snoozed, making her all the more relaxed around me in her drowsy state (note the yawn).
I took those photos with a 500mm lens, so we are not as close as it appears. In the late fall and early winter Red Fox dig their dens (they already had a couple and now have a new one here, check) and start the courtship process that leads to mating in January or February followed by kits a couple months later. When you think of how many other creatures are simply trying to survive this time of year…they are a very impressive species! I hope we have a new family with us again in a few months.
Scott Kruitbosch
Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
