Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes)
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...
Read MoreRelaxing Kit
Right after I mentioned I had been having trouble seeing and photographing any of my Red Fox kits one decided it wanted to cooperate! These were taken Tuesday afternoon. You can see a sibling behind it in the vegetation in one of the photos, but this one was sunning and cleaning itself out in the open on the den’s bank. It knows it can dart inside in a flash if needed. That red is really coming on… Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
Read MoreFox Kit Exploration
This is one of “my” Red Fox kits, originally six that emerged several weeks ago. It now seems that we unfortunately only have five left, and one of those five is a small individual who gets picked on too much by its siblings. This is not too much of a surprise given that the sixth seemed to have quite an infection of its eye, as its parents both did at various points. The pups are exploring much more on their own now, being more afraid of humans than they were as they grow up to realize what danger means. This is about as good a look I have gotten recently. Maybe they will be...
Read MoreGrowing Fox Family
As summer approaches, these little ones will be on the move more and more in order to prepare themselves for life on their own. Red fox kits typically stay with their mothers until they reach about seven months old. During that time, they will develop their hunting skills through playtime, hunting the prey brought back by mom and slowly through their own exploration outside of the safety of their dens to seek and stalk prey species close by. By fall, these young foxes will be on their own and will have to rely on their own hunting skills to get a meal. These little ones living down the...
Read MoreRed Fox Kits at Den
Check out the video evidence of this Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) family growing up and all the more red! Taken at the second and more hidden entrance to their den, you can even see them teething on some of the branches covering it up! So cute it hurts.
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