California
Vulpes vulpes  Ronald Laubenstein, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service | |
| Type of Animal: | Mammals |
|---|---|
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Carnivora |
| Family: | Canidae |
| Federal Status: | |
| State Status: | |
| Occurrence: | |
| Habitat: | Farmland,Woodland,Scrubland |
| Description: | Red foxes occur on many of the continents of the world. They prefer to live in diverse habitats, but they stray from densely vegetated areas such as forests. Red foxes also have a diverse diet, and they will change their eating patterns to accommodate the season and habitat. Red foxes most commonly eat small mammals such as rabbits and voles, but they will also eat birds, berries, and insects. These foxes tend to store extra food underground for times when food is scarce. Red foxes tend to spend most of their time alone, and they pair up only during the breeding season in the winter. The young, called kits, are born between February and April. There are usually five to ten kits per litter. They leave home at about seven months, although the female young may stay longer. When the breeding season is over, all of the foxes disperse and live alone until the next breeding season when they will mate again. Red foxes have few predators, although this species does compete with the coyote for space. Historically, red foxes were a favorite prey of hunters. In fact, many of these foxes were imported to the Eastern United States from England for the purpose of hunting. Hunting and trapping had a negative impact on the red fox population at one time, but now the red fox population is rising and is even extending its range. |
| Effort: | |
| References: | Jameson et al. 1988. California Mammals. Wilson et al. (editors). 1999. The Smithsonian Book of North American Mammals. Whitaker (editor). 1998. National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Mammals, Revised Edition. Zeiner et al. (editors). 1990. California’s Wildlife, Volume III, Mammals. |
| Other Sites: | |
| Field Office(s): | Bakersfield; Eagle Lake; Hollister; Palm Springs; Redding |