Red Fox

Name: Red Fox

Scientific name: Vulpes vulpes

Category: Mammals

Nature Stars: 90

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About:

A common and familiar animal, our only wild member of the dog family. An omnivorous animal, foxes feed on small mammals, birds, frogs, earthworms and carrion, but will also eat berries and fruit. Now just as likely to be seen in towns and cities as in the countryside, where it feeds on food scraps in bins as well as catching pigeons and rats. Males bark, while females make a spine-chilling scream, heard mostly in the winter when their courtship takes place.

Find out more about the fox on its Feature Creature page.

How to identify: A medium-sized dog, about 80cm long with a tail of around 40cm. Orangey-brown above, white below, with black tips to the ears, darker brown feet and a white tip to the bushy orange tail (the 'brush').

Where: Widespread, found everywhere except for the Channel Islands, the Isles of Scilly, Scottish islands and the Isle of Man

Natural Superpowers

• Predator: 90
• Agility: 70
• Rarity: 40
• Cute factor: 80
• Traveller: 60

Fantastic fact: Foxes live in a burrow system called an 'earth'.

Photograph credit: Elliot Smith