Pale Foxes (Vulpes pallida)

 

(Due to the lack of information on the subspecies belonging to the Pale Fox it has not been possible to make specific pages for each subspecies. We hope to have more information in the future to give them the representation they deserve!)

THE PALE FOX

The pale fox (Vulpes pallida) is a species of fox found in the band of African Sahel from Senegal in the west to Sudan in the east. It is one of the least studied of all canid species, in part due to its remote habitat and its sandy coat that blends in well with the desert-like terrain.

The pale fox is a small fox, with a long body and relatively short legs and an narrow muzzle. The fur is quite thin, with a pale sandy colour that turns white towards the abdomen. The back is often speckled with a blackish or a rufous colouration, with a darker mid-dorsal line. The flanks are paler than the dorsal pelage, blending into buffy-white underparts, and the legs are rufous. It has a pale face, an elongated muzzle with relatively long whiskers, and a dark ring surrounding the eye.

Its tail is long and bushy, with a reddish brown color with a prominent black tip and a dark patch above the tail gland. The skull is small with a relatively short maxillary region and small sharp canine teeth. The ears are large compared to other foxes but is typical of a desert inhabiting canid. There is no sexual dimorphism in this species. 

About the species

Reproduction and behavior 

• Gestation: 51-53 days. 
• Young per birth: 3-6. 
• Weaning: 42-56 days.
• Life span: 4 years, up to 16 in captivity.  
• Breeding season: From April to June, before the rainy season. 

Young are born in self-dug burrows. Social behavior: Pairs or small groups with 3 adults (1 female and 2 males). The pale fox is able to relocate southwards and northwards in relation to the periodic droughts that affect the regions they inhabit.

The pale fox typically inhabits stony deserts and semi-deserts although it occasionally ventures south into the savanna. The pale foxes are primarily nocturnal. They are gregarious, living in shared burrows, probably in small family groups with parents and their young. During the day they rest in dug burrows that can extend up to 15 meters long and descend up to 2 meters to the ground, at dusk they venture out and forage for food, which includes plants and berries as well as rodents, reptiles and insects. It has the ability to retain water from its food, and can go almost completely without drinking.

Diet and interaction with the environment

Their diet consists in insects and fruits, but may also prey on small mammals (rodents), reptiles, ground-nesting birds and their eggs; they may also prey on domestic fowl. They are unable to tolerate totally waterless conditions, although they can survive dry seasons, presumably on the residual moisture in their prey. 

Main predators: Eagles, owls. Since the pale fox is one of the least known Canids, little is known about its movements and home ranges. Predominantly nocturnal, it is active from dusk until dawn, resting during the day in self-dug burrows. The burrows are large, with tunnels extending 10-15m and opening into small chambers lined with dry vegetable material. Fecal latrines are located just outside these burrows. Mated pairs are territorial, with home ranges of between 3 and 10 km2 in Niger.

Habitat:

They are native to Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, South Suda and Sudan. Found in the semi-arid Sahel of Africa, bordering the Sahara to the North. The southern limit of its range extends into the Northern Guinean savanna zones. It ranges from Mauritania, Senegal and Gambia through Nigeria, Cameroon and Chad to the Red Sea. The actual presence in Guinea (northern part) is unknown. 

Their habitat consists in dry, sandy and stony marginal sub-Saharan desert and semi-desert areas, but it may also inhabit moister savanna areas, and areas near human habitation and cultivated fields.

Conservation status: Least Concern. Estimated population of 100,000, being one of the least known canids, but it seems relatively widespread in the ecological band between the true desert of the Sahara and the sub-Saharan savannas. No major threats are known, although they may be persecuted locally since they are known to kill domestic fowl.

Physiognomic information:

• Body length: 41-47cm (♂), 42-47 cm (♀).
• Tail length: 18-22 cm
• Height: 25 cm 
• Weight: from 1.2 kg (♂), 1.2 kg (♀), to between 2.0kg or 3.6kg depending on the subspecies.

Taxonomy: 

Five subspecies are recognized: Vulpes pallida pallida (Kordofan Pale Fox, includes sabbar, found in Kordofan in Sudan, South Sudan, Eritrea and Ethiopia); Vulpes pallida oertzeni (South Sahel Pale Fox, found in North Cameroon, Chad, Northeastern Nigeria, and Darfur in Sudan); Vulpes pallida harterti (Nigerian Pale Fox, found in Burkina Faso, Benin, Niger and Northern Nigeria); Vulpes pallida edwardsi (Edward’s Pale Fox, found in Mali, Southern Mauritania, Senegal and Gambia) and Vulpes pallida cyrenaica (found in Southeastern Lybia, Northwestern Sudan and mainly in Chad). There is insufficient data available to assess the validity of these subspecies, and variation may be clinal.

Similar species includes the North African Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes), sympatric only in Northern Sudan, is larger, with shorter legs and ears dark backed and more pointed; the Fennec Fox (Vulpes zerda), sympatric in northern parts of the range, is smaller, with proportionately longer ears and the Rüppell’s Fox (Vulpes rueppellii) has larger ears, and its tail is usually white tipped.

Here the taxonomic tree of the five subspecies: 

Gallery:

Sources: 

Inaturalist

Canids of the World

Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)

Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) 

Canids.org

Wikipedia

Nova Scotia Red Fox (Vulpes fulva rubricosa)

 

THE NOVA SCOTIA RED FOX

The Nova Scotia Red Fox (also known as its full geographic dispersion name "Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador Red Fox") is a small to medium-sized canid, with long and slender legs and pointed muzzle, and long brush-like tail. One of the largest subspecies of North American Red Fox, smaller than Eurasian Red Foxes, darker in color, with a large, very broad and bushy tail. It's also the deepest-colored subspecies.

Black, silver and cross color phases are common. Pelage is variable, pale golden fulvous to deep rich and very dark fulvous. Throat and chest are white. Muzzle slender and pointed, white on upper lip. Ears relatively large, pointed, erect, black backed and usually white inside. Black legs usually up to the thighs. Tail is very long, thick, and bushy, pale buffy yellowish to rich dark fulvous, mixed with black hairs, most abundant below, and white tipped. Females are slightly smaller than males.

ABOUT THE CROSS FOXES

Cross foxes are a color phase or morph of the red fox species found mainly in North America. They are not a separate species but rather a variation in coloration within the red fox population. The name "cross fox" refers to the dark cross-shaped pattern on their back, which is formed by a dark stripe running down the middle of the back and another stripe across the shoulders.

The cross fox's coloration is a result of a genetic variation that produces a mix of red, black, and silver fur. Their fur is predominantly reddish-brown, but with black fur occurring along the back and shoulders. The black fur often forms a distinct cross pattern, which gives them their name. Some cross foxes may have silver or gray fur on the sides, while others can display variations in color intensity and pattern.

These foxes are primarily found in the northern regions of North America, including parts of Canada, Alaska, and the northern United States. They inhabit a variety of habitats, including forests, tundra, grasslands, and even suburban areas.

Reproduction and behavior 

• Gestation: 51-53 days. 
• Young per birth: 4-8.
• Weaning: 56-70 days. 
• Sexual maturity: 12 months. 
• Life span: 6 years. 
• Breeding season: December to March, with peak activity in late January.

Young are born during March and early April. Both parents take part in raising the pups. Family groups stay intact until mid-September, when pups begin to disperse. Most of the dispersal takes place during mid-September to early October with greatest dispersal distances occurring from October through December. 

Males generally disperse twice the distance of females, commonly moving 30-65km before settling in new territories. Quite often female's offspring will remain close to, or share their mother’s territories. Related females tolerate each other’s presence, but territories of unrelated females are clearly defined and adhered to. Social behavior: Mated pairs during the breeding season. Monogamous; the pair may separate during the year, but will reunite for mating. 

Diet and interaction with the environment

Their diet consists in small rodents and other small to mid-sized mammals (voles, snowshoe hares, lemmings, squirrels, rabbits and mice); additional spring foods include grasses and forbs, birds and bird eggs, and carrion; they rely heavily on berries, plants and insects during the summer; apples are utilized when they become available. 

Main predators: Coyote, Wolf, lynx. Most active from dusk to dawn, moving away from secure den sites primarily during the hours of darkness. They hunt mostly toward sunset, during night and early morning. Home range sizes vary considerably, depending on food abundance, degree of interspecific and intraspecific competition, type and diversity of habitat, and presence of natural and physical barriers (0.7-2.3 km2 on Prince Edward Island, 32 km2 in Maine). 

Home ranges of males clearly overlap those of at least 1 or more females. They oftentimes travel much of their home range each night. They use smelly droppings and urine as scent markings to define territories. Red foxes have a sharp bark, used when startled and to warn other foxes.

Habitat:

Native to Canada. Found in Nova Scotia, including Cape Breton Island, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, central Quebec to south end of James Bay, and northeastern Ontario west to Lake Superior. 

They inhabit a variety of habitats, closely associated with areas where crop land and fields are intermixed with adjacent wooded tracts. Logging and farming activities open the forest canopy and improve conditions for Red Fox. On Prince Edward Island they prefer dunes, shrubs, agricultural fields, and human-use habitats, while forest and water habitats are used less. They avoid burned and open conifer forest.

Conservation status: Least Concern. Leading causes of mortality include trapping, hunting, and road kills. Rabies and sarcoptic mange are natural mortality factors which can substantially decrease local populations. The recent increase in coyote numbers and distribution in this area may have adverse affects on its population.

Physiognomic information:

• Body length: 66.5-74.5 cm (♂), 57.9-62.6 cm (♀).
• Tail length: 33.6-44.5 cm 
• Height: 35-45 cm 
• Weight: 4.1-7.3 kg (♂), 3.6-5.7 kg (♀)
• Skull: 15 cm

Taxonomy: 

The North American red foxes have been traditionally considered either as subspecies of the Old World red foxes, Vulpes vulpes, or subspecies of their own species, Vulpes fulva. Due to the opinion that North American red foxes were introduced from Europe, all North American red foxes have been seen as conspecific with Vulpes vulpes; however, genetic analyses of global red fox haplotypes indicates that the North American red foxes have been genetically isolated from the Old World populations for 400,000 years, prompting possible application of Vulpes fulva to all North American red foxes. 

At least 9 subspecies are generally recognized in North America (Aubry, 1983 and 2009, Kamler and Ballard, 2002; Sacks, 2010): Vulpes fulva fulva (Eastern United States), Vulpes fulva rubricosa (central and E Canada), Vulpes fulva regalis, Vulpes fulva alascensis (boreal Alaska), Vulpes fulva abietorum (boreal Canada), Vulpes fulva macroura (Rocky Mountains), Vulpes fulva cascadensis (Cascade Range), Vulpes fulva necator (Sierra Nevada) and Vulpes fulva patwin (Sacramento Valley). 

Castello (2018) has formalized treatment of Vulpes fulva as a separate species from the Old World Vulpes vulpes. In 2014, Mark J. Statham among others released a study that supports Vulpes fulva as a separate species from the Old World Vulpes vulpes. More about the Vulpes vulpes fulva and Vulpes fulva discussion: 

• Blackfoxes
• Furbearer
• Wikipedia

Gallery:

Due to the similarity in appearance between North American Red Foxes, some of the images may be erroneous. That's why I haven't found any videos about this subspecies either, if you think you have any image or video of the Vulpes fulva rubricosa let me know in the comments or contact me on any of my social networks (@etzharai). 

Sources: 

Canids of the World

Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)

Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) 

Wikipedia

Northern Plains Red Fox (Vulpes fulva regalis)

 

THE NORTHERN PLAINS RED FOX

The largest North American red fox subspecies; it has long and slender legs and pointed muzzle, and long brush-like tail. A large-sized subspecies of North American Red Fox, with very large and broad ears, and very long tail. Pelage is golden yellow or pale yellowish fulvous, becoming almost buffy white on face and posterior part of back. The cross coloured foxes are more commonly seen in this subspecies. 

Throat and chest are white. Face, top of head and base of ears pale straw yellow becoming pale fulvous around eyes, with a darker area on each side of nose. Muzzle slender and pointed, white on upper lip. Ears large, pointed, erect, black backed and usually white inside. Legs abruptly red or rusty fulvous, in striking contrast with yellow of body. Black of feet very pure but restricted in area. Tail is long, golden yellow at the base, without black hairs, with the rest of tail to white tip buffy, strongly intermixed with long black hairs, especially on underside. Females are smaller than males.

ABOUT THE CROSS FOXES

Cross foxes are a color phase or morph of the red fox species found mainly in North America. They are not a separate species but rather a variation in coloration within the red fox population. The name "cross fox" refers to the dark cross-shaped pattern on their back, which is formed by a dark stripe running down the middle of the back and another stripe across the shoulders.

The cross fox's coloration is a result of a genetic variation that produces a mix of red, black, and silver fur. Their fur is predominantly reddish-brown, but with black fur occurring along the back and shoulders. The black fur often forms a distinct cross pattern, which gives them their name. Some cross foxes may have silver or gray fur on the sides, while others can display variations in color intensity and pattern.

These foxes are primarily found in the northern regions of North America, including parts of Canada, Alaska, and the northern United States. They inhabit a variety of habitats, including forests, tundra, grasslands, and even suburban areas.

Reproduction and behavior 

• Gestation: 51-53 days. 
• Young per birth: 1-9.
• Weaning: 56-90 days. 
• Sexual maturity: 12 months. 
• Life span: around 5 years. 
• Breeding season: January and February. 

Young are born in March or April. Dens may be burrows dug by themselves, abandoned ones previously used by other Foxes or other species, various natural cavities such as caves, hollow trees and logs, openings in very thick brush or piles of wood debris, or in structures such as barns and other outbuildings, grain elevators, haystacks and culverts. Some dens may be reused year after year. 

At birth, pups weigh about 100 grams and are blind, and will remain in the den for 3-4 weeks. During this period, both parents work to bring food to the den. Foxes often have more than one den and if a den is disturbed, they will move their young to another den. All juveniles disperse when they are 6-8 months old. The longest dispersal distances are made by males. Dispersal by adults also occurs, usually in response to reduced availability of food on the home range. Social behavior: Mated pairs during the breeding season are monogamous.

Diet and interaction with the environment

Their diet consists in rabbits, mice, ground squirrels, small mammals, birds, carrion, poultry, insects, fruits, and small amounts of plant material are eaten by foxes; when rabbits and mice are abundant, they make up the bulk of the food supply, but if they are scarce, they will turn to other less easily caught species such as muskrats and game birds. They also eat fruit, insects and carrion. 

Main predators: Coyote, Wolf, cougar, lynx. Most active at night, though it may be seen hunting or traveling at any time of day. Solitary hunters and do not hunt in packs. Except for the period when the young are small, they do not use dens extensively. During the day they rest in some secluded spot or on some open ridge where they can see any approaching danger. Even in the coldest weather they do not usually seek the shelter or den. They are territorial and home ranges of family groups rarely overlap.

Habitat:

Native to Canada and United States, is found in central Canada, from west side of Great Lakes and southwest side of Hudson Bay throughout northwest Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and East  Alberta; and in Northern-central United States, Northern Plains, including Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas and Missouri. Subspecific status of foxes in Nunavut is unclear. 

They inhabit wide variety of habitats including prairies, forests, small patches of timber interspersed with pastures, agricultural fields and urban areas. Their distribution and density may be limited by competition with and avoidance of coyotes.

Conservation status: least concern, it's one of the most common ref fox species / subspecies. Their only concern is due to the habitat loss due to human action or interaction with coyotes. 

Physiognomic information:

• Body length: 65-70 cm 
• Tail length: 39-42 cm  
• Height: 38-45 cm 
• Weight: 3.2-11.3 kg
• Skull: 15 cm

Taxonomy: 

The North American red foxes have been traditionally considered either as subspecies of the Old World red foxes, Vulpes vulpes, or subspecies of their own species, Vulpes fulva. Due to the opinion that North American red foxes were introduced from Europe, all North American red foxes have been seen as conspecific with Vulpes vulpes; however, genetic analyses of global red fox haplotypes indicates that the North American red foxes have been genetically isolated from the Old World populations for 400,000 years, prompting possible application of Vulpes fulva to all North American red foxes. 

At least 9 subspecies are generally recognized in North America (Aubry, 1983 and 2009, Kamler and Ballard, 2002; Sacks, 2010): Vulpes fulva fulva (Eastern United States), Vulpes fulva rubricosa (central and E Canada), Vulpes fulva regalis, Vulpes fulva alascensis (boreal Alaska), Vulpes fulva abietorum (boreal Canada), Vulpes fulva macroura (Rocky Mountains), Vulpes fulva cascadensis (Cascade Range), Vulpes fulva necator (Sierra Nevada) and Vulpes fulva patwin (Sacramento Valley). 

Castello (2018) has formalized treatment of Vulpes fulva as a separate species from the Old World Vulpes vulpes. In 2014, Mark J. Statham among others released a study that supports Vulpes fulva as a separate species from the Old World Vulpes vulpes. More about the Vulpes vulpes fulva and Vulpes fulva discussion: 

• Blackfoxes
• Furbearer
• Wikipedia

Gallery:

Due to the similarity in appearance between North American Red Foxes, some of the images may be erroneous. That's why I haven't found any videos about this subspecies either, if you think you have any image or video of the Vulpes fulva regalis let me know in the comments or contact me on any of my social networks (@etzharai). 

Sources: 

Canids of the World

Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)

Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) 

Wikipedia