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

Sacramento Valley Red Fox (Vulpes fulva patwin)

 

THE SACRAMENTO VALLEY RED FOX

A small to medium-sized fox, with long and slender legs and pointed muzzle, and long brush-like tail. A large-sized and lankier subspecies of North American Red Fox. Pelage is dark dull rusty fulvous, becoming paler on sides. Throat and chest are white. Face dull fulvous, grizzled with whitish. Sides of nose dusky, grizzled with buffy. Muzzle slender and pointed, white on upper lip. Ears relatively large, pointed, erect, black backed, white inside. Black legs. Tail is relatively small, fulvous in color at base, becoming buffy whitish and profusely mixed with long black hairs, base with a black spot, and white tip. Females are smaller than males.

Reproduction and behavior 

• Gestation: 61-63 days. 
• Young per birth: 1-10.
• Weaning: 56-70 days. 
• Sexual maturity: 12 months. 
• Life span: 6 years. 
• Breeding season: December and January.

Most births occur in late February and early March. Den sites are closely associated with grasslands and occur away from flooded agriculture, wetlands and heavily urbanized areas. Den sites may be excavated ground squirrel burrows, or located under sheds or woodpiles, in culverts, road cuts, and between buildings. Social behavior: mated pairs are monogamous.

Diet and interaction with the environment

Their diet consists mainly in small mammals, berries, plants. The main predators are the coyote and the dogs. Gray Foxes affect the distribution and abundance of Sacramento Valley Red Foxes, probably through exploitative competition, resulting in exclusion from riparian areas or patches of dense vegetation capable of providing refuge from Coyotes. However, direct interference from coyotes is probably far more significant than exploitative competition with Gray Foxes.

Habitat:

Native to United States, it is endemic to the Sacramento Valley, in California, occurring from Cottonwood to the Delta, west of the Sacramento River, and from Chico to Sacramento, East of the Sacramento River. Hybridization with introduced Red Foxes is found on the Southern and Southeastern margins of the range, possibly facilitated by low densities of native Foxes in these areas. 

All Red Foxes south of the American River and Delta and West of the Sacramento Valley (Sonoma County), in lowland areas, are probably introduced Red Foxes, which derive largely from fur farm stock exhibiting ancestry from an admixture of diverse and phylogenetically distant sources.

Their habitat consists mostly in arid grasslands. They usually avoid flooded agriculture and wetlands, and heavily urbanized areas, which marks an important difference from non-native Red Foxes. They may use areas close to human structures if heavy cover is nearby.

Conservation status: It may qualify for threatened or endangered status. Anecdotal and genetic evidence suggest that this subspecies has declined considerably in abundance and range. While introgression occurs and could pose a greater threat in the future, some type of reproductive barrier with non-native Foxes appears to be in place.

Physiognomic information:

• Body length: 67.2 cm (♂), 65.2 cm (♀)
• Tail length: 41-42 cm 
• Height: 35-45 cm
• Weight: 4.7 kg (♂), 4.0 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

The Sacramento Valley red fox is the last subspecies of North American red fox to be catalogued (in 2010), so there is little taxonomic information on this subspecies in many databases. You can read more info about this here and here.

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 patwin let me know in the comments or contact me on any of my social networks (@etzharai). 

Sources: 

Canids of the World

Articles by Benjamin N. Sacks

Mammalian Ecology and Conservation Unit

Wikipedia 

Sierra Nevada Red Fox (Vulpes fulva necator)

 

THE SIERRA NEVADA RED FOX

Also known as High Sierra Red Fox, is small-sized canid, with long and slender legs and pointed muzzle, and long brush-like tail. A montane, small-sized subspecies of North American Red Fox, with a relatively short tail. Pelage is dark dull rusty fulvous, resembling that of fulvus, becoming much paler on sides, where the whitish underfur shows through. Externally is similar to Vulpes fulva fulva; it has a short tail, but cranially it is more like Vulpes fulva macroura.

Throat and chest are white. Face dull fulvous, strongly grizzled with whitish. Sides of nose dusky, darker than in fulvus, grizzled with buffy. Cross and silver color phases are very common in this subspecies. Black of legs much restricted. Tail is relatively small, differing widely from the big tail of macrourus, fulvous in color at base, becoming buffy whitish and profusely mixed with long black hairs, base with a black spot, and white tip. White-tipped tails are common to all color phases.

It is likely one of the most endangered mammals in North America. The High Sierra fox shares most of its physical characteristics with the red fox, though it is slightly smaller and has some special adaptions for travel over snow. The High Sierra fox was discovered as a subspecies in 1937, but its study lapsed for more than half a century before its populations were rediscovered beginning in 1993. This subspecies of red fox may live up to 6 years.

Reproduction and behavior 

• Gestation: 51-53 days. 
• Young per birth: 2-3.
• Weaning: 56-70 days. 
• Sexual maturity: 12 months. 
• Life span: 5-6 years. 
• Breeding season: Between December and March.

Similar to lowland-dwelling North American Red Fox subspecies, births occur from March through May in sheltered dens. Social behavior: Mated pairs and monogamous, reproductive output is generally low in montane foxes.

Diet and interaction with the environment

The Sierra Nevada Red Foxes are opportunistic predators and foragers, with a diet primarily composed of small rodents, but also including deer carrion, particularly in winter and spring, and manzanita berries, particularly in fall. Main predators: Golden eagle. 

Most active at dusk and at night when many rodents are most active. This montane subspecies is characterized by specialized adaptations to cold areas, including a particularly thick and deep winter coat, small toe pads that are completely covered in winter by dense fur to facilitate movement over snow, a smaller size that may also facilitate movement over snow by lowering weight supported per square centimeter of foot pad. Its smaller size may also be due to reduced abundance of prey at higher elevations. In Lassen, home ranges range from 0.03 to 6.9 km2 in summer, larger in winter. At Sonora Pass home ranges average 9.1 km2.

Habitat:

Native to United States, only two populations persist today; one near Lassen Volcanic National Park, and a second near Yosemite National Park and Sonora Pass. Some authors include Red Foxes of the Oregon Cascades in this subspecies. Subspecific status of Foxes in Nevada is unknown. 

Their habitat consists in multiple habitat types in the alpine and subalpine zones (near and above tree line), meadows and rocky areas. 

Conservation status: Critically Imperiled. Regional status: Critically endangered, and possibly declining, with an estimated population likely less than 50. Main threats include small population size and isolation, hybridization with non-native Red Fox, climate change, and competition and predation from coyotes. It is protected from hunting and trapping by California fish and game laws. It does not enjoy any elevated conservation status in the states of Oregon or Nevada.

Physiognomic information:

• Body length: 67.5 cm (♂), 61.3 cm (♀) 
• Tail length: 35-38 cm 
• Height: 35-40 cm
• Weight: 4-4.2 kg (♂), 3.3-3.5 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 necator 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