
Classification/taxonomyįoxes belong to several genera in the Canid family. Foxes in zoos, for example, can live 10 to 12 years.Ī fox breeding program in Russia may help reveal the genetic roots of domestication of animals. They often live only around three years, according to the Animal Diversity Web. Even older siblings will help take care of their younger brother and sisters by bringing them food.įoxes live very short lives in the wild. Both the mother and father share the care of pups. There are usually two to seven pups in a litter. The pregnant female only carries her pups for a gestation period of 53 days. This special room in the burrow is called a nesting chamber. After mating, females will make a nest of leaves inside her burrow on which to have her pups. During mating season, the female will cry out to let males know that she is ready. What they don't eat, they often bury under leaves or snow for later. If they have trouble finding food, a fox will have no problem raiding trash cans to find scraps.įoxes can eat up to several pounds of food a day. Foxes that live near the ocean eat fish and crabs, as well. They round out their diet with birds, fruits and bugs, according to the Smithsonian.

A fox's diet can consist of small animals, such as lizards, voles, rats, mice, rabbits and hares. This means that they eat meat and vegetation. That is almost as fast as the blackbuck antelope, one of the world's fastest animals. Their eyes are much like a cat's thanks to their vertically slit pupils.įoxes are also very fast. They can see just as well as a cat, in fact. If they live in a place where they feel safe, a fox pack may hunt during the daytime, according to National Parks and Wildlife Service of Ireland.įoxes have great eyesight. This can change, though, depending on where the fox pack lives. This means that they sleep during the day.

These mammals like to hunt at night and are nocturnal.
