About the Gray Fox

The gray fox is prevalent in North America and parts of South America, according to the website Lady Wildlife (ladywildlife.com). It is also known as the tree fox since it can climb trees to pursue prey or to hide from other animals. The gray fox Is related to other foxes like the island gray fox, fence fox and South American colpeo. The gray fox avoids human contact and can usually be found in trees and undergrowth.

  1. Diet

    • The Gray fox's diet includes mammals like mice and eastern cottontail rabbits, according to NatureWorks, a 16-part series that aired on New Hampshire Public Television. It also eats vegetation like corn, apples and grass. Its diet also includes insects such as crickets and grasshoppers. According to the website Outdoor Alabama (outdooralabama.com), the gray fox tends to eat more berries and other fruits and vegetation in the summer, while eating small mammals in the winter. The fox will climb trees to get food and young cubs start hunting about four months after birth.

    Appearance

    • Gray foxes have gray fur on their backs and is about the size of a collie. The tail usually has a black stripe and a black tip and they have white fur on their bellies. The claws are long and hooked and their legs are covered in red or brown fur. The fox can weigh up to 15 pounds.

    Breeding

    • Gray foxes mate from January through April. Fox pups, numbering up to seven in one litter, are born about two months after mating. The male and female raise the cubs together and the same parents will mate again when the pups reach maturity. The pups usually begin to hunt four months after birth. According to Lady Wildlife, foxes reach sexual maturity at age 1 and have a lifespan of six years in the wild and 12 years in captivity.

    Behavior

    • The gray fox has strong night vision which helps it to hunt prey in the dark. It can grip tree branches with its limbs like a cat and can jump from tree to tree with ease. Foxes are reclusive and live either alone or in male-female pairs. The fox marks its territory with its scent glands.