Adaptations & Behaviors of the Gray Fox

One of four North American fox breeds, the gray fox is the only canine that climbs trees. This is one of the major adaptations that helps it survive predators such as coyotes, lynx and wolves. The gray fox is a mostly nocturnal creature that lives in forests, deserts and near farmland. Gray foxes can be found from southern Canada to the northern tip of South America.

  1. Climbing

    • The gray fox is built for climbing. It is the same size as its cousin the red fox, but its legs are shorter. That means it can climb faster, despite moving more slowly on the ground. Gray foxes use their forelegs to grip branches and their long back claws to climb trees. Once in a tree, a gray fox can leap from branch to branch much like a squirrel. Gray foxes' ability to climb makes them less vulnerable to coyotes and gives them more food options than red foxes.

    Scent Marking

    • The gray fox has the largest musk gland of all North American canines. The gland stretches over nearly half of the top of its tail. The gray fox marks its hunting range with urine and feces that are covered with the musk. Most gray foxes are solitary animals, except when they are mating and caring for their young.

    Breeding

    • Some male and female gray foxes have been known to mate for life. Meanwhile, a single male fox will sometimes travel with several vixen. Both male and female foxes help to raise their pups. Families stay together from when breeding season begins in late January until the pups are able to strike out on their own. During the breeding season, foxes live in dens in abandoned houses, hollowed-out tree stumps, woodchuck dens or abandoned woodpiles. Some foxes even form dens in trees.

    Food

    • Because gray foxes are slower than many other creatures, they use camouflage and surprise their prey. Gray foxes eat mice, squirrels, rabbits, birds, grasshoppers, frogs and crickets. They also eat cherries, grapes, apples, acorns and corn. Like squirrels, gray foxes sometimes store extra food in stashes and return to it later when food is less plentiful.