Vulpes vulpes

Appearance: The red fox resembles a bushy-tailed, medium-sized dog. The usual coloration is a bright rusty-red with black feet and legs and a whitish belly. A good identifying feature is the long tail which is tipped with white. Other color varieties of the red fox also occur including a black, silver and a cross phase in which a dark area crosses over the shoulders and down the middle of the back. Red foxes weigh between 10 and 15 pounds.

Range: Red foxes are found throughout much of North America. They occur throughout much of the Carolina mountains and piedmont but are rare to absent in the eastern coastal plain. Red foxes dig a den or often utilize an abandoned groundhog burrow or other similar location to raise their young. Red foxes seem to prefer somewhat open habitats and are not usually found in dense forests. They are found mostly in areas with interspersed croplands, old fields, and woodlots, especially along edges formed by these habitats.

Diet: The red fox is a quick, skillful hunter, feeding on a wide variety of foods. Mice are often eaten, especially during the winter months, and cottontail rabbits are also an important part of their diet. During the warmer months, red foxes also feed on various plants and insects. They remain active throughout the year and are primarily nocturnal, only occasionally coming out during daylight hours.

Samson & Bonita

Date of Birth: Spring 2020

Bonita (top) and Samson (bottom) were both born in the wild. They sustained injuries while still very young and unfortunately, both lost a leg. After recovering at Izzie’s Pond Sanctuary in South Carolina, they came to the WNC Nature Center in February 2021. Samson is missing his front leg, and Bonita is missing her back leg.