Have you ever seen a red fox? In most parts of Canada, a red fox isn’t too far away. These large, intelligent foxes live in urban and rural environments. They also live in many places around the world, including the USA, Europe, North Africa and Australia. You might think, based on the red fox’s name that its coat is, well, red… but not always! Red fox fur is sometimes silver, brown or even black. They have lovely bushy tails that help them with balance and help to keep them warm in chilly temperatures.
A Fox Grows Up
A dog and vixen (that’s a male and female fox) make great parents. When they’re ready to start a family, they find a cozy den to have their babies, sometimes using the burrow of another animal. When their pups are born in the spring (between 1-10 are born at once, but 5 is average), the red fox parents care for them throughout the summer. In the beginning the pups are fed pre-chewed food by their parents, but eventually they learn to hunt for themselves. It only takes a few months before the little foxes are ready to head out into the world on their own!
They need our help!
They might be known for their ability to make their homes in a wide range of different ecosystems, but no matter where they live, red foxes rely on undisturbed habitat to raise their pups in. Sadly this habitat is disappearing, which is why it’s so important we conserve and restore the natural spaces where they’re found, like southern Ontario’s Lathrop Nature Preserve – and that’s where you come in!
Earth Rangers is working with the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) on a project that will help rebuild and replant this important habitat. The Lathrop Nature Preserve is over 100 years old and besides being home to our fox friends, did you know it’s also home to a wetland that helps fight climate change?! Not only do wetlands help remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, they also help us deal with the effects of climate change by preventing extreme weather events like floods and droughts. Pretty cool right? Do your part to help protect this important natural space by adopting a red fox today!
