The fox is one of the animals that adapt very well to a wide variety of climatic conditions. Therefore, in Africa, and in America, in Europe and in Asia - everywhere you can meet this predator. Only in Europe there are up to 15 subspecies of foxes inhabiting almost all geographical areas and differ in size and color.

Description of the fox

This is one of the most common red fox. It differs from other representatives of the genus in larger sizes and bright colors.

In animals living in the northern regions, the coat is very rich, almost red. In foxes living to the south, the color is much more modest. The fluffy tail with a white tip reaches 60 cm in length. On the flexible and refined body of the fox, there is a neat head with a sharp muzzle and always alert large ears.

A description of a fox cannot be complete without a description of its hunting abilities. Paws play a big role here. Appearing a little short in relation to the body, they are very strong and muscular. Thanks to such paws and a strong tail, the fox can make fairly large jumps in pursuit of its prey. This feature of the fox allows it to be as viable as other predators. The way a fox looks externally explains its well-known hunting talents.

Where does the fox live

It is believed that the fox lives in a hole. In fact, this dwelling is used only for breeding and in rare cases as a shelter from danger, and the rest of the time the foxes spend in a den located on open space, in the grass or in the snow.

Burrows are dug independently, usually on the slopes of ravines with sandy soil, but sometimes they use dwellings that belonged to other animals - marmots, badgers, arctic foxes. The burrow necessarily has several inlets through which one can get into the nest through underground tunnels. The old fox, as a rule, has several holes, where he can always hide in case of danger.

What does a fox eat

The description of the fox characterizes it as a very dexterous and excellent hunter. The main prey of this predator are small animals - mice, hares, and sometimes reptiles. With pleasure he catches fox and fish, crayfish, and sometimes digs up earthworms. The diet necessarily includes berries, fruits and other plant foods. In summer, the fox can also eat insects, especially her cubs love to feast on various bugs, in in large numbers exterminating pests of agricultural plants.

In winter, the main food is mouse-like rodents, the squeak of which a fox can hear from 100 m away. Photos of a predator digging up mice can be found quite often. Foxes hunt birds very interestingly. They usually do this in pairs - one fox carries out distracting maneuvers, rolling on the ground, while the other catches gaping birds. No wonder the fox in all folk tales personifies cunning and dexterity. Often in the snow you can see fox tracks that are difficult to confuse with someone else's. The predator puts its hind legs exactly in the footprint of the front ones, forming an even chain. The area where the fox hunts has its own boundaries and is carefully protected from strangers.

fox cubs

In spring, from 3 to 12 small cubs are born in a fox hole. Like wolves, puppies are born once a year. Newborns are very similar to cubs, if you do not pay attention to the main difference that is necessarily included in the description of the fox - the white tip of the tail. For a month and a half, the cubs sit in a hole, feeding on their mother's milk, then they begin to slowly leave the shelter and even look for prey together with their parents, accustoming themselves to ordinary food.

Both parents participate in the educational process. The male is exemplary family man, carefully cares for his female and offspring. The cubs finally get out of their holes at the age of 6 months, and already next spring some of them have their cubs. But usually they reach puberty in the second year of life. Foxes live in stable pairs. If it happens that the breadwinner dies, another male takes care of the family.

The fox is of great value as a fur-bearing animal. The description of the animal necessarily mentions luxurious fur, which can be not only red, but also silver, and even black. But the main thing is that the fox is an exterminator of harmful rodents and insects, which brings invaluable benefits to agriculture.

The fox is one of the most beautiful predators. The color of the skin is red, the tail is long and fluffy, the muzzle is long and narrow, and the eyes are smart and cunning. The fox is about the size of a small dog. The color of the red cheat varies from fiery red to gray. In the north, foxes are almost red, in the steppe they are gray-yellow. Silver fox, by the way, is also an ordinary fox with some deviations from normal coloring. The most beautiful is black-brown fur. Therefore, silver fox has long been bred on farms.

The fox lives in Europe, and in Asia, and in America, and in Africa. This animal adapts well to different climatic conditions. Southern foxes are smaller than northern foxes, and besides, northern foxes have thicker and fluffier fur. The fox is an extremely agile and frisky animal. She runs so fast that it is difficult for dogs to catch up with her. In addition, this is a very cunning beast: she can indulge in various tricks, confusing her own tracks or getting her own food.

What does a fox eat. How the fox hunts

The fox is a great hunter. In addition to observation and ingenuity, she has an excellent memory, a good sense of smell and remarkably sharp hearing. The squeak of a vole, for example, a fox hears for 100 m. Being a predator, the fox eats a wide variety of animals. She eats mice, hares, rabbits, amphibians, reptiles with pleasure, digs up earthworms from the ground after rain, catches fish and crayfish in the river. But he especially loves red cheat enjoy the bird. Therefore, she often looks into chicken coops. By the way, the proximity of a person does not scare a fox at all, so you can often find a fox hole very close to the village. The fox successfully supplements the meat diet with berries, apples, and vegetables.

Each fox has its own individual feeding area. She jealously guards him from the intrusion of strangers and always knows what is happening near her hole. The fox usually hunts in the evening and at night, although there are exceptions. Some animals prefer to go around hare nesting sites during the day, hunt birds and feed exclusively on large game, neglecting mice or frogs.

Despite the fact that the fox will not miss the opportunity to feast on a gaping hare, catch a black grouse or ruin bird's Nest, in the forest, it does much more good than harm. The main food of foxes are voles, mice, ground squirrels and other rodents that are harmful agriculture. And the growing foxes exterminate the May beetles in large numbers - well-known pests in forest areas.

Mating season for foxes

mating season the fox begins in January - February. At this time, the female rushes to search for males, who declare their readiness to marry with a short, abrupt bark. During the rut, you can see an amazing group: a beautiful female runs ahead, and several males follow her at once. In the end, the patience of males is depleted, it's time to choose which of them is worthy to take a place next to the female. You can watch fierce fights between males, during which the fox patiently waits in the direction of the winner. Only the strongest fox gets the right to mate with a female. At the end of estrus, the foxes scatter to the sides.

fox cubs

Pregnancy in foxes lasts 51 - 52 days. By the end of this period, the paternal instinct wakes up in males. They look for pregnant females and again fight with rival males, now for the right to stay near the female. From now on, the winner takes all the hardships family life: helps to dig a hole, feeds the fox at a time when she still cannot leave newborns, shares with the female the responsibility for raising young foxes. Fox cubs usually appear in late April or early May.

At first they are brown in color and very similar to puppies, but they all have hallmark- white tip of the tail. The young generation is growing up quickly, by the 20th day of life they are already beginning to crawl out of the hole and feed not on mother's milk, but on live food. It is not easy for the father of the family to feed the voracious cubs, so the female also begins to help in the extraction of food. Parents not only bring live mice, birds and small animals into the hole, but also begin to teach the kids the basics of hunting. At first, the cubs prey on May beetles and grasshoppers, but gradually they become accustomed to preying on larger game: voles, lizards, and frogs.

Fox cubs grow rapidly, and already in August it is difficult to distinguish them from an adult animal from a distance. In November, young foxes begin an independent life and disperse in all directions.

Where does the fox live: the habits of the fox. fox holes

Foxes don't always live in burrows. They use these dwellings only when raising offspring, and spend the rest of the time in the open. Foxes have almost no feelings of home. They settle where they like, and even then not for long. The fox willingly digs holes near human dwellings, sometimes foxes wander even into big cities. The fox often does not want to dig a hole on its own and uses other people's dwellings, for example, the fox has great respect for comfortable burrows dug by a badger.

A mature fox acquires burrows not only in order to grow offspring in them or hide from prolonged bad weather. Often burrows serve as a refuge for them in case of danger.

The old fox, as usual, has not one hole where her brood is placed, but several at once, which provide her with a reliable refuge in exceptional cases.

Fox hatching holes are mainly located on the slopes of a ravine, not far from a stream, in a forest thicket, that is, where people usually do not wander. It happens that the fox from year to year returns to the hole dug by her once. Then such "apartments" are constantly expanding, being renovated, acquiring several additional "rooms", which are usually located on 2 - 3 floors. Hunters are well acquainted with such holes and call them "secular".

Usually, a fox hatching hole is equipped with several exits - otnorks, which allow it to leave its shelter unnoticed in case of danger. The main snout, which the fox regularly uses to enter and exit, is noticeable from afar. Usually this is a clean area, sprinkled with sand, which appeared here as a result of many years of cleaning the hole. Here you can often see playing foxes.

The fox's molting period

By the end of winter, the fox coat, previously shiny and fluffy, begins to fade and becomes rough. The fox begins a period of molting - hair falls out, and the beast loses its external attractiveness. Molting occurs quite quickly, and by May the foxes acquire a new fur coat - summer. If the fox is sick or thin, the molting period is extended, and then even in June you can see a fox with disheveled winter fur. Summer wool is not valued: it is coarse and rare, since there is practically no undercoat - with the beginning of autumn, the wool begins to thicken. And only with the onset of cold weather fox fur begins to be considered full-fledged.

Fox hunting. How to hunt a fox

For fox hunting to be successful, the hunter must learn about all the habits of this cunning beast. In addition, you need to learn how to unravel the fox trail and distinguish it from the dog. For an experienced tracker, a fox trail can tell a lot: about the age and gender of the past fox, about where the beast was and what he did, whether he was hungry or full. The tracker reads the footprints, as in open book and this can only be learned through continuous practice.

Compassion as a diagnosis.

And tell me, dear ones, what does compassion indicate? Such an event happened. Someone threw newborn kittens under the windows, in the heat, as planned, they did not die and screamed for almost a week ...

Patrikeevna, fox-sister, robber - popular heroes folk tales familiar from childhood. Cunning, cunning, deceit are the main qualities with which the fox is associated. Why did the fox get such a reputation? Is it the result of survival instinct or habitat?

The fox belongs to the predatory mammals of the canine family. It resembles a wolf and a domestic dog: white or dark brown low limbs, sharp dark tips of the ears, an elegant body, an elongated muzzle, an elongated fluffy tail.

The size and color of the animal depends on the habitat: in the north the animals are large (up to 90 cm) with a light color, and in the south they are small (from 18 cm) with a dull color. Representatives of mountain regions are characterized by black-brown coat color. Most often, there are foxes with a bright red back, a white belly and dark paws. All types of foxes have thin paws and a white coat color at the tip of the tail. The weight of the animal, depending on the species, ranges from 700 g to 10 kg.

tail functions

Luxurious fox tail saves from the cold, strong winds in winter. Length - 20-30 cm. The fennec fox - 40-60 cm. The animal is wrapped in it like a duvet. Having hidden the muzzle in the fluffy hair of the tail, the animal disguises itself from enemies. The cunning predator uses its tail as a stabilizer while catching hares, it deftly rebuilds its movement in different directions. Another use of the tail is as a ruse for pursuing enemies. With long chases, the animal takes the fluffy bait to the side and makes a sharp turn of the body in the other direction. While the enemies, having dispersed, run straight, the animal manages to gain time and hide. Predators always run with raised tails to avoid the accumulation of snow and water. When the tail freezes, it is difficult to catch up with the victim and run away from enemies.

Types and names

Cunning predators have adapted to life in various natural areas. There are more than 55 species of foxes, which belong to different genera.

At the root of the tail is a gland that produces the smell of violets. The aroma intensifies during the breeding season. For certain, the function of the gland in the life of a predator has not been unraveled. Hunters claim that it is intended to facilitate the search for the groom.

The white color of the tip of the tail has a special purpose: a signal for foxes. The animal attracts the attention of its cubs, helping them to make their way through the bushes, tall vegetation. Little foxes follow the white beacon and do not go astray.

Eyes

The eyes of foxes are characterized by vertical pupils, like those of cats. The structure of the eye is not aimed at recognizing colors. Adaptation of the eyes to a nocturnal lifestyle allows you to quickly respond to moving objects, navigate in the dark.

Survival in wild nature contributes to the development of visual memory. Predators are able to remember shelters, paths that are far from the hole.

Wool

The fur of foxes is long, thick and soft. The main color is all shades of red. A peculiar color scheme helps to hunt on the edges, fields in the fall. Among the dry grass, the animals are less visible. Closer to winter, predators move to places with shrunken weeds, tall marsh grasses of a brown-red hue, like fox fur. In winter, wool thickens, reliably protecting from frost. Although the color of the red fox does not change to camouflage, this does not prevent it from getting food.

In summer, the molting period begins. The animal sheds its fur, adapting to the ambient temperature. The fur becomes sparse, dull.

Sounds

Fox sounds resemble the hoarse barking of dogs with a variety of intonations and shades. Each type of fox has its own set of sounds, voice timbre, used for different situations.

IN natural environment to catch and even more so to eavesdrop on a fox is difficult, they are very careful. Those who are lucky enough to hear a fox voice claim that the hoarse sounds are vaguely reminiscent of a human voice. The mother fox calls her cubs in a low, drawling voice. If danger threatens, she emits a short “ko”, the cubs immediately fall silent, stop moving.

Anxious yelping can be heard in such cases:

• enemies have crossed the territory;
• there is an attempt on prey;
• "strangers" are approaching a hole with cubs;
• chattering of teeth, growling and groans testify to the tournament of males.

Researchers admit that the calm communication of foxes among themselves resembles meowing and even joyful cries.

Little Fenki howl, whine, bark. When a stranger appears, mini predators begin to hiss nervously, chirp offendedly. large species foxes - corsacs, living in the North, are distinguished by low intonations. Animals rarely communicate with each other, because they live alone. Growling, uterine clatter - sounds characteristic of corsacs.

People who work with foxes in a zoo are able to distinguish the individual voices of each individual. Following intonations, we can say for sure that foxes:

• angry;
• want to feed offspring;
• the name of the foxes;
• looking for a mating partner;
• longed for freedom.

steppe fox

Korsaks live in the steppes, fields of Asia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Afghanistan, Iran. Steppe foxes live in hilly areas with little vegetation. They don't fit in the forest.

Body length - from 45 cm to 65 cm, weight - up to 7 kg. Coat color: gray with a yellowish-reddish tint. In winter, the color of the fur changes to straw-gray. Korsaks are known for their ability to climb trees. While running, they develop speeds up to 65 km / h.

The steppe fox creates a couple for life, but before that, young males fight for females. Bearing foxes lasts 2 months. They are born blind, covered with a light brown fluff. Within a month, little foxes begin to eat the meat of rodents, mice, ground squirrels, birds or jerboas.

If the fox does not find meat, it begins to eat fruits, vegetables, herbs in order to maintain the vitamin balance of the body.

The steppe species has many enemies: other foxes, birds of prey, wolves. Korsaks run fast and run out of breath. So they become alive gray predator. Korsaks are listed in the Red Book. People appreciate their warm fur.

mountain foxes

The body length of this breed of fox reaches 90 cm. Tail length: 40-60 cm. Mountain foxes live in caves, cracks, beams, badger burrows and hollows. Their diet consists of rodents, birds, insects, fruits, berries. In winter, they do not disdain carrion. In spring, predators become active, attack roe deer, mouflons. A large number of mountain representatives was recorded in the Crimea.

Foxes are regulators of the number of harmful insects, rodents that infect vegetation.

sand fox

Lives in deserts. This species is distinguished by wide ears, paws protected by fur pads from overheating. The body of the fox is slender (up to 4 kg), sandy in color, adapted to survival in the desert. Foxes can for a long time be content with the moisture obtained from the trophy. Being omnivorous creatures, they eat everything that comes in their way (beetles, eggs, reptiles, roots, food waste).

There is a legend that foxes can extract moisture from the air using the night breeze.

Sand foxes actively use the odorous glands of their bodies. The greeting begins with sniffing the anal glands. These same glands protect against strangers: foxes, like skunks, back up and spray the enemy with a specific secret.

Foxes live big families. They take turns patrolling the territory, marking it with urine. The size of the patrolled area reaches 70 km². Sand foxes are killed for fur. The Bedouins use them as food.

polar fox

The body length of the arctic fox is 50-75 cm, the tail reaches 30 cm. The weight ranges from 4 to 6 kg, although there are also obese representatives of the species - up to 12 kg. Arctic foxes differ from foxes by a seasonal change in color: in winter, the coat is snow-white or blue, and in summer it is brown, reddish-black. The paws of the arctic fox are squat, buried in wool. The fox's ears are shorter than those of other fox species.

In winter, arctic foxes wander in search of food: they go to the coasts of the oceans and seas.

In the summer they lead a sedentary lifestyle. One arctic fox is able to control up to 20 km² of territory. Like all dogs, they live in burrows. Choosing a place on a hill, they are protected from flooding of the dwelling.

In winter, arctic foxes do not use burrows, they dig a hole in the snow. Animals are characterized by perseverance. Don't run away from large predators, but just run away. When the opportunity arises to snatch a piece of meat, the foxes approach again and take their toll. They calmly carry polar bears next to them, sometimes they make their way to human settlements, take food from domestic dogs. The Arctic fox loves active hunting, but also does not miss the remnants of someone else's food. If they are not hungry, they bury the extracted food under the ice.

Main enemy arctic fox - hunger and lack of food. It is for this reason that they do not live to old age. Among the inhabitants North Pole can harm the fox predatory bird, wolf or raccoon dog.

Lifestyle

Alone or in a flock, foxes occupy a site that can feed them, provide them with burrows. Burrows are rarely dug out by themselves, more often they use empty ones, after burrowing animals.

Housing is often covered with dense thickets, disguised by land emissions, food waste, excrement. Permanent burrows are used only during the period of rearing foxes. Hiding from the chase, they can settle in any available hole.

Where does it live?

Predatory mammals live on almost all continents. Most common habitats:

• Europe;
• northern part of Africa;
• Australia, except for the northern part;
• North America;
• Asia to northern India.

What does a fox eat?

Being a born hunter, the animal feeds where it lives. The type of food is determined by the area, season, age of the predator. Small desert dwellers react to the movements of small living creatures underground, attack rodents, and collect moisture from solid food. The polar inhabitants have adapted to eat algae, grass and blueberries when they are not getting meat. Favorite delicacy common fox are mice. The cunning beast loves to climb into the nest of birds, eating eggs and hatched chicks. The inhabitants of the steppe feast on frogs, lizards, snakes and turtles. The Tibetan species of fox waits for the victim near the shelter or drives it into a trap.

Foxes stop hunting during salmon spawning season. Dead fish last a long time.

Reproduction and lifespan

In the second year of life, the fox is ready for fertilization. Smaller species of predator acquire offspring by 10 months. Animals can have babies up to 8 years old. Males mature closer to a year.

Animals choose the time of mating so that the cubs appear in the warm period, when food is in abundance. During the matchmaking period, males choose a female, arrange fights in her honor. When the foxes break into pairs, they frolic in the snow, bite each other by the ears, playfully push. They bear cubs for 47-59 days. During the period of famine, animals give birth to 1-2 foxes, and in a prosperous period - up to 16 pieces.

Life expectancy rarely reaches or exceeds seven years. In the natural environment, the animal lives up to 5 years, dies due to natural causes or becomes a victim of the enemy.

Enemies in the wild

Despite the fact that wild foxes are cunning, cautious animals, they have serious enemies:

• wolverines;
• the Bears;
• wolves;
• eagles, golden eagles;
• large species of foxes;
• badgers;
• domestic dogs;
• leopards, cougars.

cubs predatory mammals suffer from attacks by crows, hawks, eagle owls.

Breeding at home

The fox can be turned into a friendly pet. She is trainable. The animal requires certain care:

• regular combing;
• bathing;
• a place to sleep (spacious aviary, bedding);
• daily outdoor walks.

Decorative fox

Fenech is a cute animal with a capricious character. Weighs up to 2 kg, body length is 40 cm. The cunning animal does not mind playing with cats and humans. Fenech does not tolerate a sharp change in temperature. Smart animals quickly become accustomed to the tray.

What to feed?

Furry animals are omnivorous, get used to the human diet quickly. The basis of nutrition is processed meat, offal. You can add eggs, berries, vegetables. Digestive system fenech is not ready for fish bones and unpeeled fish.

How to contain?

When choosing a place for a pet, it should be borne in mind that the animal can bounce and climb where it doesn’t need to. To keep the active creature and the owner's house in order, it is important to follow the rules:

1. Lock windows before leaving home.
2. Valuable, breakable items should be hidden.
3. It is better to lock Fenka in a cage if he is left alone at home.
4. Combing will help to establish relations between the owner and the pet.
5. Fenki do not tolerate cold. Temperature fluctuations end with colds, inflammation of the eyes of the animal, often fatal.
6. They walk Fennec on a leash for small dogs.

Wild and domesticated foxes are curious. They calmly wait for the right moment and achieve their goals. Their behavior resembles fragments from fairy tales. The main character, approaching the object of interest to her, pretends that she is not interested in it, she can lie down to sleep. As soon as the object has lost its vigilance, the fox is right there.

Fox - very beautiful predator with a long fluffy tail. Her muzzle is long and narrow, and her eyes are very cunning. In size, this predator resembles a dog. The color of the fox varies from fiery red to gray. In the steppe it is gray-yellow, and in the north it is almost red. The silver fox is an ordinary fox with slight deviations from the usual color. The fur of these animals is considered the most beautiful, so they have long been bred on farms.

Where does this one live predatory beast? The fox lives in Asia, America, Europe and even in Africa. She adapts well to different conditions. The fox is a cunning animal. She can indulge in various tricks to get her own food.

diet predator

What does a fox eat? Although she is a predator, her diet includes a variety of foods. Of course, meat is the basis of her diet.

Note that the list of food of this animal includes more than 350 options. small mammals, various rodents (especially from the family of voles) and birds.

Winter diet of foxes

What does a fox eat in winter and how does it catch its prey? According to research by experts, the largest population of foxes lives where there are a large number of representatives of voles. Such rodents are the most accessible type of food for them, especially in winter time the year when it is most difficult to get food.

Fox hunting for field mice is very interesting process. The fox moves quietly through the snow, listening to the squeak of its potential prey. Having smelled a rodent and calculated its location, it quickly dives into the snow with its nose, helping itself to reach its prey with its paws.

The main role in this matter is assigned to the factor of surprise, because the mouse, despite its excellent hearing, cannot always foresee that the fox will appear, as a result of which it does not have time to hide from the predator's teeth.

Recently, zoologists have come up with a term that characterizes this process, - mouse.

A fox in the forest in winter bypasses forest plantations in search of fallen birds, the banks of reservoirs, and she also does not disdain waste and carrion.

In the natural environment, the basis of fox nutrition is hares, the aforementioned mice and other small rodents. In addition, this predator eats birds with great pleasure. To avoid the teeth and claws of the fox, birds are helped by their ability to fly. In danger are eggs and chicks that have not yet learned to flutter like their parents.

The prey of a fox can be both a small bird and a large one, for example, a capercaillie or the main assistant of a predator in search of food is its sensitive nose, which smells a rodent or other prey at fairly large distances.

Some foxes, despite the fact that they are afraid of human habitats (villages, etc.), still decide to visit chicken coops in settlements located near the forest. At night or late in the evening they enter the barn, grab, for example, a chicken by the throat and swiftly carry it into the forest.

Of course, predators rarely decide on such a dangerous maneuver, as a rule, this happens in winter period when it is very difficult to get food.

What does a fox eat in the forest? Hares. These animals occupy an important place in the diet of the fox. Of course, the easiest prey are rabbits, which have not yet learned to develop sufficient speed in an attempt to escape from a predatory beast. A fox, having discovered a hare hole, can immediately destroy the entire litter.

These predators do not disdain the corpses of rodents in the event of a hare pestilence. Some representatives are not afraid to attack larger animals, for example, roe deer cubs.

Diet of a predator in the desert

What does a fox eat that lives in desert and semi-desert zones? The basis of the diet is made up of reptile lizards and others). In Canada, in its northeastern part, zoologists have repeatedly observed how foxes caught fish from the salmon family from reservoirs, although not alive, but dead. IN summer time years, these predators with great pleasure can eat large beetles, larvae and other insects. After the rain, they collect earthworms.

Food in the taiga

What does a fox eat in the taiga? In such places, it is very difficult for a predator to survive, since there is not much prey here. In the tundra zone, the predator eats passerines, black grouse, and less often - duck birds. In addition, the red cheat preys on small rodents. As a rule, few foxes live in the taiga, as it is difficult to survive here. These predators prefer to settle in steppe zone in open places, plains and in ravines.

Plant food

What does a fox eat, besides all of the above? Plant foods are also present in the diet of these animals. As a rule, those red-haired predators who live in southern regions. They prefer berries (especially blueberries, lingonberries) and fruits, as well as some vegetative parts of edible plants.

Note that such food serves, rather, as an addition to the main diet, it will never become the main dish in the diet, because the fox is by nature a predator, and therefore a meat eater.

What does a fox eat in spring and summer?

At this time of the year, foxes especially need good food and plenty of prey. After all, now the cubs are in their care. By the end of March, babies are born after an eight-month pregnancy. As a rule, five or six little foxes are born. For the first 1.5 months, the cubs feed on mother's milk. At the age of two weeks, the kids already see, then a period of rapid development begins, by the end of April or the beginning of May they crawl out of the hole, play with each other, and when tired, they lay down on the grass and lie quietly, basking in the sun. At the same time, parents accustom little foxes to ordinary food, they bring live prey so that the cubs feel the excitement of hunting for such food.

Caring for offspring can push the fox to attack a large beast, which is quite difficult to overcome. Scientists have recorded cases when this predatory beast bit a swan.

The fox very often comes up with very original ways extraction of food. For example, predators have been observed to follow the plow of a tractor at a safe distance, which plows the field at night. It turned out that foxes used this method to catch voles, whose burrows opened during plowing. With the accidental death of this predator (the animal fell under the plow), people saw as many as sixteen rodents in his stomach. This observation allowed scientists to conclude that rodents are the basis of the fox's diet.

Feeding a fox at home

You can keep a wild fox

harvest at home, but for this it is necessary to create special conditions for it, as well as provide proper nutrition. Best Option in order to keep such a predator, this is an aviary in which there will be a house for the rest and sleep of the beast. Now let's talk about feeding.

Although the fox is an omnivore, at home it is better to feed it with high-quality dog ​​food, and supplement such a diet with fruits and berries.

A small conclusion

Now you know what the fox eats in winter, spring and at other times of the year. We also examined the diet of this predator in the taiga and forest. As you may have noticed, the food of a fox in the wild, as a rule, depends on its habitat. Although the basis of her diet is always small a plant food and insects are only an addition.

Fox- one of the most popular heroines of children's fairy tales. But the Fox, as a fabulous image, is endowed with features characteristic of these animals in reality. The fox is beautiful: a magnificent tail, which is slightly less than half the length of the body, a red coat and a roguish narrow-nosed muzzle with beautiful brown eyes. Besides Fox slim, graceful, weighs 6-10 kilograms.

What does a fox look like

fox they also call it red, and this is actually true, only her belly is white, gray or slightly brownish, and her chest is light. Fox's back and sides various parts colored in different ways: from bright red to gray.

IN northern forests Foxes are fiery red and more, in the forest-steppe - yellowish-gray and less. Sivodushki, krestovki, silver fox - these are ordinary foxes with deviations from the usual color. Black-brown fur is the most beautiful: guard hairs with white upper parts give the fur a silvery tint.

Such Foxes have been bred many years ago on fur farms, black-brown Foxes are very rare in nature.

summer fox fur hard and short, in it she looks lean, big-headed and even long-legged, he suits Lisa less than winter. And by autumn, winter fur grows - beautiful, thick. Shedding Fox once a year - in the spring.

Fox habits

Fox - good hunter . In addition to being observant and quick-witted, she has an excellent visual memory, a good sense of smell and sharp hearing. The mouse squeaks a little, and fox hears it is a hundred meters away, a vole rustles on dry grass under a half-meter layer of snow - and hears it. It climbs well on steeps, swims, and on the shore it is exceptionally maneuverable. Her ingenuity on the hunt or when escaping from her pursuers is admirable.

Fox will be able to climb a tree if it is slightly inclined or branches low from the ground. The fox is very active. She knows her hunting area to the smallest detail, systematically inspects it. patterned chains in winter fox footprints fancifully cross fields, copses, ravines, getting lost on roads and paths and intertwining around stacks of straw, stacks of dry soybean stalks, piles of deadwood and in other places where mice and voles live.

There was, and still is, an opinion that the fox food - hares. Of course, the Fox loves the hare, but she can not catch up with the hare often - where can she keep up with such a runner.

However, Foxes do well without hare. It is estimated that there are more than 300 different animals in the diet of the Fox, from insects to large birds.

And yet the main fox food - rodents. They occupy 80-85% of her diet. To get enough, the Fox needs to catch and eat at least two dozen mice and voles a day. And where fox feeding- and the area of ​​​​its feeding area is on average 10 kilometers in diameter - there are much fewer rodents than where there are no foxes.

After the rains, the fox collects earthworms in abundance. in shallow water Fox successfully catches fish, crayfish, takes out shells. It happens that half-eaten prey remains, and then the Fox hides it, dragging it along different places. Then she will certainly find these reserves and eat them.

It is characteristic that, being a typical predator, the Fox is happy to eating berries, apples, some vegetables.

Fox hunts, as a rule, at dusk and at night, during the day it can be seen only in a low-feeding period, most often in winter, and even in summer, when foxes grow.

Norami the fox uses mainly during the rearing of offspring, and the rest of the time it prefers to rest in the open: under the roots of a twisted tree, in a ravine, on a haystack.

fox breeding

Mating season for foxes starts from the end of January - in February, and in the north and in March, although even before that you can often see a male and a female in a pair. At wedding time, in March, several males court one female, and fights between them are a common occurrence. During the rut, the Foxes are very excited, often yelping and howling, especially loners who have not yet found a mate for themselves.

Males and females can be distinguished by their voices. Fox female makes a triple bark and ends it with a short howl, and the male barks more and more like a dog. Having retired, couples play a lot, they even arrange peculiar dances: the Fox rises on its hind legs and walks in this position with small steps. From this dance got its name foxtrot(The word "foxtrot" is English and means "fox step").

Male foxes are good family men. They not only take an active part in raising young animals, but also touchingly take care of their girlfriends long before they give them lovely foxes: they carry food, improve burrows.

fox cubs in a litter there are from 4 to 12, but most often 5-6. They appear after 51-53 days of pregnancy, usually at the end of April or in the first half of May. fox cubs born weak and helpless, deaf and blind, weighing only 100-150 grams, but grow quite quickly. In less than a month, they already see, hear, weigh about 1 kilogram, come out of the hole, and soon begin to play and frolic. From that time on, Fox's parents bring them half-dead game so that the cubs acquire hunting skills.

As soon as a person even accidentally stumbles upon the Fox hole, as on the very next night The foxes will be transferred to another place, in a spare hole, there are usually several of them at the Foxes on the site. If Foxes are in danger, adults discover amazing presence of mind. Even when a person breaks a hole with a shovel, they try to the last to save their children - to bring them out through one of the otnorks.

fox cunning

Sometimes you can see in fox behavior actions resembling episodes from fairy tales. For example, to the black grouses, gathered on the current in an open meadow, the Fox approaches surprisingly cunningly: she pretends that they are not at all interested in her, does not even look in their direction; sometimes it will lie down, take a nap, and the birds lose their vigilance, go about their business - very much Lisa is a good actress.

In the meantime, Patrnkeevna will advance a meter or two towards them. The Fox does not spare time for the game: sometimes such a performance lasts an hour or two. Then a few lightning-fast jumps - and the hunt was victoriously completed.

Not many animals are called by name and patronymic. But the Fox is often called that way. Moreover, her middle name is unusual - Patrikeevna. About 600 years ago, there lived a prince named Patrikey Narimuntovich, famous for his resourcefulness and cunning. Since then, the name Patrickey has become equivalent to the word cunning. And since the Fox has long been considered by the people as a very cunning beast, then as the heiress of the famous prince, she received the patronymic Patrikeevna.

Being a typical predator, the Fox eats berries, apples, and some vegetables with pleasure.

Little foxes they fight well with pests such as May beetles.