Saturday, August 13, 2011

The Elusive Fox

We were on our way home from a doctor's appointment the other day and as we were driving up our road we saw something sitting there looking at us.  "What is it?" my husband asked.  "I dunno, looks too big to be a barn cat or raccoon", I replied.  We slowed right down and just barely crept along until we got close enough to see and lo and behold it was a fox!  Wow, we were both quite startled because we've lived out in the country now for 21 years and this is only the third time we've ever seen a  fox.  Hubby tried to inch the truck closer and closer so I could snap a photo before it high-tailed off but unfortunately, we were not quite close enough.  You can see him in the photo but not very well.  Most people don't know too much about the fox as they are very elusive and shy animals.  The Red Fox live in burrows made by other animals or they may dig a tunnel of their own in loose soil.  Their homes are called "dens" and usually have more than one entrance.  They line their dens with grass and leaves and might have more than one den for a family.  Red Foxes are small and slender with a pointed nose, white throat and under body.  Their legs have black paws with white socks, a long bushy tail that is white at the tip and beautiful reddish or sandy coloured fur.  They belong to the same family as the dog, gray wolf and coyote (we've got those here too!).  In the wild they live about 3 to 5 years but can live up to 10 years in captivity.  Normally shy and elusive animals, they are not often seen.                                                                                                                                                   

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