The red fox is characterized by red-orange fur with a white muzzle, neck, and belly, complemented by dark brown or black coloration on the legs and backs of the ears.

Its bushy tail features a distinctive white tip. This species is found throughout the British Isles, except for the Scottish islands, where it is limited to Skye and Harris.

Taxonomy Chart

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Mammalia

Order: Carnivora

Family: Canidae

Genus: Vulpes

Species: V. vulpes

Species Information

Habitat:

Urban & gardens, rivers and wetlands, coastal & marshland, deciduous woodland, mixed woodland, arable land.

Description:

Reddish-orange fur, white on the neck and belly, brown/black legs, small dog-sized, with a thick bushy tail, especially in winter.

Size:

Males: 67–72 cm; females: 62–67 cm

Tail: About 40 cm

Weight:

Males: 6–7 kg; females: 5–6 kg

Lifespan:

While some may live up to 9 years in the wild, most survive only 1–3 years.

Origin and Distribution

The red fox is a highly adaptable species, found across Britain in various habitats, including salt marshes, sand dunes, and mountain tops. It is absent from Scottish islands (except Skye). In Britain, foxes have notably adapted to urban environments more than in other parts of Europe.

Diet

Foxes have an incredibly varied diet:

Salt Marshes: Dead seabirds.

Uplands: Carrion, especially in winter.

Lowland Rural Areas: Small mammals like field voles and rabbits, along with earthworms, beetles, fruit (especially blackberries), and small birds.

Urban Areas: Food is often supplied by local householders, supplemented by scavenging from dustbins, bird tables, and compost heaps. Urban foxes also consume small birds and feral pigeons.

Behaviour

Foxes maintain territories, varying in size based on habitat:

Urban Areas: As small as 0.2 square kilometers.

Hill Country: Up to 40 square kilometers.

Each territory is occupied by a family group, typically consisting of a pair and their cubs. In areas with abundant food and minimal persecution, groups may include multiple adults.

Breeding

Only one in a group usually breeds, producing a litter annually in spring.

Litters: Average 4–5 cubs, born blind and deaf in a den (called an earth).

Earths: Dug by foxes or adapted from rabbit burrows or other animal holes. In urban areas, cubs are often born under garden sheds.

Early Development: Stays with the cubs for the first two weeks. By late April or early May (around 4 weeks old), cubs begin venturing outdoors.

Conservation Status

Foxes are not legally protected. They were historically hunted for fur and as part of countryside traditions. The Hunting Act 2004 banned hunting with dogs in England and Wales from February 18, 2005. This ban also applies to deer, hares, and mink hunting.

Appearance:

Red/orange fur with white muzzle, neck, and belly.

Dark brown/black legs and backs of ears.

Long bushy tail with a white tip, held horizontally.

Size similar to a small dog.

Field Signs:

Footprints: Four-toed prints found in sand, mud, or snow in farmland, grassland, woodland, and urban areas. A diagonal cross can be drawn through fox prints, distinguishing them from cats and dogs.

Width: 3.5 cm, Length: 5 cm.

Tracks of a trotting fox form straighter lines compared to dogs.

Droppings: Twisted with a tapering ‘tail,’ containing fur, bone-fragments, and fruit pips.

Size: 8–12 cm length, 2 cm width.

Colour: Brown, black, or grey.

Smell: Characteristic pungent odor.