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Winter Coat
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Another feature that makes foxes so adaptable to different climates is their fur.
When kits begin to lose the downy fluff of their youth, their coats adopt a
distinct color pattern. Many people think all "red" foxes are red, with
traditional accents of white and black. However, there are actually several
varieties of red fox, and each one is well suited to keeping its owner
camouflaged.
Even kits in the same litter can be different colors.
Kit Colors
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The most common variation is of course "red", which actually ranges from
pale yellow, to bright orange. Another common type is named "cross", which makes up a
quarter of all red foxes. They have a dark streak of fur along their back, with
another streak across their shoulders. These resemble german shepherds. The rare class is "silver", also called
"black", because they are almost entirely that color. Most sightings of these
individuals come from Canada and Alaska.
Red, Cross and Silver coat variations
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No matter what color a fox is, you will always find the distinctive white tip on
the end of their bushy tail. The tail is one of a fox's most important
attributes, but research has yet to discover the true purpose of the
cream-colored end. Some believe it's used in body language, as an eye-catcher
and signal device, like the exclamation point at the end of a sentence. Others
believe it's designed to better hide the owners appearance, as the white tip
often covers the face of a fox when its curled up in the grass.
Without its tail, a fox would have a hard time keeping warm on the colder of
nights. Being nearly as long as the fox itself, the tail is heavy, and acts as a counter
weight for balance. Like on other canids, the tail is also used to communicate mood to
others.
Spring Fox
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In late spring, a fox may lose much of its weight by shedding fur. The
warm weather triggers molting, where the thick winter coat is replaced by a
lighter, finer one. It's not very flattering to the fox, as the tufts of
missing fur and spotty coverage can sometimes be mistaken for mange.
Mange is one of the few natural threats to foxes. It's caused by tiny
"sarcoptic mange" mites. Unlike during a
molt, the fox will scratch himself constantly, and the skin may appear red and
scaly. The fox will feel weak as mange creates a chronic inflammatory
reaction that can eventually lead to exhaustion and death.
Althoguh widespread mange is
difficult to control, foxes can be
humanely captured in live traps, and brought to a wildlife clinic. There,
they can be given medicine to fight the parasites.In all cases, if you see a fox
that appears to be suffering from mange, contact a local animal welfare
organization. Please reach the National Fox Welfare Society if you live in the U.K. or the ASPCA if you live in the U.S.
Special thanks to Robert McDonald for his cross-fox photos, and
Jack Hanna's Animal Adventures
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