Red Fox

Description:

The red fox, Vulpes vulpes, is widely distributed throughout North America, Europe, and Asia. The species is common in Utah, where it is primarily found in open and semi-open habitats, although it also occasionally occurs in heavily forested areas, cities, and suburban settings. The red fox may be excluded from otherwise preferred habitats when coyotes are present. Females give birth to one litter of one to ten pups during the early spring. Young spend the spring and summer with their parents, but are on their own by the fall. Red foxes eat a wide variety of foods, including small mammals, birds, insects, berries, carrion (animals found dead), and human refuse. Contrary to its name, the red fox is not always red, but can be any shade between red and black. The red fox can be distinguished from other fox species by the characteristic white tip on the end of the tail.