9 Foxes

There are four species of foxes in North America: the red fox, the gray fox, the kit fox and the arctic fox. The most widespread are the red and gray foxes. Red foxes have a slender build, long slim legs, large ears and a bushy, white-tipped tail. They may vary greatly in color. Some red foxes are a pale yellowish red, while others are a deep red on the upper parts of the body. They are usually white underneath, have a white-tipped tail and have black lower legs and ear tips. How ever, there are all-black “red” foxes as well as silver “red” foxes!

The gray fox is a little smaller and doesn’t appear as long and slim as the red fox. It has a grizzled gray coat with rusty colored patches on the neck, belly, legs and tail. The muzzle is black, and the cheeks and throat are white. The tail has a black stripe down its length with a black tip. One interesting characteristic is that the gray fox, unlike the red fox, will climb trees, both to escape from enemies and to look for food.