fox

The common or red fox is versatile and intelligent. It is a skilful hunter, preying on rodents, hares, birds, and insects. In urban areas, the red fox is a scavenger of dustbins.

The Arctic fox Alopex lagopus has white fur in the winter for camouflage against the snow, and a grey-brown coat in the summer. To reduce heat loss its ears are shorter and more furry than those of other foxes.

One of the smaller species of wild dog of the family Canidae, which live in Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, and South America. Foxes feed on a wide range of animals from worms to rabbits, scavenge for food, and also eat berries. They are very adaptable, maintaining high populations close to urban areas.

Most foxes are nocturnal, and make an underground den, or ‘earth’. The common or red fox Vulpes vulpes is about 60 cm/2 ft long plus a tail (‘brush’) 40 cm/1.3 ft long. The fur is reddish with black patches behind the ears and a light tip to the tail. Other foxes include the Arctic fox Alopex lagopus, the fennec, the grey foxes genus Urocyon of North and Central America, and the South American genus Dusicyon, to which the extinct Falkland Islands dog belonged.

3.4 million foxes are killed for their skins annually worldwide.

Fox

River in Wisconsin; length 285 km/177 mi. It rises in the lake area to the north of Madison and is connected by the Portage Canal with the Wisconsin River; it continues northeast to Lake Winnebago at Oshkosh and beyond this to Green Bay. In its lower course it provides water for an important industrial area specializing in papermaking.