gray fox
(Urocyon cinereoargenteus)
Conservation • Description • Habitat • Ecology • Distribution • Taxonomy
Conservation Status |
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| IUCN Red List | LC - Least Concern |
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| NatureServe | N5 - Secure SNR - Unranked |
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| Minnesota | not listed |
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Description |
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The fur (pelage) is mostly grizzled, pepper and salt gray. The lower sides, sides of the neck, legs, feet, and back of ears are rusty-yellow. It does not have black “socks”. The tail has a black median stripe and a black tip. |
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Size |
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Total length: 30″ to 44″ Head and body: 21″ to 29″ Tail: 11″ to 16″ |
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Sign |
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Similar Species |
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| Red fox (Vulpes vulpes) pellage is yellowish-red. The tail does not have a black median stripe. The tip of the tail is white. The feet have black “socks”. | ||
Habitat |
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Hardwood forests and woodlands |
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Ecology |
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Behavior |
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Lifespan |
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6 to 8 years |
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Life Cycle |
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Food |
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Distribution |
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Sources |
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| 8/19/2022 | ||||
Occurrence |
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Common in the southeast, uncommon elsewhere |
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Taxonomy |
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| Class | Mammalia (mammals) | ||
| Subclass | Theria | ||
| Infraclass | Eutheria (placental mammals) | ||
| Magnorder | Boreoeutheria | ||
| Superorder | Laurasiatheria (ungulates, carnivorans, and allies) | ||
| Order | Carnivora (carnivorans) | ||
| Suborder | Caniformia (dog-like carnivores) | ||
Family |
Canidae (canids) | ||
Genus |
Urocyon (gray foxes) | ||
Subordinate Taxa |
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California gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus californicus) Costa Rican gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus costaricensis) eastern gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus cinereoargenteus) Florida gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus floridanus) Guatemalan gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus guatemalae) Madras gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus madrensis) Panama gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus furvus) Peninsula gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus peninsularis) Prairie gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus ocythous) Scott’s gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus scottii) southwest Mexican gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus nigrirostris) Tehuantepec gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus orinomus) Townsend’s gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus townsendi) Venezuelan gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus venezuelae) Yucatan gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus fraterculus) |
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Synonyms |
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Canis cinereoargenteus |
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Common Names |
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common gray fox gray fox |
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Glossary
Pelage
The coat of a mammal, consisting of fur, wool, or hair, and including a soft undercoat and stiff guard hairs.
Visitor Photos |
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Pete Schultz |
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MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos |
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Slideshows |
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| Gray fox John's Love of Nature |
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| Gray Fox Todd Battey |
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| Gray Foxes Gérard Menut |
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Visitor Videos |
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Share your video of this mammal. |
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| This button not working for you? Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com. Attach a video, a YouTube link, or a cloud storage link. |
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Other Videos |
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| Creature Feature: Gray Fox The Cleveland Museum of Natural History |
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About
Published on Aug 24, 2016 Two gray foxes will join the Museum’s menagerie of live native Ohio animals in the all-new "Ralph Perkins II Wildlife Center & Woods Garden — Presented by KeyBank," opening Labor Day weekend 2016. Gray foxes are one of the only canines that can climb trees—a fact that inspired the young foxes’ names. Buckeye and Ash were born in captivity and hand-raised in Minnesota. The pair have been bonding with their caregivers and getting familiar with their new home since July. |
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| Gray Fox - Urocyon cinereoargenteus John Delgado |
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About
Published on Sep 20, 2015 The gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) is a carnivoran mammal of the family Canidae ranging throughout most of the southern half of North America from southern Canada to the northern part of South America (Venezuela and Colombia). GO HERE for more info http://www.urbancarnivores.com/grey-foxes/ Please click the following link and visit my YouTube Channel - tks, jd https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCohUvAnDUjG-NsYEmqzwjHg Music: I do not own Rights to the music on this video. Permission granted by YouTube Ad-Supported Music |
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| Gray Fox Visit Deer Trail |
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About
Published on Oct 24, 2016 MN wildlife cams Visit our website at: http://www.deertrail.us Or facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Deer-Trail-416353031788925/ |
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| Gray Fox Climbing a Tree (night vision) Graeme Colmer |
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About
Published on Mar 26, 2013 A gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) climbing a tree at night. Gray foxes are one of only two canids (dog family) with the ability to climb trees. Taken in Groveland, California |
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| MRCA releases Gray Fox into the wild MRCAParks |
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About
Published on Apr 30, 2014 Tony Charness with MRCA released a healthy gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) into the wild on Earth Day 2014. The fox had been found 19 days earlier in Wilson Canyon suffering from hypoxia.Thank you to the California Wildlife Center for rehabilitation of the fox. If you find wildlife in need of help, please call the center at (818) 222-2658. Learn more about MRCA at LAMountains.com and the California Wildlife Center at californiawildlifecenter.org |
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Visitor Sightings |
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Report a sighting of this mammal. |
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| Billy Knuth 6/19/2019 |
Location: about a mile south of Bock Minnesota We have a Gray Fox hanging around our yard that has a few kits with her. We think they are hanging out under the chicken coup. Seen playing early light of day. |
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| 6/23/2019 | As an update, one afternoon last week we watched 2 pups come out from under the building! |
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MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings |
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