Fun Facts about Foxes: Educational Video Presentation for Children

Foxes are the representatives of the Canidae animal family. Unlike wolves, foxes have longer body, but shorter limbs, a head with pointed muzzle and oversized pointy ears.

Before we continue, please take a quick look at this interactive video presentation about foxes:




Original on YouTube: Foxes: 8 Interesting Facts about Wild and Domestic Animals

#1. General information about foxes (Vulpes)



The natural habitat of these animals is greatly distributed. Foxes may be found Europe, #North Africa, many Asian regions and in North America. As of today, foxes dwell on every continent of our planet, except Antarctica. For their habitat fox prefer to choose open terrain, as well as areas with groves, hills, ravines and woods, which don’t get dense snow cover in winters.

The burrows created or adapted by foxes for their needs are known for their complexity and presence of several entries and exits but these animals stay in their permanent dwellings only during the period of bringing up their young. The rest of the year, particularly the winter, foxes prefer to relax in the open dens in the snow or in the grass/moss.

The most common representative of the genus is the red fox (Vulpes vulpes). Even though red foxes are the largest animals among other foxes, they are still slightly smaller than the other members of the family Canidae (for example #wolves, jackals). Mature red foxes reach the body length of 60-90 cm, have a tail 40-60 cm tail and weigh about 6-10 kg. In most cases, they have bright red fur color on their backs and white fur on their bellies (black color is rare but possible).

#2. George Byron and pet animals



Lord George Byron, just like #Leonardo da Vinci, who used to buy birds on the markets just to set them free, greatly loved animals. But during his education at Cambridge University, the rules of which prohibited keeping pets in the rooms, George had to live without his favorite companions at home.

But soon he found a loophole, the rules applied only to dogs as pets, so he decided to have a pet #baby bear. Since bears in the ban were not mentioned in the rules, the university could do nothing at that time. Over the course of life his Byron had a good deal of unusual pets, including foxes, badgers, crocodiles, eagles and herons.

#3. The history behind pet foxes



In 1950s scientists from the Soviet Union tried to find out the evolution in the animal kingdom, which led to the domestication of animals. Same process of taming wild animals was intended to be carried out on foxes.

The experiment, which lasted over half a century let to the #domestication of foxes, which turned out to be different from their wild relatives in behavior, body structure and physiology.

#4. Why foxes need big and fluffy tails




Red foxes may be considered solitary animals, as they spend most of the year, but for the mating season, alone, even during exceptionally very cold winters. Since the tip of the nose and paw pads of these animals are especially susceptible to cold and such harsh weather conditions, the animal wraps up its body with bushy tail, before resting or going to sleeping.

Apart from serving as a blanked for the animal, the tail of a fox helps it to keep the balance, while running.

#5. Hunting skills and techniques



Fox is a predatory animal, which has a good deal of hunting skills up its sleeve. These representatives of the family Canidae spend most of their nights (midnight until dawn) hunting. Nature has remarkably gifted foxes with senses, which are best used in hunting: they can see incredibly very well in the dark, thanks to special adaptations in their eyes, moreover, foxes have remarkable hearing: it is strong enough to hear a mouse running under several feet of snow.

One of the most interesting hunting techniques is the leap of the fox. Animal carefully listens to potential victim and when it is within the reach, fox would jump and try to catch a mouse or other prey with its paws or teeth. A hungry fox would go on jumping, until it catches the desired prey.

#6. Beautiful example of animal friendship

Even though foxes solitary lifestyle, they are curious animals by nature. Therefore, they sometimes get acquainted and make friends with animals, which don’t even belong to the same animal family. These examples of unusual animal friendship are especially heartwarming and should serve as an example to people. We recommend taking a look at this cute friendship of a cat and a fox.


Original video on YouTube: FUNNY friendship of a cat and a fox in Turkey

#7. Other quick facts about these animals

- Scientific research shows that the diet of an average fox consists of mice (69%), rabbits (20%), fruits and herbs (10%) and the rest is made up from insects and other foods.

- Just #like lions and some other predator animals, foxes do not spend time on chewing foods, instead they tear away small pieces of meat and swallow them whole.
- During a chase, foxes can run as speeds up to 50 km/h (31 mph).

- Several sources claim that foxes have the ability of imitating sounds in order to attract prey (especially birds).

- Before the development of modern and effective agricultural technologies, foxes helped the farmers in fruit orchards; they helped to get rid of rodents that harm the fruit.

- In captivity (or as a pet), the foxes may live up to 10-15 years, but this freedom loving animal prefers to stay on the dangerous side, which comes with a shorter life-span and usually lasts from two to three years. So in many situations the slyness and dexterity of a fox that are reflected the folklore of many countries of the world, don’t help these animals live longer lives.

- Zorro is #Spanish for "the fox". So this may have been the idea behind a famous movie character, who was supposed to be as agile and cunning.

- In #Ancient Rome, a red fox was considered to be the symbol (demon) of fire.

- The cubs are born blind. They start seeing and teething only by the 12th day of their lives. Young foxes become fully independent only 3 months after their birth.

Image credits: 

1) www.static.boredpanda.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/amazing-fox-photos-8.jpg
2) www.upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/archive/7/75/20091101231723!Pet_red_fox_'Ron'_Vulpes_Vulpes_Fulvus.jpg
3) www.upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e2/Alopex_lagopus_IMG_9019.JPG
4) www.static.boredpanda.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/amazing-fox-photos-1.jpg
5) www.assets.nydailynews.com/polopoly_fs/1.1233450.1357341980!/img/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/gallery_1200/honorable-mention-red-fox-catching-mouse-snow.jpg
6) www.eveboo.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/baby_foxes_hd_widescreen_wallpapers_1680x1050.jpeg