Creatures
The Red Fox
A clever, adaptable little wild dog found across the whole northern world.
The red fox (Vulpes vulpes) is the most widespread wild member of the dog family. It lives across most of the northern half of the world, from cold forests to grassy fields and the edges of cities.
A fox has rusty-orange fur, black legs, and a long bushy tail called a , usually tipped with white. Foxes are famous for being clever hunters. They listen carefully for mice under the snow, then leap high and pounce straight down to catch them.
Clever foxes even star in old fables — short stories that teach a lesson — which spread far and wide once the printing press made books cheap and easy to copy.
Body parts to know
- Ears
- Big triangular ears swivel toward the faintest rustle, so a fox can hear a mouse moving under the snow.
- Eyes
- Cat-like eyes with narrow pupils open wide at dusk, when a fox does most of its hunting.
- Nose
- A cold, wet nose is the fox's sharpest sense, catching scents carried on the wind from far away.
- Coat
- A thick red coat keeps the fox warm, and grows even bushier for the cold of winter.
- Tail
- The long bushy tail, called a brush, steers the fox as it turns and wraps around it like a blanket in sleep.
Where it lives
Found right across the top of the world: North America, Europe, and Asia.
- North America
- Europe
- Asia
See also
For older readers