Red Fox of Yellowstone National Park


Red Fox The Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) is the shyest wild canid in the Yellowstone region and seldom seen, when compared to wolves or coyotes. Although red foxes are abundant in the lower agricultural river valleys outside the park, the foxes of Yellowstone are far more discreet. Studies suggest that the higher elevations of Yellowstone and adjacent mountains may actually be home to an endemic species of fox that exists in isolation from other native red foxes and those introduced to the continent by Europeans. Red Foxes are common throughout most of North America, and the animal's "cunning" ability to outfox hunters and fur trappers is legendary. Night hunters that prowl the forest edges and meadows, these omnivores have smaller territories than coyotes but they will hunt across wide areas nonetheless. Wildlife watchers shouldn't have a problem differentiating between red foxes and coyotes. An adult fox weighs about 15 pounds, perhaps half the weight of a small adult coyote. Foxes also have a classic long, slender snout. Unlike wolves and coyotes, foxes rarely howl or sing as a form of gregariousness. What sets foxes apart, of course, is the color of its fur. The fox has a spot of white on the tip of its fluffy black and red tail. The underside of its body, from neck to posterior, is covered by a creamy white fur, and its paws are reddish blond. As with black bears, red foxes take on hues other than the color for which they are primarily known. The red fox generally subsists upon a variety of rodents but has other dietary staples such as grasshoppers and berries. In learning more about foxes, we begin to understand how predators interrelate. The reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone may impart some long-term benefits for foxes by producing a lower coyote population, which is a fox competitor. Also, carcasses left behind by wolves might benefit foxes too. Never, under any circumstances, approach or attempt to feed a fox. The animal will bite if provoked and it can carry rabies. However, no Yellowstone canid - fox, coyote, or wolf has tested positive for rabies since the park was founded in 1872. Where to find them The timid nature of foxes means they are less visible from the road than coyotes. Sightings are infrequent and often seasonal, with most occurring in winter, spring, or autumn around Canyon Village. In meadows that roll away from the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River, foxes are occasionally spotted from the roadside as they hunt at dusk and dawn. Red "mountain" foxes are also sighted occasionally along the slopes of Mount Washburn, which rise above Dunraven Pass, and in the northeastern corner of the park on the slopes of the Absaroka and Beartooth Mountains above the towns of Silver Gate and Cooke City.