Seeking Food
Foxes are resourceful predators and scavengers. As omnivores, their diet varies significantly depending on the season and available resources. This includes small mammals like rodents and rabbits, birds, insects, and fruits and berries.
To secure meals, foxes employ various hunting techniques. They stalk prey silently, using their keen sense of hearing to locate animals beneath snow or dense vegetation. A common method is the “pounce,” where a fox leaps high before diving onto its target.
Beyond active hunting, foxes are opportunistic scavengers, consuming carrion or food scraps found in human-dominated areas. Their adaptability allows them to thrive in rural and urban settings, foraging in gardens, trash bins, or for pet food left outdoors. This flexibility in diet and hunting strategy aids their survival.
Establishing a Home
Foxes create or find sheltered spaces, called dens, to rest and raise their young. Dens provide a secure refuge from harsh weather and protection from larger predators. While some foxes dig their own burrow systems, they frequently repurpose existing structures.
These repurposed dens include abandoned badger setts, rabbit warrens, or natural crevices among rocks and tree roots. The den’s primary purpose is evident during breeding season, providing a safe nursery for the vixen (female fox) to raise her kits. Kits remain inside the den for their initial weeks.
Even outside breeding season, foxes utilize dens for resting during the day. They may also choose to sleep above ground in secluded spots, such as dense undergrowth, thickets, or beneath sheds in urban areas. These choices depend on the immediate need for security, shelter, and the presence of young.
Interacting with Others
Foxes communicate through vocalizations and scent markings, which are important for their social interactions and territorial claims. Their vocal repertoire includes barks, yips, growls, and screams, each conveying specific messages. For instance, a sharp bark might serve as an alarm call, while softer yips are heard among kits and their parents.
Scent marking is another primary form of communication, used to delineate territories and signal reproductive status. Foxes deposit urine, feces, and secretions from scent glands on objects like rocks, trees, or fence posts. These scent posts provide continuous information to other foxes in the area without direct contact.
While often perceived as solitary, fox social structures vary, particularly during the breeding season. Red foxes, for example, live in small family groups consisting of a breeding pair and their offspring, sometimes accompanied by non-breeding helpers. Parental care is a significant interaction, with both parents participating in raising the kits, bringing food, and teaching them survival skills.
Engaging in Play and Curiosity
Beyond the necessities of survival, foxes exhibit behaviors driven by play and curiosity, evident in younger individuals and adults. Play is a significant activity for fox kits, helping them develop hunting and social skills. They engage in mock fighting, chasing, pouncing on siblings, and playful nipping.
Adult foxes also participate in playful interactions, though less frequently than kits. These playful behaviors involve pouncing on inanimate objects, chasing their tails, or engaging in skirmishes with their mates. Such activities help maintain social bonds and refine motor skills.
Foxes possess a strong sense of curiosity, which drives them to explore new environments and investigate unfamiliar objects. This exploratory nature contributes to their adaptability, allowing them to discover new food sources or potential den sites. Their inquisitive behavior, whether examining a discarded item or cautiously approaching a novel scent, showcases their engagement with their surroundings.