Red foxes are solitary canids.
The fox is a group of 27 discrete species that are distantly related to wolves, coyotes, and dogs, all in the family Canidae, or family Canidae. The fox, however, is not a dog and cannot mate with a dog. Although these animals are quite attractive, they do not make good pets.
One of the differences between foxes and other canid species is that foxes have a strong scent comparable to that of a skunk. For the fox, scent is an excellent defense mechanism against larger predators such as bears and big cats. This defense mechanism is useful due to the fact that the animal is quite small, few weighing more than about 15 pounds (6.8 kg). The skunk smell also discourages humans from getting too close to their burrows.
Foxes are distant relatives of the coyote.
Unlike other dog-like animals, the fox is solitary. Wolves, hyenas, and wild dogs often hunt in packs, but this animal establishes its own habitat separate from others of its breed. The females, called foxes, allow the males to enter their territory and remain during mating, childbirth, and the early rearing of their young, called kits. Sometimes a couple remains monogamous and lives together, but they can also be found living alone.
The fox is often considered feline in behavior. Its diet differs from that of the big cats in that it tends to be omnivorous. Foxes like meat as their main food, usually in the form of rodents. They will also eat fruit and/or nuts when available. The animals can often be found right in the middle of urban areas like Central Park.
Although some live near humans, the fox tends to avoid humans and is not generally considered a danger to domestic animals such as dogs or cats. It can very rarely kill an unattended puppy or kitten, but is unlikely to attack an adult dog or cat. Also, he is likely to avoid children.
The main danger of the fox in urban areas is its ability to contract and spread rabies. In fact, if one seems unafraid to approach humans, you should avoid it and notify animal control. This atypical behavior can mean a disease.
There are species on virtually every continent. Although the red fox was considered a European introduction to the Americas, later archaeological finds suggest that the animal simply moved inland, to uninhabited forests. The gray fox is also native to the Americas. Other species include the Bengal fox of India, the Blanford fox of the Middle East, the Cape fox of Africa, the Fennec of the Sahara desert, and the swift fox of the Americas.
Some foxes are of slightly different genders and are not considered true foxes. This includes the gray fox, which is known for its ability to climb trees, and the alopex, or arctic fox. Some were imported to non-native areas, where they had a significantly negative effect on the new environment. The introduction of the red fox to Australia, for example, has been reported to have caused a decline in the numbers of several species, including the quoll, which is unfortunately a perfect food.
A fox can live eight to ten years, but this is rare in the wild. It reaches sexual maturity in one to two years and usually produces a litter of up to five pups per year, although the arctic fox can have up to twelve pups at a time. Some species are considered endangered, including one first observed by Darwin on a Chilean island.