A fox is a Canidé Vulpes , near to the wolf. But, by physical similarity, the term is also employed to indicate the canidés pertaining one to other kinds, like Cerdocyon , Otocyon , Pseudalopex and Urocyon . Name fox is thus not standardized. The common points of the various kinds of canidés usually gathered under the name fox are:

  • a lengthened muzzle,
  • of the drawn up ears,
  • a small size (60 to 75 cm for the body, and 35 to 50 cm for the tail),
  • a weight of approximately 6 kg.

The foxes generally live 2-3 years, but their life expectancy can go up to 10 years and even more, when they are in captivity.

Name

Vocabulary

  • the fox glapit (extracts sound).
  • the small one of the fox is the renardeau.
  • the female of the fox is the vixen.
  • the fox practices the Mulotage to drive out the Rongeurs.
  • the fox is of the family of the Canidé S.

Etymology

Until the end of the 19th century and in many French dialects, this animal is called goupil . " Renard" is not other than the name given to a goupil in the Romance of Renart . In this collection of imaginary stories, Renart the goupil is very malignant, and the turns which he plays the other animals and human made the character very popular (one said: " Malignant like Renart"). So its name was gradually substituted at the end goupil .

The word fox was written renart , until the middle of the 16th century; it derives from a Germanic name Reginhart (formed of the assembly of ragin , " conseil" , and binder , " fort").

The word goupil comes, according to a succession of deteriorated forms, bottom Latin vulpiculus , itself derived from traditional Latin vulpecula (small fox), diminutive of vulpes (fox) in traditional Latin. The Latin term probably comes from the Greek άλώπηξ . (alopex)

Various species

The common fox or russet-red Fox

It is the species of the Vulpes vulpes , most widespread in Eurasia, North America, North Africa and Australia. Its peeling is in general russet-red. He lives mainly in burrows dug by the Blaireau. He also digs very well his burrows which are much larger than those of rabbits and smaller than those of the badgers. He nourishes especially Campagnol S, rabbits, of Poisson S and Fruit S in summer but also of eggs, insects and carrions as well as domestic cats.

Once per annum, to March, the vixen give rise to a range from 3 to 5 small, sometimes more according to the population present and the quantity of food available. They open the eyes around two weeks and are adult around three months. The renardeaux ones remain approximately six months with their parents. The renardeaux ones have like predatory occasional the Golden eagle, the Hibou large-duke, the Vautour and the lynx.

The Arctic fox

The arctic fox ( Vulpes lagopus ) lives in mediums where the temperatures are very low in winter. It can resist temperatures of -70°C. Its low size and its fur enable him to limit the heat loss. Under each leg, it has a tuft of hairs which enables him to be insulated against the cold. Its white fur in winter enables him to better merge with snow, thus improving its camouflage. In summer, its peeling is brown.

The Japanese Fox

The Japan ease, Vulpes vulpes japonica , would be originating in India. It usually meets in group. It is called “狐” (Kitsune) in Japanese.

The Sand fox

Under this term are gathered the Renard Tibetan (kind Vulpes ), and the Sand fox of the Sahara or Fennec ( Vulpes zerda ).

“Cousins” of the fox

We will do nothing but quote (because pertaining to the kind Canis ), the African Chacal, the American Coyote and the Australian Dingo which occupy the same ecological niche

Mulotage

See also: Mulotage

The period of the harvests opens with the fox enticing prospects. When the fields have just been mown, their inhabitants become much easier to locate. It is with the ear, that it has particularly fine, that the carnivore locates its victim. Then, of a blow, he springs in the air. An extraordinary jump which makes it fall down exactly on its prey that it immobilizes with its legs of front.

Myths and folklores related to the fox

Europe

In imaginary European, the fox is associated with the flattery, the lie, the mischievousness and the trick.

Among people of the north of Europe, the fox is one of the animals emblematic of Loki, god Scandinavian of fire and the ill will. In addition, Renarde would seem to cover one Dise Matron with the the Rhine.

According to certain sources, he would have guided Orphée in his descent into Hell. The fox is also the symbol of the inhabitants of the Greek city of Messène. (see Créontadiès)

In Europe the foxes appear in several accounts (mixing actual facts and fiction) where they are often persecuted. With the Middle Ages, it is often depicts as a member of the clergy, courting his assistances, of the sheep, which it can with leisure crunch.

Among the famous texts bringing into play the fox, one can quote:

    • the Corbel and the Fox , watch a flattering and misleading fox.

    • the Fox and the Stork , watch a fox penaud to be itself found trapped by the stork which it had misled.

    • the Fox and the Grapes , watch a fox which pretends to scorn inaccessible grapes.

  • In Pinocchio of Carlo Collodi, a fox which pretends to be lame and a cat which claims to be blind always manage to divert the principal hero of the right way.

America

  • Its name Spanish “zorro” is also that of a famous masked dispenser of justice whom one sees in certain films.

Japan

In the Japanese folklore, the kitsune (foxes) are crafty ones, play of the turns and are endowed with magic capacities. Any kitsune is supposed to become able to change form when it reaches a advanced age (often a hundred years), and its capacities do not cease growing with time: in parallel, of new tails push to him.

See also: Kitsune

In other mythologies

Many people noticed manners crafty ones of the fox and different manners in their mythological accounts translate them.

In many countries of the East (China, Iran, Japan, Mongolia…), it is a double character: in the Chinese and Japanese folklores, the Vixen are a horrible witch who disguises herself, the day, in a superb young girl; she invites then people to come to feast in her house, where the come evening, she makes them undergo thousand mean actions before giving up them on a waste ground.

Relationship between the fox and the man

It seems that populations of foxes " urbains" have been more frequent for a few decades, perhaps because of a habitat which became more favorable to them compared to the intensive crop years. In London, London Ecology Unit accompanied a program of protection by the Fox. Recent study has shown that in Nantes they were almost always confined with the green areas rather than with the gardens and than their food (study of the contents of droppings) varied according to the places which they attend, but little anthropized.

Domestication

Adoption of foxes and fennecs as pets seems to have existed of long time and punctually, but it is disadvised in the majority of the countries, except breeding, have regard to the medical bad reputation of the wild animal which was vector of the rage (before the vaccination campaigns), and is frequently parasitized by ticks or chips and conveys parasites which it can transmit to the man, in particular by his excrements (parasitic such as echinococcosis which is also conveyed by the dogs and sometimes by the cats). The odorous marks of the fox were also a brake with a great proximity with the Man.

Drive out with the fox

The foxes do not present any risk for the population: they do not attack the man and seldom the pets (poultry if they are not locked up and of domestic cats) and the Rage meadow foxtail was éradiquée officially in France since the years 1998, thanks to a massive distribution of vaccine soft foods. Vaccination is besides the only effective process of eradication of the rage and the only person in charge of the total disappearance of pathology in France and Belgium. There is not thus more reason to pursue the fox as a potential vector of the rage.

The foxes can however represent a harmful effect, in particular for the owners of hen houses. They can also locally excavate the dustbins in the search of food. However, one cannot charge to them all the cases of plundering of hen houses or eventration of dustbins.

Wandering dogs and cats, rats, long pitchforks and corvidés are as much responsible than the fox for the plundering of the hen houses or the eventration of the dustbins. To avoid such harmful effects, it is possible to arrange the hen houses so as to limit the possibilities of access by the predatory animals. Structures into hard, sufficiently high, covering netting and partially buried are very often enough to avoid any attack.

Concerning the broken dustbins, the share which falls on the fox is difficult to determine. The fox is attracted by food. Consequently, less one lets trail food outside, less one is likely to be annoyed by the foxes. It is thus recommended for example not to leave food for the dog or the cat in the garden.

Hunting for the fox in France is regulated (to consult the prefectoral panels and the local federations of hunting). It can be practiced with rifle (requires a hunting permit) or with the trap (but a license of piégage requires). The use of soft foods poisoned is strictly prohibited. the destruction of foxes on a territory tends to make increase the fruitfulness of the females: hunting is thus an ineffective means, to see against-productive to control the populations of foxes. A contraceptive oral vaccine in direction of the foxes female is being studied.

Anecdotes

  • the dogfish is also called “flying fox”.

See too

Related articles

External bonds

  • study on the urban foxes of Nantes
  • Much of information on the red fox (English)
  • a page on the kitsune and the foxes (English)

Breeding:

  • foxes on the site of the Canadian Council of protection of Animals.

Simple: Fox

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