Gray fox – tree-climbing canines

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An observant hiker strolling through the woods at dusk might wonder, “Why is there a dog 20 feet high in that oak tree? Or is it a skinny, tall raccoon with a long bushy tail? Am I in Wonderland?”

A peek through binoculars will confirm the animal appears to be a member of the canid family which includes coyotes, dogs, wolves, foxes, jackals and dingoes, and according to multiple sources, the gray fox is the only American canid adept at climbing trees. It has a distant Asian cousin called a raccoon dog or mangut which also climbs trees, but not around here.

Gray foxes inhabit deciduous forests and scrubby woodland habitats from southern Canada to Venezuela and Colombia. They avoid parts of the Great Plains and the highest mountainous areas of the western United States, but they have been sighted in every county in Arkansas. They prefer dense woods, whereas their red fox cousins are more common in open agricultural areas.

And, yes, gray foxes will sometimes nest in a tree as high up as 30 feet on a broad limb or in a hollow trunk or abandoned owl’s nest.

Description

Trappers have reported that by far the Ozark Mountains host more gray foxes than any other part of Arkansas. They usually are secretive and nocturnal but have been observed during daylight hours in northern Madison County this summer. Like its red relative, a gray fox is reddish-white underneath, and its back, sides and muzzle are a peppery gray and black with white mixed in. A black streak runs along the top of its tail. A gray fox might reach a bit over three feet in length with the bushy tail being one-third of the total length. In contrast, the tail of the larger red fox is at least half as long as the rest of its body. They are also smaller than coyotes.

Gray foxes have oval-shaped eyes as opposed to slit-shaped eyes of red foxes. A University of Michigan website suggests that researchers consider their shorter legs and retractable claws used for climbing as evidence “they are one of the more primitive members of the Canidae family.”

The DesertUSA website claims a female gray fox in a western desert might dig an elaborate den as long as 75 feet with ten or more exits and several side compartments for storing food or for a clean space for her young. Our Ozark terrain would not allow such extravagant accommodations.

In Arkansas, gray fox make nests between or under large rocks, and hollow tree trunks are popular. They reportedly prefer to claim abandoned burrows of other animals, such as woodchucks, and remodel them.

Family life

Except during mating and child-rearing season, gray fox prefer to live alone. Though it is not always the case, they typically mate with the same partner each winter. In Gray Foxes in Arkansas Amanda Bancroft tells us, “The mating season in Arkansas begins in mid-January and peaks in February. Litter size averages four kits but has been known to be as large as ten. By autumn, the kits have reached sexual maturity and strike out on their own as adults.”

The University of Michigan site states, “Parents teach kits how to hunt at about four months old. Until then, both parents prey for food separately, and kits practice their hunting skills by pouncing and stalking, which is primarily taught by the father.”

The family stays together until autumn, but spends mid-autumn into winter fending for themselves.

Predator and prey- hunger games

Gray fox in the wild usually live for six to eight years. The oldest known individual living in captivity lived to be 12 years old. In the woods, they sustain themselves with a varied diet, which changes with the seasons. Small rodents and rabbits are the mainstays during the winter, but in areas of California, they eat the fruit of the California palm because that’s what’s available. In spring, fruit consumption increases along with invertebrates such as grasshoppers, beetles, butterflies and moths. They spice up their meals with small birds, eggs and nuts, but gray fox are known for controlling local populations of mice and rats.

Intrepid researchers investigated the stomach contents of 42 fox in Texas during different seasons. They found the contents during winter consisted of 56 percent rabbits and rodents; 23 percent grasshoppers and other invertebrates; 21 percent small birds. In spring, there were more small rodents and fewer birds. In late summer and fall, however, gray fox stomachs contained 30 percent persimmons and acorns; 26 percent insects; 16 percent small animals; 14 percent birds; 14 percent crayfish. Notable to the researchers was the fact chicken and quail occurred only once each and mourning doves twice. The researchers deduced from the data that, “The usual food habits of the gray fox do not conflict much with man’s economy.”

It is also noteworthy that no housecats were found among the contents in the study.

However, red fox are notorious for raiding chicken houses and are considered among the top 100 most invasive species in the world. Unfortunately, some farmers who have lost a chicken or two to red fox or raccoons will go after gray foxes as well. Humans probably kill more gray foxes than other predators, which include coyotes, bobcats, golden eagles and great horned owls.

Gray foxes hide under cover to avoid a predator or, if necessary, use their long hooked claws to climb trees. They climb down the tree backward like a cat.

Literature from the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission says when gray fox climb trees, they grip and pull with their front paws and push upward with the back paws. They can hang onto a tree with the curved claws if they need to. Avoiding predators by climbing is handy for escaping dogs and coyotes, but hiding on a tree limb is no escape from an armed and determined fox hunter.

Unfortunate news about gray fox is they serve as hosts to fleas, ticks, chiggers, mites and a few internal parasites. They can also pass along tularemia and canine distemper to dogs. The good news is they prefer to avoid dogs.

Legend, lore and more

Fox have captured our imagination throughout history and are integral in folklore of cultures wherever they live. Typically they are portrayed as mischievous, cunning tricksters but usually not evil. In Finnish legends, fox outsmart wolves and bears symbolizing intelligence prevailing over evil intent and brute strength, and myths from Peru have similar themes. Hence, our word, “outfox.”

The Shinto deity Inari employs the fox Kitsune as his shape-shifting messenger. In the southern part of Africa, the Tswana people have the saying “Only the muddy fox lives,” meaning to succeed in life a person must be active and work hard. German Commander Erwin Rommel was called the Desert Fox because of his cunning military strategies.

Some scholars trace the origin of the word “shenanigan” to an old Irish expression meaning “I play the fox,” which hints at being shrewd but also untrustworthy. In modern English, the term “foxy” is a synonym for scheming or wily but recently has taken on the meaning of sexually attractive.

Another modern expression is putting the fox in charge of the hen house, which refers to the bad habits of red fox and corrupt politicians. Meanwhile, a gray fox watches while eating a persimmon 20 feet above ground in an oak tree.