Hoary fox facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hoary fox |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Lycalopex
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| Species: |
vetulus
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| Hoary fox range | |
| Synonyms | |
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Pseudoalopex vetulus |
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The hoary fox (Lycalopex vetulus), also called the hoary zorro, is a special kind of fox found only in Brazil. In Portuguese, people call it raposinha-do-campo, which means "little fox of the meadow." Unlike many other foxes, this one mostly eats tiny creatures like insects.
Contents
What Does a Hoary Fox Look Like?
The hoary fox is a small fox. It has a short nose, small teeth, and thin legs. Its fur is short. The top part of its body is grey, and its belly is a creamy or light brown color.
Its tail has a black tip and a dark stripe along the top. On male foxes, this stripe can go all the way up their back to their neck. Their ears and the outside of their legs are reddish or light brown. The lower part of their jaw is black. Some hoary foxes have also been seen with darker fur than usual.
This fox is quite small, weighing only about 3 to 4 kilograms (about 6.6 to 8.8 pounds). Its body, from head to tail, is about 58 to 72 centimeters (23 to 28 inches) long, and its tail is about 25 to 36 centimeters (10 to 14 inches) long. Because it is small and slender, the hoary fox can run very fast and move quickly. Its small teeth are perfect for eating insects, not big prey.
Behaviour and Diet
When Do Hoary Foxes Hunt?
Hoary foxes are nocturnal, which means they are active mostly at night. They usually live alone, except during the time they find a partner to have babies.
What Do Hoary Foxes Eat?
These foxes mainly eat insects. Their favorite foods include termites, dung beetles, and grasshoppers. But they also eat other things like small rodents, tiny birds, and even fruit.
The area a hoary fox needs to live in can be different depending on where it is. For example, one female fox in southern Bahia used an area of about 385 hectares (about 950 acres). A family group in Minas Gerais used about 456 hectares (about 1,127 acres). But in eastern Mato Grosso, two pairs of foxes used a much smaller area of about 48 hectares (about 119 acres).
Where Do Hoary Foxes Live?
The hoary fox lives in the south-central part of Brazil. While they can sometimes be seen in other areas, they mostly live in a type of habitat called the cerrado. This area is usually between 90 and 1,100 meters (about 295 to 3,600 feet) high. The cerrado has open woodlands, bushy areas, and grasslands with scattered trees.
Reproduction
Hoary Fox Life Cycle
Female hoary foxes usually give birth to two to four pups. This happens around August or September. The mother carries her babies for about 50 days before they are born. There are usually an equal number of male and female pups in a litter.
The mother fox gets a den ready for her pups. Sometimes, she uses burrows that other animals have dug. The pups drink their mother's milk until they are about 4 months old. Both the mother and father help take care of the young pups.
