Facts
- Prefers brushy, woody and scrubby terrain
- Can climb trees 10 feet or less- known as the "tree fox"
- 5-14 lbs.
- Crepuscular (dawn and dusk active) and nocturnal
- Omnivorous (eats rabbits, rodents, insects, fruit, grains and nuts)
- Related to the smaller Island Gray Fox (endemic to the Channel Islands)
- Territories are determined by family groups (parents and juveniles)
- Male fox will tend to juveniles, but not den with them
- Adults have few predators
- Juveniles fall prey to domestic dogs, golden eagles, hawks and owls
People and Gray Foxes
- The gray fox has adapted well to urban environments; it can be found in almost any developed area that affords some degree of vegetation cover
- Urban foxes have a higher incidence of canine distemper than those in the wild due to their proximity to stray dogs; this is one reason urban foxes should not be relocated
How to Coexist
- Foxes often become nuisances when they are fed by people. In these cases, feeding should be stopped and any unnatural food sources eliminated.
- Keep all pet food and water inside.
- Clean up birdseed on the ground-this attracts foxes and the rodents they prey on.
