Gray Fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) pups, 18 July 2015.
Note the grizzled upperparts; cinnamon neck, sides, and legs; and the black-tipped tail.
Litter size in Gray Foxes ranges from 1-7, with a mean of 3.8 When the pups are ~3 months old, they'll forage away from the den site with their parents. At ~4 months, they'll hunt independently.
For pictures of an adult, see the post from 10 September 2012.
Facts above from Fritzell, E.K. and K.J. Haroldson. 1982. Mammalian Species No. 189, Urocyon cinereoargenteus. The American Society of Mammalogists.
We've been fortunate enough to be able to host a fox den under our hot tub two different years, right outside our bedroom window. It was such a treat to see the pups grow up and watch them play.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this post, Jackie!
Hi, Alice! Lucky you! I've read that Gray Foxes choose lots of different places for their dens -- e.g., hollow logs or trees, rock outcrops, underground burrows, piles of wood or vegetation, or abandoned buildings. "Under hot tubs" wasn't mentioned, but now it can be added to the list!
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