The familiar orange fox of the northern hemisphere and the most widespread wild carnivore on Earth. A solitary hunter of small animals that has moved into farmland and cities.
Quick answers
What is it?Mammal
Carnivore?Omnivore
Dangerous?No
Domesticated?No
Awake when?Night
Mostly active at dusk and at night, though often seen by day where it isn’t disturbed.
Hibernates?No
Kept as a pet?No
Do people eat it?No
At a glance
Found inEurope, North America, Asia
HabitatForest, Grassland, Farmland, Towns
ColoursOrange, White
SizeMedium
Length45–90 cm plus a 30–55 cm tail
Height35–50 cm at the shoulder
Legs4
Covered inFur
Lives alone
Lives for3–5 years
Can swim
In the wild
- Where it lives
- Across Europe, Asia, North America and North Africa. It was introduced to Australia in the 1830s and 1840s and is now an invasive predator there.
- What it eats
- Small rodents and rabbits, birds, insects, fruit and berries, and scraps from bins in towns.
- Conservation
- Least Concern (IUCN Red List)
Did you know
Hunts using the Earth's magnetic field to aim its pounce.
In Australia it has been linked to the decline or extinction of several native mammals, including the desert rat-kangaroo.
Often confused with
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