General Information

The red fox is one of two species of fox in Ohio (the other is the gray fox). Red foxes typically live in wooded areas that also contain open brushlands. This species of fox was uncommon in the state of Ohio until after human settlement. When humans began to settle in this area and cut down trees for farmland, red foxes started to move in. Red foxes are nocturnal and solitary for much of the year. Although they are monogamous, males and females only come together to breed and raise young. Once the young are mature enough to be on their own, the parents will go their separate ways until the start of the next breeding season.

Meet Our Red Fox

Scarlet the red fox lives in the Ralph Perkins II Wildlife Center & Woods Garden—Presented by KeyBank at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.

Lifespan

Wild: 2–4 years
Captivity: 10–12 years

Fun Facts

• The most common coat color for the red fox is reddish orange, but red foxes do not have to be red. Less commonly, their coats can be black, gray, brown, silver, or a combination of these. No matter what its main fur color, a red fox will always have a distinctive white tip on its tail.
• Red foxes mark their territory with their skunky-smelling urine. Many people mistake the smell of fox urine for the odor of a skunk. 
• Red foxes are members of the canine family. They have an exceptional sense of smell and hearing to help them catch prey. They are able to detect the low-frequency sounds of small animals underground or under snow. They then pounce on or dig up that area to catch their prey off-guard.
• Red foxes live on a diet of small mammals, birds, and plant matter (including various fruits, grasses, sedges, and tubers).