The Red Coats are Coming- The Red Coats are Coming!

For tourists traveling to Williamsburg this
summer, the chance to see a red fox is expected
to increase over the next few months as young
fox pups come into their distinctive coloring
and begin to be more adventurous- wandering
further from the protection of the den.

Red foxes are found almost every type of
environment around the world including wooded
areas, grasslands, highlands, and even in
deserts. Red Fox sightings occur throughout the
United States, and that distinctive flash of red
fur always quickens the breath with excitement. A
fox is a cunning and resourceful animal that
adapts well to living near humans, and can be
found throughout the Chesapeake Bay region of
Virginia. This incredible animal has the widest
range of any carnivorous mammal in the world,
but most people will not have seen this clever
creature in the wild.

Equally at home hunting rabbits and scrounging
through garbage cans, Red Foxes are omnivores
which are able to thrive near humans by easily
adapting to take advantage of any opportunity to
find food. Their diet can be as varied as their
range. Foxes will eat fruit and vegetables,
fish, frogs, and even bugs. When living near
humans, foxes will take advantage of
opportunities to find food in garbage as well as
stealing pet food that is left out overnight.
However, being typically shy and fearful of man-
these clever animals can often live right in your
neighborhood and for the most part go entirely
unnoticed. The exception to this rule is
generally during the summer, when rambunctious
pups start to vocalize and begin to wander from
the den.

Red Foxes mate in the winter, and the vixen
typically gives birth to a small litter of kits
in early spring. Like dogs and cats, fox pups
are born blind and are normally dark gray or
brown at birth. A pup's red coat usually grows
in by the end of the first month, but some red
fox varieties are golden, reddish-brown, silver,
or even black. Both parents will typically care
for their young through the summer. The kits
will remain at the den until fall, when they
will normally strike out on their own.

These beautiful animals often are confused with
large cats because of their graceful movement and
especially their large fluffy tails, but they are
actually closely related to both coyotes and
wolves. Like their cousins, these wild animals
should always be appreciated at a distance, and
humans should not approach them or try to feed
them.


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Richard Marquette is the editor of
Vacation-Times.org, a free website providing
consumer information about the timeshare and
travel industries. To learn more about buying,
selling, renting, or using a timeshare, please
visit http://vacation-times.org



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