  |
|
|
|
The grey fox is a common animal in much of the United States, but did you know that it has a long evolutionary past and is not closely related to the other foxes?
The grey fox is a member of the dog family that superficially resembles other species of fox. It has erect, pointy ears and a bushy tail. It is roughly the size of a small dog, weighing 8 to 15 pounds, which is roughly the same size as the red fox. The grey fox has predominantly grey and black banded fur on its back, with reddish fur appearing along the legs, neck, and ears. It was first described by Johann Christian Daniel von Schreber as Canis virginianus, meaning the “Virginian dog.” It is now classified as Urocyon cinereoargenteus, with “uro” meaning tail, “cyon” meaning dog, “cinerero” meaning ash-colored, and “argenteus” meaning silver. It is not closely related to the red fox, with which it is usually associated, nor the other two “grey foxes” of North America, the swift and the kit. It is also not related to the South America foxes either, which are not closely related to the North American and Old World foxes. South American foxes are actually more closely related to jackals, wolves, and coyotes than the other foxes. The grey fox belongs to its own genus, which it shares with its close cousin, the island fox, because it is the most primitive of North American canines. It maintains its ability to climb trees, which it shares with the raccoon dog of Asia and Europe. These two species are believed to be between 7 and 10 million years old. By comparison, coyotes are separated from wolves by 2 million years at most. It is because of this ancient heritage and its tree climbing ability that the grey fox is considered a primitive form of canine. Two Close CousinsThe grey fox has two close relatives that have existed in modern times. One is the island fox of the Channel Islands off the coast of California. These foxes are smaller than the mainland grey fox species and have suffered as introduced species have come to the island. One population of these foxes suffered because of the extirpation of the bald eagle on the islands. The bald eagle is a primarly a fish eating raptor, but it is big enough to keep the golden eagle away from its range. When the bald eagle disappeared, the golden eagle took up residence. Golden eagles do eat foxes, and the fox population suffered greatly. Each island has its own subspecies of fox, and how these foxes got to the islands in the first place is a mystery. At least one theory suggests that native people kept the foxes as pets and brought them to the islands. These foxes are about half the size of the mainland grey and the second smallest canine species after the fennec. Another relative of the grey fox was the Cozumel fox of Mexico, which may or may not be extinct. If it is not extinct, then it is very rare, because it has not been seen in many years. Because the island fox is considered a separate species from the mainland grey, it has been suggested that this fox is also a separate species. It was about three fourths the size of a mainland grey. Rare in Canada and Fragmented in the Southern Parts of Its RangeGrey foxes are rare in Canada but have been seen near the US border, especially in parts of Southern Ontario and the parts of Quebec that are near the New York and Vermont borders. However, it is much more common in the United States, where its range includes much of the Eastern, Central, and Southern states, along with the Southwest and California. The range of this fox includes much of Mexico, the Pacific coast of Central America and parts of Venezuela and Colombia In much of the United States, the Grey fox is considered a common species. However, it is a unique species to the Americas with an ancient heritage. It is not considered threatened in the United States or Mexico, but the populations in Central and South America are fragmented and could potentially be endangered. The grey fox is uncommon in Canada, although it is considered part of Canada’s native species. Some think that the grey fox was once common in Canada until European colonization, but the evidence for this theory seems somewhat lacking. Grey foxes must not like the muskeg.
The copyright of the article The Grey Fox in Mammals is owned by Scottie V. Westfall. Permission to republish The Grey Fox in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
|
|
|
|
