Local Wildlife: Crazy Like a Fox

This month, local wildlife goes a lil loco…

As October’s cool nights creep in and the harvest moon hangs high over Philadelphia, things start to feel a little spookier – and it’s not just because of Halloween. In the shadows of our parks, cemeteries, and even backyards, there’s a wild energy stirring. The city’s young red foxes are experiencing a rambunctious, rebellious phase known as the “October Crazies.”

By the time fall arrives, last spring’s fox pups are no longer cute little kits. They’ve grown into adventurous, energetic teenagers that are literally kicked out of their parents’ dens if they don’t leave on their own. These scrappy youngsters enter a phase called “dispersal,” where they’re all searching for their own territories to stake out.

Here’s when we’re likely to see more foxes slinking around in unexpected places, perhaps taking up a temporary residence in a shed or under a porch while it finds its bearings. We might see them in broad daylight, too – which, if you know foxes, is usually a sign of illness. But like any adolescent away from home for the first time, these guys are pushing curfews.

And they are so mouthy! While settled adult foxes tend to engage with their environment silently, the recently-ousted ones are way more vocal. We’ll hear them yipping, barking, chattering, even screaming at all hours as they stake out their turf, tussling with their siblings and other competitors. On top of everything, they’re hormonal, too, so they can be little uncharacteristically bold for this normally-shy species. Keep alert for possible encounters.

You can spot our native red fox (Vulpes vulpes) by its rusty red fur, bushy white-tipped tail, and handsome black “stockings”. Their pointed ears and sharp noses give them that classic “sly fox” look, accentuating their reputation as clever opportunists. Indeed, these crafty critters are expert hunters, using their keen sense of smell and exceptional hearing to locate prey, even beneath snow or soil. They’ll eat everything from small mammals like mice and rabbits to birds, insects, fruits, and even the occasional snack from a convenient compost bin.

Unlike their coyote cousins, foxes are solitary creatures. Most of the year they keep to themselves, making their dens in and around city greenspaces. Foxes mate in the winter, with offspring born in early spring (usually around March). A typical litter has 4 to 6 pups, about the size and weight of a lump of charcoal. Both parents will raise their little furballs together, and then split up when their brood leaves the den. They may or may not reunite the next year – though foxes are monogamous, they don’t necessarily mate for life.

Foxes are for the most part considered a beneficial species that keep rodent populations in check, and contribute to the balance of our ecosystem. As expert scavengers, they play an important role in managing waste, which helps limit the spread of disease and contamination. Most of the time, they’re perfectly peaceful neighbors. Let’s cut them some slack this October, and wish them well on their journey to adulthood.

🦊 Fun Facts About Foxes 🦊

1. The typical red fox is 10-12 lbs, one foot tall and three feet long (including 14 – 16 inches of tail)
2. A male fox is called a dog, a female is a vixen; offspring are either kits or pups (a group is called a skulk)
3. Foxes can run up to 30 mph and leap as high as 6 feet; they can hear a mouse squeak 100+ feet away!
4. Foxes are poor swimmers and generally avoid getting wet at all costs
5. Foxes are members of the canine family and will wag their tails to show affection; however, they hunt like cats by stalking and pouncing
6. Foxes locate prey by using their ears with the earth’s magnetic field as a targeting system
7. Foxes mate for 15 to 20 minutes, often quite loudly
8. Foxes live 3 to 4 years in the wild; the oldest red fox lived to 23 years and 7 months in a Boise, Idaho zoo
9. Not all red foxes are rusty-colored, their fur can be auburn, gray, brown – some even have black or silver coats. Whatever the shade, they all have that signature white-tipped tail
10. Famed naturalist T. Seton described the red fox’s scream as “probably the most sinister, unearthly, wild-animal note that can be heard in North America”
11. While native to North America, red foxes did not become common in Pennsylvania until the mid-1800s.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU SEE A FOX:

Nothing.

ℹ️ According to the SPCA, foxes are not aggressive towards pets or humans (except when they are rabid which is “very rare”). Foxes have a natural tendency towards fleeing rather than fighting. A fox cutting through your yard is probably just passing between hunting areas & requires no action.

Foxes can however carry dog diseases, like distemper and parvovirus. If you’re worried a fox might take up house on your property, they can often be scared off with sprinklers, wind chimes, shiny balloons, old sweat socks, and defensive mulching.

DO NOT FEED FOXES! Acclimating to humans never goes well for wild animals, who are easy targets for hunters, mean kids, exotic pet hoarders, taxidermists, traffic, etc. Feeding wild animals can also make them bold & nasty.

Thoughts? Comments? Please leave them below. If you enjoyed this Local wildlife feature, please check out last month’s on chimney swifts — a most fascinating bird with a very special autumn ritual.