How Do Red Foxes Protect Themselves?
To protect themselves from predators, red foxes build burrows and dens in grasslands. Sometimes young red fox pups are often snatched up by predators, but they mostly stay in the dens and are protected by their family. The most common predators to red foxes include coyotes, eagles, gray wolves, mountain lions, bears and humans.
The red fox typically looks for food at night or in the early morning when there is a lesser chance of them coming in contact with humans. Foxes tend to run away from humans when they are approached, rather than biting them.
Red foxes are found throughout the northern hemisphere and live in numerous habitats including forests, prairies, deserts, mountains and urban areas. To adapt to urban areas, red foxes learn to eat whatever they are able to find. The typical diet of red foxes consists of grass, insects, berries, small rodents and fruit. With their extraordinary sense of smell, they are able to find and catch prey. Once they catch their prey, they bring it back to their den before eating it.
Young pups remain in the den until they are about four to five weeks old when they are old enough to fend for themselves. The pups are nursed for about 56 to 70 days and then provided with solid food that they get from their parents and older siblings.
