In early morning light, I spotted another gray animal hunkered down in the Havahart live trap. Probably another raccoon like the rest of the family members caught in recent days. The masked marauders had been tearing up big swatches of our grass looking for grubs; shame on me for not treating the grubs! But this animal had different coloration and a thick, bushy tail.
The culprit was a young gray fox, none too happy to see me appear on the scene. Luckily for the fox, I intended him no harm other than a forced move to a friend’s large forest about 5 miles away. It might be the last time the fox succumbed to the allure of peanut butter and bluegill that had been his undoing. Since it was autumn, the time of year when young foxes are disbursing from their mother’s territories, it would not be too disruptive to his lifestyle.
Most of us are familiar with the red fox, a beautiful animal seen often in suburban neighborhoods or in our headlights on dark highways. The gray fox is less common here and more reclusive, although scientists report that they are expanding their range in southern and western Maine. Historically, gray foxes were the most common fox in our half of the U.S., but loss of habitat and the rise of the eastern coyote opened the door for red fox expansion.
All foxes are adaptable to diverse habitats, and, like the white-tailed deer, they are comfortable living near human settlements. In part this is because humans are a source of food, whether the roadkill left by our automobiles or the pet food, bird seed and garbage we make available for clever scavengers. Another reason is that the archenemy of the gray fox, the coyote, is less comfortable near humans, so the foxes seek a margin of safety. Gray foxes are known as an “edge species,” meaning they prefer to live on the boundaries of forested and more open countryside.
The scientific name for this fox is a tongue twister: Urocyon cinereoargentus, from Greek words that mean “ashen silver.” This is a good choice for this beautiful creature whose fur ranges from black to silver, with highlights of red and white. The gray fox lacks the distinctive black stockings that are prominent on the red fox. At maturity this fox averages around 3 feet in length, with the thick tail up to 16 inches. Because of their heavy pelt, looks are deceptive, but the fox weighs just 15 pounds or less.
The gray fox is a clever omnivore, willing to eat a wide variety of foods around the seasons. Primary foods include birds, eggs and small mammals like mice, voles and rabbits. Snakes, insects, grains, nuts and fruits fill out the menu. The gray fox is primarily nocturnal and has an advantage over other canids in its ability to easily climb trees. Long, curved toenails allow the fox to climb rough bark, and the animals are agile enough to jump from one branch to another. They return to the ground like a cat, inching their way down backward.
Breeding season occurs between January and March, with a gestation period reported at 50 to 60 days. The female, or vixen, gives birth in a ground den to an average of four pups. Both parents forage to feed their growing brood and after three months, the pups join the hunt.
As autumn rolls around, young males are pushed out of the family group and have been tracked up to 50 miles away in setting up their own territories. Females are tolerated closer to their mother’s range, but inbreeding is avoided and the gray fox will not interbreed with red foxes. Sexual maturity is around one year and the average lifespan is reported at six to 10 years.
The fox lives in a dangerous world, where its young may be snatched by large raptors. Adult foxes are killed by coyotes, bobcats or large dogs, and rat poison is a silent danger for these rodent predators. Humans remove foxes from the population via auto collisions and hunting, and their fur is valuable to trappers during regulated seasons.
In mid-April, a gray fox from Freeport was confirmed as carrying rabies. Health authorities remind us to be cautious in approaching wild animals that may carry the virus and to ensure our pets are protected with rabies vaccinations.
