Foxes are small-to-medium-sized mammals that are present on every continent except Antarctica. They have flattened skulls, triangular ears, upturned snouts, and bushy tails. The red fox is the most widespread, with around 47 recognized subspecies. Foxes are cunning creatures and have been instilled in popular culture and folklore in societies worldwide. If you want to know more about these mammals, keep reading for seven fun facts about foxes.
7. Foxes have impeccable hearing
Our seventh selection for fun facts about foxes focuses on their incredible hearing. Researchers have figured out that foxes have excellent low-frequency hearing and can even hear a watch ticking from 40 yards away. Their hearing allows them to identify prey underground and makes them pretty fierce predators.
6. Foxes are extremely playful
Next up on our fun facts about foxes list concerns their surprisingly playful attitude. While most people think they are cruel, foxes love to play and are even known to steal golf balls from golf courses to entertain themselves. Foxes will also chase their tails, play with random objects they find, and interact with other animals.
5. Baby foxes are unable to see, walk, or thermoregulate when born
Fifth on our list of fun facts about foxes is their dependency on their mothers when they are born. When the kits are born, they are deaf, blind, and unable to regulate their body temperature, meaning they cannot see, walk, or thermoregulate. The mother must constantly stay in the den to watch her kits for around three weeks until they are ready to venture out on their own.
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4. Foxes have a varied diet
Ranking fourth for fun facts about foxes is their incredible diet. Since foxes are expert hunters, they can easily catch rabbits, rodents, birds, frogs, and earthworms. But surprisingly, foxes are not carnivores. They are omnivores, eating berries and fruit or even digging up root vegetables. The main factor about a fox’s diet is the season and the location they live in, which can vary their diets.
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3. Foxes are more like dogs than cats
Rounding out the top three fun facts about foxes relates to their heritage. Contrary to popular belief, foxes are more closely related to dogs, but they have similar dispositions to cats. Foxes are part of the Canidae family, which includes dogs, wolves, coyotes, jackals, and raccoons. The fox lineage split apart from the wolf-dog lineage around 10 million years ago, giving us these playful mammals.
2. Foxes can make over 40 different sounds
Earning the second spot on our fun facts about foxes list is their wide range of sounds. While there are songs about “what does the fox say,” the mammal is capable of producing a variety of sounds, up to 40 to be exact. The most recognizable is their scream-like howl or gekkering, a guttural chattering in a dispute. Foxes make a variation of screams, barks, and howls that range from low-to-high-pitched tones to communicate.
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1. Foxes use Earth’s magnetic field to hunt
Last but not least on our fun facts about foxes list is the ability to use the Earth’s magnetic field to hunt. According to scientific research, foxes are the first animals in the world to use the Earth’s magnetic field to judge the distance and direction of their prey. This becomes especially useful when hunting small animals hidden under snow or in dense vegetation. Their hunting style is often referred to as a “mouse pounce” as they tend to face northeast when attacking.
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