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Red Fox
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TRACKS |
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Red Foxes are members of the Dog family. Therefore their tracks will
resemble those of domestic dogs. There are, however, a number of
diagnostic differences. |
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Photo by Alexis Burnett
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Here are a couple of Red Fox tracks in
the snow.
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Photo by Alexis Burnett
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One of the diagnostic features to tell
fox tracks apart from other Dog family tracks is that the
underside of foxes paws are covered with hair. Unfortunately I
don't yet have a photo showing this!
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A nice set of Red Fox tracks in fresh snow. |
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Another of the distinctive features of Red Fox
tracks is the chevron-shaped indentation at the rear of the
track.
This shows up clearly in this track.
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Foxes usually "direct register". This
means that they will place their rear foot directly and exactly
into the place where the front foot was placed.
This trail in the snow shows this very
well. Looks like a one-legged fox came hopping through!
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Here is an enlargement of the first
(closest) track: |
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HAIRS |
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LAYS |
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A Red Fox lay. This is a spot where the
Fox has spent the day (or night) sleeping.
When Foxes awake and leave their lay
area, they will sometimes leave placing their feet precisely
into the exact same footprints they made when they came to the
lay.
I have seen this, and it is quite
amazing to apparently see footprints leading into the lay spot,
but none coming out (particularly if the snow has hardened so
that the leaving footprints make little or no impression).
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Examining the fox lay up close one can
find hairs, or at least see the impression of the hairs on the
snow. As well, the smell of fox was present.
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SCAT |
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Photo by Alexis Burnett
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A fresh Fox scat.
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This is likely Red Fox scat, but I am
not 100% sure.
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Similar species:
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