Foxes live on all continents of the Earth, except for cold Antarctica, and in almost every state there is at least one legend or fairy tale, where the main character is the fox. It is not surprising that such a cunning, dexterous and beautiful animal is a real admiration.
Foxes have lived with people since the Bronze Age. They were tamed and used like dogs. The foxes were even buried with their owners. Such remains were found by archaeologists in Barcelona. Burials of this type were more than 5,000 years old.
In China and Japan, foxes were considered werewolves. People had to believe that this predator is capable of bewitching people and completely subjugating them. In mythology, foxes could even take the form of a person. Today these predatory animals live in many countries.
1. Despite the fact that foxes belong to the canine family, they are in many ways more like cats than dogs.
2. Hunting for foxes began in the 15th century when it was considered a sport similar to hunting deer and hares. In the 19th century, a hunter named Hugo Meinell was able to develop this "sport" into its current form of entertainment for the upper class of society.
3. The fox genus includes 10 species of animal: common, Afghan, American, sandy, Tibetan and other foxes.
4. The smallest fox is fennec fox. It is a cute and deserted animal with huge ears. The maximum body weight is no more than 1.5 kilograms, and its length reaches 40 centimeters.
5. The most developed senses in foxes are smell and hearing. With their help, foxes learn about their surroundings.
6. Sometimes in front of their own "victims" foxes arrange a whole "concert". They show with all their own appearance that they are not interested in hunting, and when the prey loses its vigilance, the fox attacks it.
7. In the 60s of the previous century, it was possible to breed domestic foxes, which showed a loyal attitude towards humans, in contrast to their tamed relatives.
8. With the help of their own claws, foxes can climb trees perfectly. They are even able to climb the wall of a wooden building.
9. On golf courses it happened when foxes stole balls. Where they got such an addiction to golf balls remains a mystery.
10. Among all wild representatives of the fauna, it is the foxes that most often carry rabies.
11. Special cells in the fox's eyes allow the animal to double the brightness of the picture. Thanks to this ability, these predators can see perfectly at night.
12. The tail for the fox has become not just an ornament, but an important organ. Thanks to him, an animal of this type maintains balance while running, and also wraps itself up in it in winter to protect it from frost.
13. When the fox begins mating season, this animal dances a kind of dance, the so-called "fox foxtrot". In this case, the animal rises on its hind legs, after which it walks in front of its partner for a long time.
14. Foxes have beautiful fur, as a result of which it has become a real gold mine for fur clothing manufacturers. 85% of fox fur items come from animals raised in captivity.
15. The fox uses the magnetic field not to navigate in space, but to find prey. This became her unique ability in the world of fauna.
16. Foxes basically create their own burrow underground. However, they can also live on the surface, for example, in a tree.
17. It is not for nothing that foxes were called an intelligent animal. They have an interesting method for getting rid of fleas. Foxes with a stick in their teeth go deep into the water, and fleas move to this trap. After a while, the animal throws out the stick, and with it the annoying fleas.
18. The fox has a rough tongue.
19. In Africa, there is a big-eared fox, which has good hearing not only due to its large ears. She uses it in the same way as bats. This is necessary in order to hear at a distant distance where the insects have hidden.
20. Foxes reach speeds of up to 50 km per hour.
21. The burrow of this animal goes to a depth of 0.5 to 2.5 meters. The main entrance is about 17 centimeters in diameter.
22. Foxes have become a regulator of the number of rodents and insects.
23. There are from 2 to 8 foxes in one territory.
24. Foxes can perfectly confuse the tracks when chasing, and in order to completely mislead the opponent, they hide in several places. It is because of this that they were given the title of the most cunning animal in nature.
25. Scientists managed to count about 40 sounds made by these animals. So, for example, they can imitate the barking of a dog.
26. In Belarus, a coin was issued in honor of the fox. A relief head of this animal is depicted on its surface. There are small diamonds as eyes. The denomination of such a coin is 50 rubles.
27. Foxes can hear the movement of the mouse under 1 meter of snow.
28. The popular movie hero Zorro in Russia could be called the Fox, because "zorro" is translated from Spanish as "fox".
29. The fox can run nonstop throughout the night.
30. The body length of each fox depends on its breed and ranges from 55 to 90 cm. The length of the tail is 60 cm.
31. Southern foxes are smaller in size, and their fur is much duller than that of their counterparts living in the northern regions.
32. Foxes are often called Patrikeevna. This name was given to the animal in honor of one Novgorod prince, Patrikei Narimuntovich, who was considered a quirky and cunning person.
33. Little foxes are quite playful and restless, but if their mother calls, they will immediately stop playing and run to her.
34. The main enemies of foxes are wolves and eagles.
35. The only drawback of fox vision is that it does not recognize shades.
36. This predator has 42 teeth in its mouth, with the exception of the big-eared fox, which has 48 teeth.
37. The fox does not chew food, but tears it into small pieces and swallows it whole.
38. The fox has a built-in compass in the form of thin hairs on its paws. These hairs allow the fox to sense the direction of the wind and navigate in space.
39. Foxes, like wolves, are monogamous animals. They have one pair for life.
40. Despite the huge variety of species, there are only 3 types of foxes on the territory of Russia.
41. The tail of a fox smells like violets. There is a gland that produces a floral scent. That is why the expression “covering up your tracks” has acquired a slightly different meaning, because foxes not only hide paw prints on the ground, but also hide their own scent.
42. In Chinese mythology, the fox has a separate place. There they presented this animal as a bad sign. It was a creature associated with evil spirits. It was believed that fire was enclosed in the tail of this animal. As soon as the beast hits the ground with it, everything around flames.
43. The Japanese call a sly rain on a sunny day "a fox shower."
44. In captivity, foxes live up to 25 years, but they prefer freedom and a short life in nature up to 3 years.
45. Unlike their own relatives, foxes do not live in packs. When raising offspring, the fox lives in a small family called "fox eyeliners".
