Photos, description of American fox, characteristic breed features of life
Also presented the name, breed foxes swift fox, various sources can also be found, and the following titles: American fox dwarf nimble fox and fox Prairie (Latin sounds like «vulpes velox»). This type refers to the direction of carnivorous mammals that come from the kind of canine foxes. In the past combined with instances of American fox (vulpes macrotis) for several years represented the breed, so one gave both lines Fox name, which is Latin sounds like «Vulpes velox». If you ask the translation, the first part of the Latin title translates as “quick, nimble”.
Let us consider in more detail exterior characteristics represented species. So, pupils inherent in the structure of a miniature body, woolen cover all parts of gray, as well as several different animals massive ears and a small rather short muzzle. The average pet has a growth of 25 cm to 35 cm, body length is about 35-55 cm, while the tail reaches 25-35 cm, and weight waver in areas of 2-3 kg. Representatives of the male is much more massive than the female representatives. The cotton cover is very abundant, thick, rather short hairs. The tail is strong enough pubescent. Key colors include swift fox come in various shades of gray, suit characteristic red color markings in areas laterally and limbs. During the summer, a little fur coat fade in the sunlight, because of what seems to be much lighter, so have the chanterelles bright red coloring. In the area of the abdomen and neck wool differs considerably lighter varieties palettes. The end of the tail is always black or brown. On the muzzle has two characteristic black spot on each side of the nose.
Initially given the opportunity to meet the copies submitted varieties only on grassy areas, the plains, and in the desert areas of the southwest of Canada (south-eastern part of the provincial town of Albert, the southern region of Saskatchewan, the South-western regions of Manitoba), continued placement of rocks across the Great Plains and Texas ended. In the first half of the 20th century, in Canada there is not one instance of the swift fox. In our modern times the main areas of species are in America, closer to areas of the Rocky Mountains (Wyoming, Colorado, Kansas, Montana, New Mexico, many areas Dakota, Oklahoma, and Texas), minimum population live in Idaho and Oregon.
Also previously it mentioned subspecies of the swift fox, formerly called «Vulpes macrotis», and now – «Vulpes velox mutica». Pets generally live in America, near the western regions of the Rockies – Arizona, Utah and Southern California. Eastern areas with pets – New Mexico. In the previously described areas productive hybridization process takes place between the representatives of the American foxes and swift fox.
The main area fleecing breed – undersized vast prairie, grasslands and dry desert regions. However, like many other residents of arid areas, during the summer fox choose intramural or crepuscular lifestyle, and in the winter, livestock sunbathing. At high temperatures, accompanied by climatic conditions, the animals wait out the heat and strong winds in its deepest and longest underground burrows. Own home create US livestock alone, it often happens on the hillsides. Just a few foxes can occupy vacant shelter that formerly belonged to the Badgers or gophers. In one group of representatives of the swift fox crouches around 12 holes.
Because pets are no different territorial areas of greed, they do not mark their homes. On average, statistics show that the home country can take from about 1.5 to 5 square kilometers, if the sites even less, they can cross each other. Scientists who have studied the way of life represented by species, convince us that the species is significantly different from other areas of the canine because females may remain in place as security guards and males, in turn, move in search of new land. How are male representatives of a new housing area without constant females – is unknown. It is assumed that these processes are accompanied by the fact that females, unlike males, little kids watch the feeding, because during the summer period, their main diet is composed of insects, and the puppies just as you need good nutrition for growth and development.
The swift fox diet is mainly observed rodents, rabbits and various birds that place their nests on the ground (this includes meadow trupialy or poultry), moreover, are used as food, animal reptiles and a variety of other fruits. In winter, the main dietary source is every kind of carrion that remains after a massive predators. During the summer, foxes eat insects, various beetles, grasshoppers and locusts, all such small entities account for most of the summer diet. Moreover, they themselves are victims of chanterelles coyotes.
By itself, the variety is quite a mysterious way of life, so they are known very little. Some observations have shown that pets are very fearful, and when they are in the danger zone, try, rather than escape. It is interesting that in unforeseen situations, chanterelle movement speed reaches 60 kilometers per hour, and they are able to quickly change the trajectory of motion. In fact, starting from this ability, and their name came “fast fox.”
Representatives of the swift fox breeds are monogamous, the pair of them all are formed in the period from October to the first half of November. Time breeding process begins in the first half of December and the second half of March. The main localities for breeding are the United States and Canada. Pregnancy lasts for about 2.5-3 months (approximately 50-60 days), all parts and from March to May. For a time my mother-fox can give life to 3-6 pups. Mainly in the litter and more representatives of the male gender, but the average data point to gender balance when creating new generations. We know that babies are born blind, so begin to see clearly only at the age of 15-20 days, and beyond the hole, they do not move the first month of his life. At the age of three months, kids can hunt at the same level as their parents. Males lifelong support their cubs. Already at the onset of autumn (September or October), children grow up and become young descendants, that’s when they go in search of their living places.
It becomes sexually mature animals, reaching 12 months, which is typical of male representatives, and the female reaches sexual maturity in 2 years or later. If you have pets in captivity, they can live for about 12 years, but on the floor areas of their life expectancy is close to 3-5 years, and up to 5 years live only a few individuals.
Presented kind is not credited in the International Red Book. Despite this, the areas of the breed decreased significantly during the 20th century. In the first half of the 19th and finishing with 20-th century, swift fox used as skins, and their fur was aiming low enough, since skin was rough, and the dimensions are very small. In addition, often fall into the trap foxes that were set with the aim of catching foxes or coyotes. Also disappearing pets due to the fact that for the extermination of rodents used toxic substances that destroy their habitat standard and low-grass prairie.
In the first half of the 20th century, representatives of swift fox disappeared massively in the territories of Canada, and the last representative was killed in the provincial town of Saskatchewan in 1929. For the second half of the 20th century (1979) in Canada, have officially recognized that the variety is one of extinct animals. Even closer to the 21 th century, in 1984, were created by the program, which were engaged in settlement and restoration of foxes, it has led to the fact that in the southern regions of the provincial areas of Alberta and Saskatchewan today lives about 350-400 copies of swift fox, and their the number is growing rapidly.
In modern times the official status on the American territories periodically varies because it depends on the type of subgroup and main area. For example, a subgroup «Vulpes velox mutica», areas of which are located mainly in the central regions of California today is at the brink of extinction because there are about 7000 thousand copies, but with regard to «Vulpes velox velox», they live in sufficient quantities and the average number is normal.