This is a great photo as someone else stated it kind of looks like the Red fox is shedding its own white skin.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/wpy2015-1.3270298

That was an awesome read, thanks for sharing.

Great photograph!

However, I found the following part of the accompanying story very interesting:

"Kathy Moran, a member of the jury for the contest, called it 'one of the strongest single storytelling photographs I have ever seen.' Moran, senior editor for natural history projects at National Geographic, added in a statement, 'The immediate impact of this photograph is that it appears as if the red fox is slipping out of its winter coat. What might simply be a straightforward interaction between predator and prey struck the jury as a stark example of climate change, with red foxes encroaching on Arctic fox territory.'"

I have a number of reference books on wildlife, and even the oldest ones show red foxes ranging all over almost all of Canada except for the Arctic islands. These references were published long before "climate change" became a buzz-phrase, and I find it interesting the "senior editor for natural history projects at National Geographic" somehow thinks warmer temperatures have allowed red foxes to move into northern Manitoba. In fact, the range of red and Arctic foxes has overlapped considerably ever since such reference books have been published.

Greenies do not need facts muddying up the water John....

Yeah, and it also confirms my personal experiences with the National Geographic "fact checking" department after doing my article on the Missouri Breaks for NG almost 20 years ago.

Never miss an opportunity to stretch the facts to fit your dogma.

I didn't see that part, thanks for sharing mule deer.

Yes red fox are native all over North America. They were also imported form Britain and released during colonial times. There was a dna study done a few years ago trying to compare dna of populations throughout the east to see how much intermingling and which populations were dominant, etc. Not sure how that turned out.

What surprises me about this photo, is that a red fox would actually kill another fox. Reds are very timid. That is one reason they are so thoroughly wiped out of areas with coyotes. Grey fox are much smaller than reds, but they 10x the attitude. I have never seen or heard of a red bothering a grey. I trap fox and coyotes and have a lot of up close interaction with all three species.

My observations after years of working in the Alaskan Arctic oilfields is the red fox followed the road to the Arctic ocean and prosper best around human development. The red fox is deadly to the Arctic fox which is quite a bit smaller than the red. The reds will grab an Arctic at any opportunity.

From the |Natural History of Canadian Mammals.

“Arctic Foxes are the only foxes in Arctic Habitats, but along the southern boundary of their range they may overlap with Red Foxes”

“Red Foxes are thought to be such significant predators of Arctic Foxes that the southern limits of Arctic Fox distribution is largely determined by interspecific competition and predation by Red Foxes. In Europe, where Red Foxes are extending their range northwards, Arctic Foxes are becoming increasingly endangered on the mainland.”

“Red Fox in Canada occur north to the edge of the mainland and have gradually island hopped since 1918 from Ungava Peninsula to Baffin Island and from there to Bylot, Devon, Somerset,Cornwallis, and southern Ellesmere Islands.”

Very interesting, since the Arctic Circle is around 500 miles north of Manitoba, where the photo was taken. I wonder what they consider "Arctic Habitats"?

I knew reds were on Baffin Island but didn't know they'd spread to so many other Arctic islands.

Readonly,

Perhaps part of the reason greys are not bothered is they can climb to avoid predation?

Part of my understanding is the reds were brought over from GB as you noted because they will go to ground and some of the original British settlers wanted that instead of their hounds being "outfoxed" by the native greys? Going to ground in front of a coyote would not be a good thing for any smaller canid.

Geno

Valsdad,

You might find this study in the American Society of Mammalogists on-line journal interesting:

www.mammalsociety.org/articles/origin-recently-established-red-fox

You have to scroll down a few articles to find it. DNA research found most red fox populations in North America are native, though a few are not.

Thanks John,

I'll take a look at that tonight probably while at work.

It's been a few years since I was in "skool", the study of genetics for things along those lines was still in the "infancy" stage. It's pretty amazing stuff, but one of course would likely have to believe in that problematic evolution "theory" to get the real benefit of it.

When I was in school, as a "fishhead", there was turmoil in the ranks over whether the primarily freshwater members of Onchorhyncus were "trout" derived from salmon, or whether the anadromous salmon were descended from "trout". It's been so long since I actually "studied" anything, I have no clue where they are in that argument now. All of them are tasty to me!

Thanks for the link,

Geno

PS, I just read thru the transcript and wow is all I can say. If one tries one truly can learn something new every day. Thanks again.


PPS, There's some awfully big words on the website MD linked to. 'fire members beware, especially ones who may have "tippled" a bit. The words would be very hard to read then, much less pronounce!

Nice capture on that photo. I'd agree that red fox are quite adept at dealing with civilization. I saw one about 4 blocks from the White House one evening when visiting DC several years ago.

Also, a distant friend that worked the now closed Duboise Sheep Station (Idaho) said the reds were more of an issue during lambing than any other predator. They would venture right into tended pens to grab breakfast and explore near any building with a door left open. First person entering a building might have one scoot between his legs early in the morning. Always made for a few exciting seconds in the dark.

Given they've been farmed around the nation for some time, I'm sure the genetics are a bit screwed up and believe our local animals probably sourced from farms about 100 miles downstream on the Oregon/Idaho border.

The reds appeared to make inroads locally about 15 years ago, and we have a pair pup in our stack yard (hay) on about a 2-year schedule. Pretty much a non issue around cattle. Sheep guy down the road, however, not too fond of them.

Interesting article and comments. The books on mammals I have, which are not recent editions, show the range of Red Fox extending into the Arctic. Like most of the media, National Geographic seems to be ready to insert climate change into any article where they think they can make it fit.

Red Fox




Arctic Fox

I live in Los Angeles and travel all over the planet for work. I've seen coyotes in some very urban areas, and everywhere else, in southern California. In Europe red fox seem to be a common occurrence as I have seen them in several different cities and countries. Early this year I had one walk within 20 feet of me in Zurich, Switzerland.

Interesting article, thanks for the link MD!


Casey