The Clare Champion Clare news, sport, entertainment and local notes
The red fox (Vulpes vulpes) is a highly adaptable species, found in nearly all habitats, from salt marshes and sand dunes, to the tops of mountains. It has reddish orange fur, small dog sized, with a thick bushy tail in winter. Foxes have also adapted to life in urban surroundings. Foxes hold territories, the size of which depends on habitat; they can be as small as 0.2 square kilometres in urban areas or up to 40 square kilometres in hill country. Each territory is occupied by a fox family group. These often consist of a pair – dog fox and vixen – and their cubs. However, in areas where foxes are not persecuted and where there is a plentiful supply of food, a family group may contain several adults. Foxes have a very wide and varied diet. On the seashore they eat crabs and dead seabirds, while in upland regions, carrion may be important, particularly during the winter months. In …
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