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Red fox Vulpes vulpes Least concern

Where the red fox lives – recorded in 30 countries, with quick facts from Wikidata and an introduction from Wikipedia.

Recorded in (GBIF)IntroducedRepresentative wild record

Pin and shaded countries are approximate. The pin is a representative wild sighting (a central record among 1,557,609 open-licence GBIF records), not an official range. Method · Records on GBIF · See foxes, jackals & wild dogs on the world map

Portrait of a red fox in Rautas fjällurskog
Photo: ClaudiaTen, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Scientific nameVulpes vulpes
GroupFoxes, jackals & wild dogs
StatusLeast concern (Wikidata, IUCN category label)
Found in30 countries
ContinentsAfrica, Asia, Europe, North America, Oceania
Height0.42 m
Lifespan5 years
Diet (main food)Oryctolagus, fruit
ClassMammal
OrderCarnivora
FamilyCanidae

Where does the red fox live?

Open-licence (CC0 / CC BY) wild records published on GBIF place the red fox in 30 countries and territories across Africa, Asia, Europe, North America and Oceania. Wikidata gives its range as: Libya, Morocco, Nanling Mountains, France, United Kingdom, People's Republic of China, Russia, Canada, Japan, Korea, Germany, Belarus. In Australia, France, Italy it is listed as introduced (GRIIS checklists via GBIF).

Countries with at least a handful of records (a minimum share of the species’ records, to leave out vagrants and escapes). Records with coordinates only; captive and fossil records excluded.

How big is a red fox?

Wikidata records the following for the red fox: height 0.42 m.

How long does a red fox live?

Wikidata records a life expectancy of 5 years for the red fox.

What does a red fox eat?

Wikidata lists the main food source of the red fox as: Oryctolagus, fruit.

Is the red fox endangered?

The red fox’s conservation status recorded in Wikidata is “Least concern” (an IUCN Red List category label). Source: Wikidata.

What kind of animal is the red fox?

The red fox (Vulpes vulpes) is a mammal in the order Carnivora and the family Canidae, genus Vulpes. (Taxonomy from Wikidata.)

About the red fox

The red fox (Vulpes vulpes) is the largest of the true foxes, and the most widely distributed member of the order Carnivora. It is present across the entire Northern Hemisphere, including most of North America, Europe and Asia, as well as parts of North Africa. Its range has expanded alongside human settlement, with the species having been introduced to Australia, where it preys on native small and medium-sized rodents and marsupials. The red fox is listed as of least concern on the IUCN Red List. Because of its impact on native species, it is included on the list of the "world's 100 worst invasive species".

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Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Red fox (revision 1381473224), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Changes: lead section excerpted verbatim, formatting removed. Quick facts, taxonomy and status: Wikidata Q8332 (CC0). Countries and pin: GBIF.org occurrence records (CC0 / CC BY 4.0).

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