Lake County is a mecca for wildlife. Deer, bear and even mountain lions are commonly seen throughout the urban areas. One creature that has shown up with regularity within the past few months is the gray fox. Last week a Lakeport resident set out a cage trap to catch a feral house cat but instead trapped an adult gray fox. After taking photos of the fox he released it into the nearby woods.
Earlier this week a gray fox was seen walking near Kmart in Lakeport. There have even been sightings of a gray fox in Library Park in Lakeport. They are commonly seen in the Clear Lake State Park. Two weeks ago a gray fox got into my neighbor’s chicken pen and killed several chickens. Whereas their diet primarily consists of rodents such as ground squirrels and gopher, they have been known to kill small cats and even small dogs.
The gray fox is a beautiful animal and is common throughout the county but rarely seen because it is mostly active at night. With an adult weighing only 8-10 pounds the gray fox is one of the smallest of the dog or Canidae family. The gray fox goes back more than 3 million years. Unlike its shy cousin the red fox, the gray quickly adapts to humans and has been known to venture in backyards and even take up residence in barns and sheds. Foxes breed from January through March – the gray fox tends to breed two to four weeks later than the red fox. After an average gestation period of 53 days, the female fox gives birth to a litter averaging four or five pups. The gray fox usually does not use an underground den but, instead, dens in dense brush, cavities in stumps and trees, rock crevices or under out-buildings such as barns and sheds. Most foxes have more than one den and will readily move their young if disturbed.
The pups stay in the den until about four to five weeks of age after which they emerge and begin to play outside the den entrance. Both adults care for the young by bringing food and guarding the den site. At about 12 weeks of age the pups are weaned and join the adults on hunting forays, learning to catch food for themselves. In the fall, the young disperse from the family unit and will usually breed the first spring after they are born.
One unusual trait of the gray fox is its tree climbing ability. It is the only fox capable of climbing a tree and they have been known to climb as high as 70 feet. A few years ago a local family of foxes could often be seen climbing a walnut tree that was near their den in Lakeport.
Foxes have pointed ears, an elongated snout and a long, bushy tail that is carried horizontally. The gray fox is somewhat stout and has shorter legs than the red fox. Its coat is mostly grizzled-gray. The sides of the neck, back of the ears, a band across the chest, the inner and back surfaces of the legs, the feet, the sides of the belly and the under surface of the tail are all reddish-brown. The cheeks, throat, inner ears and most of the underside are white. The upper part of the tail, including the tip, is black. Adult foxes have few predators, however feral dogs and coyotes tend to not tolerate foxes within their territories and will kill them.
A baby fox is called a Kit or pup and the mother is called a vixen. The male is called a Reynard. The adults make a sound that resembles a sharp, high-pitched bark.
The gray fox is just another indication of the abundance of wildlife in Lake County. However, wildlife shouldn’t be fed because they will become dependent on humans for food and will not hunt. This can result in death by starvation.
