Mammals · Carnivora · Canidae

Gray Fox

Urocyon cinereoargenteus

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

It is one of the few canids able to climb trees with any skill, thanks to semi-retractile claws and flexible wrists that let it hug the trunk.

Weight

3 kg – 7 kg

Size

75 cm – 1.1 m

Lifespan

6 years

Diet

Omnivore

Combines animal and plant food depending on availability.

Activity

Nocturnal

Active mainly at night.

Social structure

Solitary

Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

Temperate forestOmnivore Nocturnal Solitary Temperate forest Mammal

5countries 21parks34same family

Fun facts

This behaviour, unique among North American canids, serves it both to escape predators and to reach fruit.
It eats small mammals, insects, fruit and seeds.
It lives in dense woodland across much of North America and northern South America.
locomociónIt is one of the few canids that actively climbs trees, thanks to semi-retractile claws and more flexible forelimbs than other foxes have.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
Habitat & environment: Dense woodland across much of North America and northern South America
Birth weight: ~95 g at birth
Size at birth: ~95 g at birth
Sexual maturity: 10 months
Gestation / incubation: ~57 days
Litter / clutch size: 1 to 7 young per litter (average 4)
Lifespan in captivity: Documented record of up to 16.2 years

Sources consulted: AnAge (genomics.senescence.info); NPS Grand Canyon; USGS (ecology management); Wikipedia (comparative reference via Gray fox pages)