Buzz
While foxes are among the most recognizable animals across the globe, they remain an intriguing puzzle. Frequently appearing in our popular culture, these creatures are often found in nearby forests. We may even be familiar with what the fox says, but how much do we truly understand about these clever, elusive beings?
By the time you finish this list, you’ll know a whole lot more!
10. The Mystical Nine-Tailed Fox
Foxes represent cunning and wisdom in numerous cultures. In Eastern traditions, especially in Japan and Korea, these creatures are so revered that legends claim they can achieve enlightenment. This transforms them into nine-tailed foxes, mystical beings with magical abilities that enable them to shapeshift into humans at will.
Unfortunately, these legendary foxes are not exactly friendly to humans. They are cursed to consume human livers to stay alive. But the nine-tailed foxes aren’t happy with this fate. Every thousand years, a special ‘thousand-year fox’ is born among them. If raised to a certain age and sacrificed while still a virgin, the curse will be broken. Sadly, every attempt has failed because the thousand-year foxes fall in love with humans.
As with all great myths, the tale of the nine-tailed fox has many variations. Some say they are spirit guides who visit rulers at crucial moments, while others believe they are real, menacing creatures that feast on humans... but if you manage to capture and eat one, you’ll be immune to witchcraft.
9. Domestic Foxes
Foxes are charming, intelligent, and playful, which explains why many have tried to domesticate them. However, despite the abundance of pet fox videos on YouTube, they’re usually no tamer than, say, ‘pet’ hyenas or leopards: They’re still wild animals that have become accustomed to human presence.
Nonetheless, while domesticated foxes are exceedingly rare, they do exist: In the 1950s, a Soviet geneticist began experimenting with breeding foxes and eventually succeeded in creating completely tame ones. His Institute of Cytology and Genetics in Novosibirsk, Siberia, is still operational and is, in fact, the only place where you can find truly domesticated pet foxes. These foxes are expensive (around US$8,000) and differ significantly from your typical pet dog, but they do learn tricks and commands and are said to make wonderful companions.
Before acquiring one, however, keep in mind that even domesticated foxes retain a strong digging instinct—they will certainly attempt to dig through your floors and carpets if they lack access to outdoor space. Additionally, if your pet fox happens to have a ‘mishap,’ be prepared to toss your furniture: Fox urine is said to have a scent that rivals that of a skunk.
8. Feline-Like Qualities
Although foxes are technically canines, they actually share more similarities with cats than with dogs in many ways. Their eyes have vertical, slit-like pupils, which grant them exceptional night vision. Many foxes are also adept climbers, frequently scaling trees and rooftops to hunt birds and squirrels, with some even sleeping in trees. Their movements are graceful and agile, much like a cat’s. On closer inspection, the similarities grow even more peculiar: Like cats, foxes possess spine-covered tongues and highly sensitive whiskers (on both their faces and wrists) that help them maintain their balance.
Grey foxes, known for their agility and catlike traits, even boast semi-retractable claws. These foxes can climb trees at incredible speeds and sometimes use abandoned hawks’ nests as temporary, secure dens. This remarkable climbing ability proves valuable when larger red foxes encroach upon their territory: The trees provide the grey fox with a much-needed respite from the larger, more dominant red foxes.
7. Baby Foxes
Few things are more adorable than a litter of baby foxes. However, the early life of young foxes in the wild is not all sunshine and play. The pups (which can number anywhere from one to 10 in a litter) are born blind and cannot open their eyes until they are about two weeks old, making them vulnerable to predators if the mother can’t protect them. After a month, the pups begin eating regurgitated, pre-chewed food from their mother. Thankfully, the fox father stays with the mother and the pups, assisting in finding food to feed the growing family.
After around seven months, young foxes venture away from the den to embark on their own adventures, while the parents drift away to focus on their own lives—at least until the cycle of life restarts during the next mating season.
6. Fox Hunting
No conversation about foxes would be complete without mentioning British fox hunting. This controversial tradition, in which foxes are chased by hounds and riders, is cherished by some while being vehemently criticized by many others.
The origins of fox hunting are believed to trace back to the 15th century, when it was practiced as a sport similar to stag and hare hunts. In the 19th century, a hunter named Hugo Meynell transformed the activity into its current form of upper-class recreation (becoming a symbol of the Old British Empire).
Unsurprisingly, the debate surrounding fox hunting continues to divide animal rights activists and traditionalists. Although hunting foxes with dogs (except for pest control, and with no more than two dogs) has been illegal for the past nine years, Britain’s Prime Minister, David Cameron, has publicly supported relaxing the ban. He’s not advocating for the full return of fox hunting—just that farmers be allowed to use more than two dogs to flush out foxes in specific situations. Many, however, view this as a troubling signal that formal fox hunting could make a return.
5. Friendliness
Foxes are inherently curious creatures. As a result, they sometimes interact with other animals, even those that would typically be their natural enemies, forming unexpected friendships. For example, while dogs (and, to a lesser degree, cats) usually have an adversarial relationship with foxes, this doesn’t prevent individual foxes from approaching and even playing with both cats (see video) and dogs, occasionally leading to actual friendships between them.
Recent studies have suggested that one of the first animal species to befriend foxes might actually be... us humans. A 16,500-year-old burial site in northern Jordan revealed a grave with the remains of a human male and a fox companion. Given that this grave predates the earliest known human-dog burial by approximately 4,000 years, it appears that foxes were interacting with humans long before we began domesticating dogs.
4. Playful Balls
Finding the perfect ball in nature is no easy task, which is why playful foxes are often intrigued by the balls humans use in sports. The results are often both amusing and frustrating.
At a Swiss golf course, a fox was spotted sneaking around, joyfully swiping any golf balls it could find, regardless of whether they were in play or not (see video). In another case, a French petanque player noticed his game balls mysteriously disappearing, only to discover that a young fox had been taking them during the night. The fox was so captivated by the balls that it completely ignored a nearby henhouse.
At times, even the presence of humans actively playing with the balls doesn’t deter the fox: Here’s a video of a fox running onto a soccer field and eagerly chasing after the balls that people were practicing with.
3. Foxes and Folklore
Foxes, with their playful yet elusive behavior, have found their way into the folklore of almost every region they have entered. Their mythical roles range from the vicious fox-cat demons in Iceland—Skugga Baldur and Skoffin, who were said to disable guns—to the famous Brer Fox from American folklore. While they are commonly depicted as tricksters, having occasionally replaced cats as witches' familiars in medieval stories, many cultures also link them to divine powers. The Finnish believed that the Northern Lights were created by foxes, which is why they still refer to them as 'fox fires'. Additionally, numerous legends bestow foxes with the ability to shapeshift.
Aesop, the Greek storyteller whose fables often featured talking animals symbolizing human traits, is perhaps the most influential user of foxes in folklore. In stories such as ‘The Fox and the Grapes,’ he popularized the fox as a symbol of pride, trickery, and individuality—traits that remain associated with foxes in modern culture.
2. Fur
Much like other animals with luxurious fur, foxes have long been threatened by humans seeking to use their pelts for hats and coats. Even today, fox fur is a highly sought-after commodity, leading to continued hunting and trapping in various regions of the world. Some hunters even try to lure foxes onto shooting ranges by using whistles that mimic the sounds of small rodents.
The fascination with fox fur makes sense in frigid regions like Siberia, where survival was often tied to resourcefulness. However, the American tradition of fox chasing is somewhat harder to comprehend. Early hunters didn’t just pursue foxes for their valuable fur; the challenge of hunting them also played a role. A red fox, if not caught in a trap, could easily elude hunters with its agility, sudden bursts of speed, and a unique pace known as the ‘fox trot’ that it could sustain through the night. This made fox hunting an obsession, leading hunters to breed increasingly efficient dogs to assist them.
1. Hunting Habits
Foxes, especially red foxes, are omnivores and enjoy a varied diet that includes rodents and birds. They are particularly skilled at hunting smaller prey and employ a range of different techniques depending on the animal. Insects make up a large part of a fox's diet, but since these are mostly foraged casually, without much effort, they don't present a significant challenge.
When hunting larger prey like rabbits, foxes use a stalking technique: They lay low to the ground, creeping silently towards their target before launching into a short chase. If the prey is a bird, the fox typically finishes the chase with a powerful leap, often catching the bird in midair.
One of the most famous techniques in a fox’s hunting repertoire is the mousing leap (opening video). The fox moves quietly, listening carefully until it detects the faint sound of a mouse. It then pounces, launching itself high into the air and landing squarely on its target. Foxes are so adept at this technique that they can even track and capture prey buried beneath more than a meter of snow.
