Foxes in Wyoming: Types and Where They Live

Foxes are omnivore mammals that are closely related to wolves and coyotes. These beautiful creatures have long, thin legs, a petite frame, and a bushy like tail. A fun fact about these animals that separate them from their relatives, the wolf and coyote, is that they are omnivores. These tiny animals also do not howl but instead have a bark-like sound they make to communicate. Foxes are in grasslands and forest-like areas in certain parts of the United States, but what about in Wyoming? There are three types of foxes that are in this state. This article will discuss the types of foxes in Wyoming and where their location.

The Swift Fox

The scientific name for the swift fox is Vulpes velox. This fox is the smallest canine in Wyoming and all of North America. This fox lives in arid and mixed shrub-grassland habitats in the great plains of eastern Wyoming. Short grass, flat terrain, sloped plains, and tops of hills are places where their dens are. Once the mother fox gives birth to four or five pups, they disperse from their den in September or October. The Swift fox diet includes rodents, rabbits, insects, ground nesting birds, and various fruits. The swift foxes predators are coyotes, eagles, badgers, bobcats, and domestic dogs. This tiny creature got its name because it can reach speeds over twenty-five miles per hour!

The Red Fox

The scientific name for the red fox is Vulpes vulpes. The red fox is another common canine that live in the edges of sagebrush, grasslands, or forests. They can tend to roam around in different parts of Yellowstone, such as, Hayden, Pelican, Canyon, and Jackson hole valleys. These creatures diet includes rabbits, birds, reptiles, mice, fruits, and vegetables. They are often haunted by coyotes, wolves, and mountain lions. Although the average life span of foxes are three to seven years, the red fox can live up to eleven years in the wild. Similar to the swift fox, the red fox usually gives birth between March and April up to twelve pups a litter.

Gray Fox

The Urocyon cinereoargenteus or gray fox, typically live in eastern and south-western deciduous forests of Wyoming. They roam around in the black hills of Wyoming or a mix of brush and woodland areas. These creatures hunt around lakes or old fields for occasional insects and fruits. They love to hide in brushy woods and climb trees. This fox diet consists of fruit, vegetables, rats, and cotton-tail rabbits. The mother fox gives birth up to seven pups between the months of April and May..

Gray Fox vs. Red Fox

One day if you are lucky enough, you may have the chance to observe these magnificent creatures from afar. A fun fact is that a group of foxes is also called a skulk or a leash. The question may rise, what type of fox is that? Gray and red foxes are often confused with one another because of their looks and similar habitats. Similarities these two share is they both bury their dens in the ground about 15-20 ft long. They are similar in weight and are both omnivores. The red fox is slender, tall with black like stockings on their legs. The gray foxes have black-tipped tails and are much shorter and stockier in size. The red fox has vertical pupils similar to cats, whereas the gray fox has oval pupils. The gray fox also has the ability to climb trees with their hook-shaped claws.