The red fox can be found across the entire northern hemisphere. There are some species of animals that have the word “fox” in their name but aren’t really foxes - actually they are dogs, wolves or jackals. The animals that are actually foxes are called “true foxes”, and the red fox is the largest of the true foxes.  

 

Red foxes are usually found in pairs or small groups consisting of families. They primarily feed on small rodents although they are known to target larger animals such as rabbits, game birds and young farm animals. The tail of the red fox is fluffy and is longer than half the entire body length. 

 

In Ireland, red foxes are very common and found all around the country, typically in woodland and grassland but they are also found in urban areas. 

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Image (c) from Malene, used under Creative Commons License BY 2.5.