Photo of the Week: Gray Fox at Echo Hill
Gray Fox at Echo Hill. Photo: Darya Zelentsova
View more photos from Darya Zelentsova here: darzel.pixels.com, or on instagram instagram.com/darzel_photography/.
Our feature, Photo of the Week, presents each week, a new picture by a local photographer. We invite local photographers to share their photographs here. Please include a description/caption and an indication of who is to be credited.
Gray foxes have a wide distribution (southern Canada to Venezuela) and are sometimes referred to as “tree foxes” or “cat foxes”.
The New York State Department of Conservation notes the following about gray foxes: ” gray foxes are the only North American canid that regularly climbs trees. These foxes have curved, semi-retractable claws and rotating wrists that allow them to readily grip and climb. When climbing a tree, gray foxes use their hind legs to move up the trunk, gripping the tree with their front paws. Once off the ground, they will travel by jumping from branch to branch. This unique ability allows them to escape from predators, and it also provides unique foraging opportunities. Gray foxes have even been observed denning in trees!”
Wow! Thank you Darya and Art…something in “our own back yards” that is lovely, interesting and, not yet, connected to the political polarization in our town.
I recently encountered a grey fox in Amherst while I was taking out the trash. Instead of slinking away it barked/growled at me and, as I retreated it approached very agressively. After I went inside, it continued to growl before it scurried off. I thought that it might be rabid and contacted Carol Hepburn.
Unfortunately, this fox appears to show signs of mange. The localized hair loss around the shoulder is deeper than would be expected from seasonal shedding. Mange is caused by sarcoptic mites, which burrow into the skin and can lead to intense itching, hair loss, secondary infections, hypothermia, and eventual starvation. While wildlife immune systems can sometimes suppress mite infestations, exposure to anticoagulant rodenticides has been linked to immune compromise and increased prevalence of mange in wildlife (especially foxes). Given this sighting occurred in a residential setting, rodenticide exposure could be a contributing factor. Gray fox populations are experiencing range-wide declines. Not using rodenticides is one actionable measure to support the conservation and the health of native wildlife. Thanks for reading.
Update! I showed this photo to a wildlife toxicologist: she said it is unlikely mange but could be a fungal infection, ringworm, or endocrine issue. If the fox is hanging around and seems sick, its condition may be treatable by a wildlife rehabber.