يتراوح طول الثعلب الأحمر بين 50 و65 سنتم. يشاهد غالباً في الليل ولكنه يظهر أحياناً في النهار. يألف جميع الموائل بما في ذلك الغابات والمناطق الكثيفة والمناطق المفتوحة والوديان والمناطق السكنية. تضع الأنثى في شهر أيار ما بين 2 و 5 صغار ويبقون مع أمهم لمدة سنة كاملة. يتم التعرف على الثعلب الأحمر من بقعة بيضاء مميزة عند طرف ذيله الطويل. يتغذى على الفاكهة والطيور والحشرات والقوارض والأرانب.
Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes palaestina)
Status: The Red Fox is common throughout a variety of habitats in Lebanon.
Description: Foxes are generally smaller than jackals (approximately 54 cm from head to tail), much smaller than wolves, and can be recognized by their long, bushy white-tipped tails and narrow muzzles. Despite their name, Red Foxes can be quite variable in color. Here in Lebanon they tend to be reddish brown, but in the eastern deserts they are much paler and yellowish.
Habitat: This highly adaptable mammal can be found in a wide range of habitat including fields, reed beds, forested hillsides, barren rocky areas of high elevation, and any where in between. Red Foxes tend to build their dens in rocky areas and crevices, or may make burrows in softer soil.
Habits: The Red Fox thrives around human development because of decreased predators and increased food supply. Like other canines they are highly opportunistic, feeding on such things as rodents, birds, insects, reptiles, hedgehogs, scorpions, fruits, berries, and even garbage. They are most active at night and will often bury their prey for later consumption. The Red Fox breeds in winter from January to February; gestation lasts about 52 or 53 days and litter size is usually four to five individuals.
Distribution: The Red Fox is widely distributed throughout North America, Europe, Asia, Northern India, Palaeartic Africa, Indochina, Japan and the Middle East.
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