Muskoka Wildlife Centre





  
American Toad
Viber
Badger
Dozer
Sandy
Bald Eagle
Thorondor
Hal
Barn Owl
Barney (a.k.a. Moonface)
Silo
Beaver
Woodrow
Millie
Black Bear
Kootenay
Black Rat Snake
Kingston
Licorice
Blanding's Turtle
Oliver
Bobcat
Rufus
Box Turtle
Murtle
Bull Frog
Fergus
Cottontail Rabbit
Peter
Cougar
Kokanee
Eastern Fox Snake
Copper
Eastern Hog-nosed Snake
Olive
Eastern Spiny Softshell Turtle
Snorkel
Fisher
Mike
Five-Lined Skink
Liz
Flying Squirrel
Pixie
Peanut
Garter Snake (Common)
Sir Hiss
Great Horned Owl
Dr. Hoo (not on display)
Green Frog
Kermit
Gargoyle
Grey Tree Frog
Twiggy
Groundhog/Woodchuck
Clover
Kestrel
Punk
Leopard Frog
Hoppy
Lynx
Yeti
Map Turtle (Northern)
Atlas
Marten
Conifer
Milk Snake
Beatrice
Moose
Chocolate
Lucky
Northern Bobwhite
Bob
Painted Turtle
Raphael
Willamina
Peregrine Falcon
Apollo
Porcupine
Quillber
Thistle
Raccoon
Dawn
Juniper
Latte
Raven
Edgar
Nevermore
Red Fox
Fenn
Renard
Red-tailed Hawk
Will Scarlet (not on display)
Saw-whet Owl
Luna
Snapping Turtle
Sam
Junior (not on display)
Spotted Salamander
Happy
Stinkpot Turtle
Lily (not on display)
Striped Skunk
Flower
Turkey Vulture
Barfalomew (not on display)
Wolf
Montana
Akayla
Wolverine
Hyde
Gulo
Wood Turtle
Oakley


Renard the Red Fox



Share Renard the Red Fox's Story
Born: April 18th, 2007
Sex: Male
  Renard was ordered by a zoological facility and sometime after he was born they changed their mind leaving Renard in need of a permanent home. He came to us when he was only 16 days old and has been hand-raised. Renard will stay here at the centre as part of our outreach team, travelling around Ontario teaching people about his species.

Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes)

Average Size: Average Weight:
Including tail 83-110 cm (2.7-3.7 ft) 3 - 9 kg (6 - 20 lbs)
Average Lifespan: Range:
3-4 years in the wild Up to 12 years in captivity Widespread throughout Ontario

Dining and Dwelling

Life and Death

The red fox is an omnivore with a highly varied and seasonal diet, they are scavengers and opportunistic hunters. They prefer a more carnivorous diet consisting of small rodents, frogs, insects, birds and snakes. A fox will supplement this diet with fruits, nuts, corn and grasses.

The red fox utilize a wide variety of habitats such as mixed croplands, pastures, meadowlands, forest clearings and tundra.

Predators of the red fox include wolf, lynx, bobcat, coyote and large birds of prey will take the young. They are susceptible to mange, which when severe can kill young foxes. They can also suffer from outbreaks of distemper and rabies.

The mating season of the fox ranges from late December through to late March, and the kits are born 51-54 days later. Anywhere from 1-10 kits (usually 5) are born. In late September the family starts to disperse, and the young are capable of mating their first winter.

That's Amazing

  • Red Foxes always have a white-tipped tail, but they do come in three colours:
    1. Red fox, orange (most common)
    2. Cross fox, which is orange/brown with greyish brown markings across the shoulders and down the back
    3. Silver fox, which is black with frosted tips of hair all over with a white tipped tail.
  • Some scientists believe that the red fox is not actually native to North America but that they were imported from Europe for fox hunting.