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Blanford's Fox
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Blanford's Fox
Scientific
classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Chordata
Class:
Mammalia
Order:
Carnivora
Family:
Canidae
Genus:
Vulpes
Species:
V.
cana
Binomial name
Vulpes cana
(Blanford,
1877)
Range of
Blanford's Fox
Please
note that two a.k.a.s of the Blanford's fox are 'Hoary fox' and 'Corsac fox'. There
are entirely different species of foxes called Hoary Fox and Corsac fox.
The Blanford's Fox (Vulpes
cana), is a small fox found in certain regions of the Middle East.
Other NamesAfghan fox, corsac, dog
fox, hoary fox, and steppe fox. This can be confusing because other species are
known as the corsac fox (Vulpes corsac) and the hoary fox (Pseudalopex
vetulus).
Distribution
and Habitat
The Blanford's fox inhabits
semi-arid regions, steppes and mountains of Afghanistan, Egypt (Sinaï),
Turkestan, northeast Iran, Baluchistan, Palestine and Israel. It may also live
throughout Arabia (Oman, Yemen, Jordan, and west Saudi Arabia), as one was trapped
in Dhofar, Oman in 1984.
Appearance
Like all desert foxes, the
Blanford's fox has large ears which enables it to dissipate heat. However,
unlike other desert foxes, it does not have pads covered with hair, which would
otherwise protect its paws from hot sand. Its tail is almost equal in length to
its body. Its coat is light tan, with white underparts and a black tip on the
tail.
Shoulder height: 12 in. (30 cm)
Head and body length: 17 in. (42 cm)
Tail length: 12 in. (30 cm)
Weight: 3-6.5 lb. (1.5-3 kg)
Diet
Omnivorous, and more
frugivorous than other foxes. It prefers seedless grapes, ripe melons and
Russian chives when consuming domestic crops. In addition, it eats insects.
Reproduction
Time of mating: December-January.
Gestation period: 50-60 days.
Litter size: 1-3 kits.
Lactation: 60 days.
Age at sexual maturity: 8-12 months.
Longevity: Generally 4-5 years, but reported
to live up to 10 years.
References
- Abu Baker, M. A. et al., (2004). On the
Current Status and Distribution of Blanford's Fox, Vulpes cana
Blanford, 1877, in Jordan (Mammalia: Carnivora: Canidae). Turk. J. Zool., 28: 1-6.
- Geffen, E., R.
Hefner, D. W. Macdonald and M. Ucko, (1992). Habitat
selection and home range in the Blanford's fox, Vulpes cana:
compatibility with the Resource Dispersion Hypothesis. Oecologia 91: 75-81.
- Geffen, E., (1994). Blanford's fox, Vulpes cana. Mammalian Species, 462:1-4.
- Geffen et al (2004). Vulpes cana. 2006 IUCN Red List of
Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 11 May 2006. Database
entry includes justification for why this species is vulnerable
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Blanford's Fox |
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Scientific
classification
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Binomial name |
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Vulpes cana |
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Range of
Blanford's Fox |
Please
note that two a.k.a.s of the Blanford's fox are 'Hoary fox' and 'Corsac fox'. There
are entirely different species of foxes called Hoary Fox and Corsac fox.
The Blanford's Fox (Vulpes
cana), is a small fox found in certain regions of the Middle East.
Other NamesAfghan fox, corsac, dog
fox, hoary fox, and steppe fox. This can be confusing because other species are
known as the corsac fox (Vulpes corsac) and the hoary fox (Pseudalopex
vetulus).
Distribution
and Habitat
The Blanford's fox inhabits
semi-arid regions, steppes and mountains of Afghanistan, Egypt (Sinaï),
Turkestan, northeast Iran, Baluchistan, Palestine and Israel. It may also live
throughout Arabia (Oman, Yemen, Jordan, and west Saudi Arabia), as one was trapped
in Dhofar, Oman in 1984.
Appearance
Like all desert foxes, the
Blanford's fox has large ears which enables it to dissipate heat. However,
unlike other desert foxes, it does not have pads covered with hair, which would
otherwise protect its paws from hot sand. Its tail is almost equal in length to
its body. Its coat is light tan, with white underparts and a black tip on the
tail.
Shoulder height: 12 in. (30 cm)
Head and body length: 17 in. (42 cm)
Tail length: 12 in. (30 cm)
Weight: 3-6.5 lb. (1.5-3 kg)
Diet
Omnivorous, and more
frugivorous than other foxes. It prefers seedless grapes, ripe melons and
Russian chives when consuming domestic crops. In addition, it eats insects.
Reproduction
Time of mating: December-January.
Gestation period: 50-60 days.
Litter size: 1-3 kits.
Lactation: 60 days.
Age at sexual maturity: 8-12 months.
Longevity: Generally 4-5 years, but reported
to live up to 10 years.
References
- Abu Baker, M. A. et al., (2004). On the
Current Status and Distribution of Blanford's Fox, Vulpes cana
Blanford, 1877, in Jordan (Mammalia: Carnivora: Canidae). Turk. J. Zool., 28: 1-6.
- Geffen, E., R.
Hefner, D. W. Macdonald and M. Ucko, (1992). Habitat
selection and home range in the Blanford's fox, Vulpes cana:
compatibility with the Resource Dispersion Hypothesis. Oecologia 91: 75-81.
- Geffen, E., (1994). Blanford's fox, Vulpes cana. Mammalian Species, 462:1-4.
- Geffen et al (2004). Vulpes cana. 2006 IUCN Red List of
Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 11 May 2006. Database
entry includes justification for why this species is vulnerable
Afghan fox, corsac, dog
fox, hoary fox, and steppe fox. This can be confusing because other species are
known as the corsac fox (Vulpes corsac) and the hoary fox (Pseudalopex
vetulus).
Distribution
and Habitat
The Blanford's fox inhabits
semi-arid regions, steppes and mountains of Afghanistan, Egypt (Sinaï),
Turkestan, northeast Iran, Baluchistan, Palestine and Israel. It may also live
throughout Arabia (Oman, Yemen, Jordan, and west Saudi Arabia), as one was trapped
in Dhofar, Oman in 1984.
Appearance
Like all desert foxes, the
Blanford's fox has large ears which enables it to dissipate heat. However,
unlike other desert foxes, it does not have pads covered with hair, which would
otherwise protect its paws from hot sand. Its tail is almost equal in length to
its body. Its coat is light tan, with white underparts and a black tip on the
tail.
Shoulder height: 12 in. (30 cm)
Head and body length: 17 in. (42 cm)
Tail length: 12 in. (30 cm)
Weight: 3-6.5 lb. (1.5-3 kg)
Diet
Omnivorous, and more
frugivorous than other foxes. It prefers seedless grapes, ripe melons and
Russian chives when consuming domestic crops. In addition, it eats insects.
Reproduction
Time of mating: December-January.
Gestation period: 50-60 days.
Litter size: 1-3 kits.
Lactation: 60 days.
Age at sexual maturity: 8-12 months.
Longevity: Generally 4-5 years, but reported
to live up to 10 years.
References
- Abu Baker, M. A. et al., (2004). On the
Current Status and Distribution of Blanford's Fox, Vulpes cana
Blanford, 1877, in Jordan (Mammalia: Carnivora: Canidae). Turk. J. Zool., 28: 1-6.
- Geffen, E., R.
Hefner, D. W. Macdonald and M. Ucko, (1992). Habitat
selection and home range in the Blanford's fox, Vulpes cana:
compatibility with the Resource Dispersion Hypothesis. Oecologia 91: 75-81.
- Geffen, E., (1994). Blanford's fox, Vulpes cana. Mammalian Species, 462:1-4.
- Geffen et al (2004). Vulpes cana. 2006 IUCN Red List of
Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 11 May 2006. Database
entry includes justification for why this species is vulnerable