Foxes in Focus: Culture, Science, and the Fight for Survival

By Yuseong Hong

Doglike? Or catlike? It is the light-footed red fox that stares at the camera, with its characteristic  appearance. Being lucky enough, you can spot them in the wild, and many in your backyard as well. 

The fox is a fascinating animal that has intrigued our ancestors as well as the internet. Living practically everywhere, they are regulars for myths and legends globally and may have once been man’s companion, even before dogs. This article will let you know more about foxes in general and what trouble they are in now.

The red fox, which has the scientific name “Vulpes Vulpes” is the most common of foxes. Second to human beings, it has the largest distribution of any land mammal. They inhabit all continents in the Northern Hemisphere, making it easier for many cultures to recognize. But not all foxes are red foxes; There are around 30 types of foxes, and 12 types belong to the genus “Vulpes” (true fox), which the red fox is part of. (Animalia Chordata Mammalia Carnivora Canidae Vulpes) 

You may have noticed that some foxes are not ‘true’, and this is because they do not genetically share the same common ancestor, while also having differences in behavioral and physical traits. Other types of foxes are closer to dogs. And the Encyclopedia of Mammals explains foxes of genus Vulpes are distinguished from other members of the family Canidae by having a smaller size, longer and bushier tail, and flatter skull. 

Although foxes in various locations have been subject to evolution and speciation, generally, they have black and triangular marks between their nose and eyes, triangular faces, longer snouts, and vertically slit pupils. The distinctive patches aid camouflage and recognition by other foxes, the longer snout and skull structure provide a jaw structure specialized for biting quickly and efficiently. Their diet is omnivorous, consisting of small insects, small vertebrates such as rodents, grasses, etc., and also obtained through scavenging. They hoard their feed by storing it away from other animals. Foxes’ lifespan in wild life ranges from two to four years, reaching up to 9 years. In captivity, they can live around 10 to 15 years, at a maximum of more than 21 years. Unlike wolves, foxes are solitary animals that do not form packs. But as they are very adaptive creatures, the social structure is flexible: a scientific paper regarding the stability and structure of red fox groups tells foxes do form a highly flexible and non-permanent social system whose longevity relies on the season and resource ability.

Quirks of 5 species of true foxes: 

- The red fox (V. vulpes) - Not all red foxes are red; some are multicolored. And according to an estimate from 2012, more than 7.2 million red foxes inhabited Australia. They are considered as invasive species endangering native species.   

- The fennec fox (V. zerda) - Fennec foxes are the smallest foxes, with males sizing up to 39.5 centimeters. They have exceptionally large ears and, unlike many other foxes, live in families.

- The arctic fox (V. lagopus) -  Arctic foxes can withstand frigid temperatures as low as -70°C.  One of their main prey is the lemming. When lemming populations increase, the number of kits in the litter increases up to 18. 

- The kit fox (V. macrotis) - Kit foxes are the smallest species of fox in North America. “Macrotis” stands for the large ears that they have. The subspecies San Joaquin kit fox (V. m. mutica) once thrived in California but is endangered due to human activity. However, the overall species is listed as “Least Concern”. 

- The Corsac fox (V. corsac) - The Corsac fox lives primarily in steppes and deserts in Central Asia and Mongolia. The name Corsac is derived from Russian “Корса́к”. Their populations fluctuate vastly, sometimes dropping to a tenth of the original number. Unlike some other foxes, Corsac foxes can form packs.

The fox symbolizes many values in various cultures. A generally perceived depiction of foxes can be ‘sly’, ‘cunning’, ‘deceitful’, and so on. Usually they are negatively illustrated, sometimes as villains, in children's stories (e.g. Pinocchio, The Fox in The Vineyard in Aesop’s Fables), but the views on foxes differ by culture. The following are what some cultures see foxes as.

Across cultures, foxes occupy a unique place in mythology and folklore. They are often portrayed as liminal creatures—both benevolent and malevolent, protectors and deceivers—capable of traversing the boundary between the natural and the supernatural. Their versatility as shapeshifters and spiritual beings has made them enduring figures in the storytelling traditions of East Asia, the Americas, and Europe.

In Chinese tradition, foxes were believed to be spiritual entities, capable of serving either as guardians or as tricksters. Texts such as The Cult of the Fox describe them as ambiguous beings: sometimes revered as protectors, other times feared as deceivers.

In Japan, the fox—or kitsune—is considered a type of yōkai (supernatural creature). Kitsune possesses powerful shapeshifting abilities, often transforming into humans. Within this framework, foxes are divided into two main categories:

• Zenko (“good foxes”): benevolent spirits and messengers of the Shinto deity Inari, often honored with statues in shrines.
  
  

• Nogitsune (“wild foxes”): malevolent beings associated with mischief, harm, and misfortune.
  
  

Korean folklore centers on the kumiho (nine-tailed fox), a creature that, like the kitsune, could assume human form. Numerous versions of this myth are preserved in the Compendium of Korean Oral Literature. Traditionally depicted as dangerous and predatory, the kumiho has also been reinterpreted in modern culture, where it sometimes appears in more sympathetic roles.

In Native American traditions, foxes are commonly seen as clever tricksters, embodiments of intelligence and adaptability. Some tribes view them as sly and manipulative, while others regard them as guides and protectors who help humans navigate the spiritual and physical worlds.

In Celtic mythology, foxes often serve as spiritual guides. They symbolize magic, transformation, and rebirth, and are thought to act as bridges between the physical realm and the Otherworld. European folklore more broadly inherited these themes, emphasizing the fox’s cunning and mystical associations.

Within Norse traditions, the fox is closely tied to Loki, the god of mischief, cunning, and trickery. Folktales often depict Loki manifesting in the form of a fox, highlighting both the animal’s reputation for cleverness and its association with chaos and transformation.

The rise of social media gave not only dogs and cats but also foxes the chance to become featured as internet celebrities. Videos filming human interactions with captive foxes have amassed millions of views and just as memes of dogs and cats are, many fox memes are gaining popularity. Foxes provide alternative content for dog and cat videos. Having features of both a dog and cat, but also having unique vulpine features, foxes come rather new to viewers and thus spark curiosity and affinity. 

Research on the fox has noticeably increased in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. In the 1950s, the Russian Farm-Fox Experiment systematically investigated domestication by selectively breeding silver foxes for tameness. This produced insights into behavioral genetics and encouraged more research on foxes. In the late 20th century, molecular genetics and ecological studies were implemented for comprehensive studies on the red fox’s evolution genetics and adaptation. And in recent years major research has been conducted on subjects such as the social behavior, ecological impacts and the invasive status of foxes(mainly in Australia) supported by technologies such as GPS tracking and DNA sequencing. 

There are several databases from which readers can get information about foxes. Many scientific papers regarding the biology, ecology or social behavior of foxes can be searched on PubMed, ScienceDirect, and so on. Specialized or educational websites in which there are arranged facts about foxes include the Animal Diversity Web (UMich). There are also sources that are easy to access such as Wikipedia or YouTube. 

Recently in scientific literature, the archaeological and scientific evidence that foxes once were pets in some ancient regions. In a 16,500 year old grave in Jordan, a fox skeleton was buried next to the human and then moved together, suggesting that foxes have been pets and considered as afterlife companions earlier than any other human-dog burial. Similar cases have been observed in the Iberian Peninsula and Patagonia, where foxes had similar diets with humans, suggesting domestication in the ancient times. However, these researches note that these relations may have been short-lived due to the innate timidness of foxes which made true domestication difficult. Foxes in fact can be domesticated by way of intense selective breeding, but this was not the case for the prehistoric times. 

Although foxes are one of the most widely distributed and adaptable mammals, some subspecies are critically endangered and many foxes are exploited by fur farms. According to recent EPA (US Environmental Protection Agency) documents, the previously mentioned San Joaquin kit fox(V. Macrotis mutica) is endangered due to habitat loss and competition, having only three thousand individuals globally. Agricultural development in California fragmented the fox’s territory. Experts and conservation experts warn that habitat protection and restoration are crucial for the long-term survival of these fox populations. The Sierra Nevada red fox (V. vulpes necator) is on the verge of extinction, having only an estimated 18 to 39 individuals due to habitat loss, predation, climate change, and hybridization with non-native foxes. Although red foxes are not endangered and are listed as “least concern”, they cause ecological damage by threatening native wildlife as an invasive species in Australia. Arctic foxes face challenges caused by climate change. Now that there is less snow and more vegetation, red foxes are starting to expand northward and compete with the original inhabitants. And in an article by arctic focus, a collaborative online platform by the Arctic Research Foundation, indicates that arctic fox populations fluctuate with rodent prey populations, which are declining due to degraded snow quality caused by climate change. 

Fox fur farms, farms that exploit foxes to produce fur materials for fur coats, are both environmentally and ethically questionable. Foxes in fur farms are trapped in small wire-mesh cages, limiting natural behaviors and drastically lowering the welfare of foxes. When foxes that travel hundreds of kilometers get trapped in a dark cage the size of a shopping cart, they go through immense physical and psychological stress. Some regions lack consistent legal standards, thus brutal dispatch methods such as gassing or electrocution is conventional. And the fur farm in general causes environmental and public health concerns. Fur farms are energy intense and therefore generate disproportionately high carbon emissions. And they cause other environmental threats, such as water pollution, toxic waste from tanning and dying processes. Moreover, many fox fur farms use non-native species, which can escape and become an invasive species. 

Foxes, magnificent animals that have, for many years, fascinated many cultures are a culturally and scientifically interesting subject for research. These adaptable animals live almost everywhere, from urban households to the most barren deserts and demonstrate mammals’ ability to evolve and adapt to the environment. Nowadays technology has enabled scientists to have an even closer look at the fox’s anatomy and social media users to enjoy the spice of foxes with humans. From mythical beings that, in the past, have been both feared and esteemed, foxes are now physically and emotionally getting closer to us as pets and family. (Yes, some foxes such as fennecs can be purchased as pets) But human activities and climate change endanger many species and fur farms, to this day are still agonizing foxes that should freely roam in the wild. More deliberation and awareness is required in order that they live a better life, and the first step to that could be readers’ getting to know more about the fox.