Page 30 - Dog
P. 30

Red fox, gray fox




                                    All foxes are solitary hunters that live
                                    on their own (pp. 18–19) – except in the
                                    mating season. They have long bodies,
                                    sharply pointed faces, and a bushy tail
                                    which is often called a “brush.” Foxes have
                                                                                                   THE QUACK FROG
                                    highly developed senses (pp. 14–17) and                    This is one of Greek storyteller
                                    large, erect ears. Their usual prey are rodents          Aesop’s (620–560 b.c.) many fables.
                                                                                               It tells the story of a frog who
                                    and rabbits. The red fox is one of the most              claimed to be a learned doctor. The
                                    common carnivores in the world and is                      fox asked him why, if he was so
                                                                                               skilled, did he not heal his own
                                    known to most people from fables and                       strange walk and wrinkled skin.
              WAITING FOR LUNCH     stories for its cunning. Besides the red fox
            Fox cubs (pp. 20–21) will
            stay with their mother for   there are nine other species in the fox group – or the genus
            several months before they   Vulpes (pp. 26–27, 30–31). The gray fox of North and Central
             must leave her and find
              their own territories.   America belongs to another group – the genus Urocyon. It has
                                    different habits from the red fox and is noted for its ability to
                                    climb trees. The red fox is very adaptable and can live in many
              MAKING TRACKS         different environments from deserts and mountains to the
              The paw prints of a fox
              are smaller than those   centers of cities.
              of most dogs – the
              marks of the pads are
              longer, and the claws
              are sharply pointed.



























                                                                               Coat can range in color
                                                                              from grayish and rust-red
                                                                                     to a flame red

                                                             FURRY BEAUTIFUL
                                                             The red fox‘s fur is so beautiful that for
                                                            thousands of years people have made clothes
                                                             for themselves from their pelts. Captive foxes
                                                              have also been bred for their furs in a variety
                                                               of different coat colors. Nowadays, clothes
                                                                made of animal furs are unacceptable to
                                                                  many people who care about
                                The tail of                             animals (pp. 12–13).
                               the red fox, which always has a white
                             tip, does not express the animal’s
                            feelings the way the tail of a dog does

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