The red fox

Although the red fox belongs to the order Carnivora and, in particular, to the Canidae family, it is an omnivore, which means that it can vary its diet according to the food that is available at the moment. This is the basis of its proverbial capacity for adapting to many different environments.
The fox’s most noticeable morphological characteristic is its long and bushy tail with a white tip. The coat is reddish-brown on the back, white along the stomach. The animal is of slim built, it has a triangular head with a pointed muzzle, and the ears are long and erect. The fox mainly uses keen senses of smell and hearing to explore its territory, but it also has fairly good eyesight. It builds its den preferably on sunny slopes, in the soft earth of woodlands. For safety reasons, the den often has various exits, and it is very similar to that of the badger so that sometimes the two species will actually live together. Communication between animals is very important, in order to define their territories, make their presence known and communicate with the opposite sex. There are various methods of communication, such as olfactive signals produced by special glands, excrements left where they are easily seen, movements of the tail as a visual sign, and barks alternating with whines as audible signals.