© Cesare Moroni

Foxes are carnivores and belong to the Canid Family, just like wolfs and dogs. They have a characteristic pointed snout which makes them easily recognisable, pointed ears, a slender trunk and a tail which can reach a length of up to 50 cm. Their fur is quite thick and of variable colour, depending on the subjects and on the seasons (normally reddish-grey, with lighter or darker versions). An adult fox may weigh 5-8 kg, with a height of about 30-40 cm withers. Foxes don’t have an excellent sight, whereas they do have enhanced hearing and smelling to recognise their fellows and distinguish any intruders in the territory, as well as to hunt. They mainly act by night and hunt in a well-limited area, which they “mark” with their excrements. They shelter digging dens with many galleries where, in March, females give birth to their offspring (normally 4-6) which live with their parents until fall. Foxes hunt small mammals and birds, but also feed themselves with frogs, shellfish and insects. In the fall, they also eat berries and wild or farmed fruits. They are widely-spread in Italy and in the whole of Europe, mainly in mountain woods and costal pine forests. It seems now widely recognised that foxes’ intelligence is not higher than that of other canids. Many zoologists claim that the legend about their proverbial smartness derives from their perfect knowledge of their territory, which is due to the sedentariness of their species and enables them to withstand their enemies. Foxes are a protected species.

Maremma Regional Natural Park: the fauna (Grosseto; Magliano; Orbetello)

Mount Amiata Faunal Park (Arcidosso)