Nipper
(Gray Fox)
Urocyon
cinereoargenteus
Three of our permanent
residents are California Gray Foxes.
These foxes are unusual because they are capable of climbing trees and
unfortunately henhouse fences. They are smaller
than the red fox found in the Midwest and East Coast, but are larger than the
endangered kit fox. Fox are especially
shy and timid in the wild and so you might not see them as often as you will
their bolder cousin the coyote. Gray
foxes are most easily distinguished from the kit fox by the black strip that
runs the length of the top of their tail while the kit fox only has a black
tipped tail.
The person who brought Nipper
to Critter Creek last spring 2021 had him for a time. He was very habituated to people and despite
our efforts to put him with other, wilder young gray foxes, he never lost his
tameness making it necessary to keep him.
He is learning to share Fox Haven so he is restricted to the kennel at
the front of the enclosure for a few months.
He is very interested in anyone who gives him the first hint of
attention. But beware he has earned his name Nipper!