We know you’ve read tons of metaphors based on foxes, but would you like to read everything there is to know about a special species of fox?The Blanford’s fox (Vulpes cana) is a small fox native to the Middle East and Central Asia. It is in the genus Vulpes and belongs to the Canidae family. All members of this genus are referred to as ’true foxes’ as they form a proper clade and are separated from wolves, jackals, and coyotes of the genus Canis. The Blanford’s fox was first introduced and described by William Thomas Blanford in 1877 and was named after him. The Blanford’s fox (Vulpes cana) is native to southwest Asia and these foxes have a rather patchy range. This species can be found across the Arabian peninsula in the Middle East from Jordan, Israel, the Sinai Peninsula, Egypt, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. These foxes were also recently spotted in Yemen. They are usually found near mountains and regions with natural vegetation. They have cat-like large ears, bushy tails, and are covered in fur.Appearance-wise there are no significant differences between the male and female species. The Blanford’s fox is nocturnal. It is also known as the Afghan fox, royal fox, dog fox, hoary fox, steppe fox, black fox, king fox, cliff fox, or Baluchistan fox. Unlike wolves, this species does not live in packs.Read on to find details about their range, habitat, population size, diet, gestation period, breeding, and feeding habits! Learn about some other mammals from our fox facts and red fox facts pages.
Fun Blanford’s Fox Facts For Kids
What do they prey on? Insects, small animals, and fruits
What do they eat? Omnivore
Average litter size? 1-3
How much do they weigh? 2.1 lb (0.9 kg)
How long are they? N/A
How tall are they? 15.2-31.5 in (38.5-80 cm)
What do they look like? Brown, fawn, and black
Skin Type Fur
What were their main threats? Humans, Coyotes
What is their conservation status? Least Concern
Where you’ll find them? Mountainous Regions, Semi-arid Regions
Locations Asia, Israel, Saudi Arabia, And The United Arab Emirates
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Vulpes
Class Mammalia
Family Canidae
Blanford’s Fox Interesting FactsWhat type of animal is a Blanford’s fox?The Blanford’s fox (Vulpes cana) just like its name suggests is a fox belonging to the Animalia kingdom.What class of animal does a Blanford’s fox belong to?The Blanford’s fox (Vulpes cana) belongs to the Mammalia class.How many Blanford’s foxes are there in the world?Accurate data about their population size is unknown. However, Blanford’s foxes are considered a common species across their range.Where does a Blanford’s fox live?The Blanford’s fox (Vulpes cana) range occupies regions of Afghanistan, Egypt, Iran, Israel, Jordan, Oman, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia. In Afghanistan, it is commonly known as the Afghan fox.What is a Blanford’s fox’s habitat?The Blanford’s fox habitat includes semi-arid regions, steppes, and mountains within their range. They are often found at an altitude of about 3937 ft (1,200 m) above sea level. In southwestern Arabia, foxes of this species prefer living on mountains that have plenty of natural vegetation. They are nocturnal, but in Israel, due to the extreme climatic conditions at night especially in deserts, these foxes choose to forage and wander in the late afternoon and evenings.Who does Blanford’s fox live with?Blanford’s foxes are solitary and live alone. They pair up only during the breeding season.How long does a Blanford’s fox live?Blandford’s foxes live up to four to five years and do not exceed 10 years in the wild.How do they reproduce?Blanford’s foxes are monogamous and reach sexual maturity when they are 10-12 months of age. The breeding season begins in late January or February. Female foxes give birth to one to three pups in a single breeding season. The gestation period lasts for 50-60 days. The young pups are nursed by their mothers for at least 28-45 days after birth. They are born with soft, darker gray, or almost black fur, and weigh around 2.1 lb (29 g). When they are two months of age, they accompany their parents on hunts, and by the next few months forage independently.Mountain lions often prey on the pups.What is their conservation status?The IUNC Red List of Threatened Species has classified Blanford’s foxes as a species of Least Concern.Blanford’s Fox Fun FactsWhat does the Blanford’s fox look like?The Blanford’s fox is a small to medium-sized fox with wide, large ears and a long, bushy tail that equals its body length. The tip of the tail is black and occasionally white. This fox generally has a lean body, but the body size can vary according to its geographical location and habitat. The body is covered with brownish-gray fur that fades out to a pale yellow color near the stomach. During winters, the coat is woolly, dense, with a black undercoat and off-white speckles. This helps the fox stay warm and maintain its body temperature even in extreme cold weathers.In contrast to its winter coat, the summer coat is thinner and paler, and the speckles are almost invisible. Near the spine, a black spot and an extending band are visible that becomes crest along the length of the tail. Unlike most desert fox species, Blandford’s foxes do not have pads covered with fur or hair, instead, they have sharp, retractile, curvy, and cat-like claws. Young juveniles are identical to adults and have similar markings, but their fur is softer and darker.How cute are they?A Blanford’s fox looks cute because of its large ears, its bushy tail equal to its body length, and of course it soft fur.How do they communicate?Blanford’s foxes communicate by analyzing chemical cues or scent, via vocalization, and through body language. They have different body postures that can determine whether they are aggressive, submissive, fearful, or dominant. When curious, this fox stands still, raise its ears, and stiffens its tail. When scared, it will curve or arch its body. Blanford’s foxes have an impressive vocal repertoire and use a wide range of sounds like howls, barks, and high-pitched calls to communicate.How big is a Blanford’s fox?Generally, the fox of this species grows up to 15-31.5 in (38.5-80 cm) in length and the tail is 13-16 in (33-41 cm) long. Some reach a total length of 28.-29.9 in (73.5-76 cm), and a tail length of 13.7-14.1 in (35-36 cm).Among all extant canids, only the fennec fox is smaller than a hoary fox!How fast can a Blanford’s fox run?While the speed rate is unknown, this fox can climb rocks and jump over ledges that are 9.8 ft (3 m) tall easily. These foxes use their sharp, curved claws, and bare footpads for traction on narrow ledges and their long, bushy tails as a counterbalance.How much does a Blanford’s fox weigh?An adult steppe fox weighs around 2.1 lb (0.9 kg).What are the male and female names of the species?Just like other foxes, the male members of this species are called dog foxes and the females are called vixens!What would you call a baby Blanford’s fox?A baby Blanford’s fox is called a young pup, cub, or kit. The pups are independent by the time they are three or four months of age.What do they eat?The Blanford’s fox is omnivorous and it is often spotted foraging in mountains, and occasionally in rural settlements. Their diet includes a variety of food items like rodents, small birds, and medium to large insects like grasshoppers. Blanford’s foxes in Pakistan are largely frugivorous and feed on Russian olives, melons, and grapes. Blanford’s foxes are solitary foragers and rarely forage in pairs with their partners or young cubs. Unlike other fox species, this fox is not very predatory and rarely hunts other animals for food.Large predatory birds like falcons often hunt these foxes.Are they dangerous?They might cause minor physical injuries by biting and scratching if they feel threatened. They are both playful and violent and do not pose as threats to humans.Would they make a good pet?No, even though they are not dangerous for humans, they are still wild animals and do not make great pets. A kit if adopted when it is young might respond to human touch, however a kit requires a lot of attention. Kits need to be fed milk every four hours without fail. They also tend to start biting furniture, cables, and leather items around the house.Did you know…Biblical foxes mentioned in the Song of Songs 2:15 and described as ’little foxes who ruin the vineyards’ are believed to be the frugivorous Blanford’s foxes.What is the most popular fox in the world?The most popular fox species in the world is the red fox.What are the 12 true foxes? The 12 true foxes are the red fox, Arctic fox, fennec fox, Bengal fox, pale fox, Blanford’s fox, Cape fox, corsac fox, Ruppel’s Fox, kit fox, Tibetan sand fox, and swift fox.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other mammals from our harbour porpoise facts or masai giraffe facts pagesYou can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable Blanford’s fox coloring pages.Second image by Eyal Bartov
What type of animal is a Blanford’s fox?
The Blanford’s fox (Vulpes cana) just like its name suggests is a fox belonging to the Animalia kingdom.
Fun Blanford’s Fox Facts For Kids
What do they prey on? Insects, small animals, and fruits
What do they eat? Omnivore
Average litter size? 1-3
How much do they weigh? 2.1 lb (0.9 kg)
How long are they? N/A
How tall are they? 15.2-31.5 in (38.5-80 cm)
What do they look like? Brown, fawn, and black
Skin Type Fur
What were their main threats? Humans, Coyotes
What is their conservation status? Least Concern
Where you’ll find them? Mountainous Regions, Semi-arid Regions
Locations Asia, Israel, Saudi Arabia, And The United Arab Emirates
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Vulpes
Class Mammalia
Family Canidae
Fun Blanford’s Fox Facts For Kids
What do they prey on? Insects, small animals, and fruits
What do they eat? Omnivore
Average litter size? 1-3
How much do they weigh? 2.1 lb (0.9 kg)
How long are they? N/A
How tall are they? 15.2-31.5 in (38.5-80 cm)
What do they look like? Brown, fawn, and black
Skin Type Fur
What were their main threats? Humans, Coyotes
What is their conservation status? Least Concern
Where you’ll find them? Mountainous Regions, Semi-arid Regions
Locations Asia, Israel, Saudi Arabia, And The United Arab Emirates
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Vulpes
Class Mammalia
Family Canidae
Fun Blanford’s Fox Facts For Kids
What do they prey on? Insects, small animals, and fruits
What do they eat? Omnivore
Average litter size? 1-3
How much do they weigh? 2.1 lb (0.9 kg)
How long are they? N/A
How tall are they? 15.2-31.5 in (38.5-80 cm)
What do they look like? Brown, fawn, and black
Skin Type Fur
What were their main threats? Humans, Coyotes
What is their conservation status? Least Concern
Where you’ll find them? Mountainous Regions, Semi-arid Regions
Locations Asia, Israel, Saudi Arabia, And The United Arab Emirates
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Vulpes
Class Mammalia
Family Canidae
Fun Blanford’s Fox Facts For Kids
What do they prey on? Insects, small animals, and fruits
What do they eat? Omnivore
Average litter size? 1-3
How much do they weigh? 2.1 lb (0.9 kg)
How long are they? N/A
How tall are they? 15.2-31.5 in (38.5-80 cm)
What do they look like? Brown, fawn, and black
Skin Type Fur
What were their main threats? Humans, Coyotes
What is their conservation status? Least Concern
Where you’ll find them? Mountainous Regions, Semi-arid Regions
Locations Asia, Israel, Saudi Arabia, And The United Arab Emirates
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Vulpes
Class Mammalia
Family Canidae
What do they prey on? Insects, small animals, and fruits
What do they eat? Omnivore
Average litter size? 1-3
How much do they weigh? 2.1 lb (0.9 kg)
How long are they? N/A
How tall are they? 15.2-31.5 in (38.5-80 cm)
What do they look like? Brown, fawn, and black
Skin Type Fur
What were their main threats? Humans, Coyotes
What is their conservation status? Least Concern
Where you’ll find them? Mountainous Regions, Semi-arid Regions
Locations Asia, Israel, Saudi Arabia, And The United Arab Emirates
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Vulpes
Class Mammalia
Family Canidae
What do they prey on? Insects, small animals, and fruits
What do they eat? Omnivore
Average litter size? 1-3
How much do they weigh? 2.1 lb (0.9 kg)
How long are they? N/A
How tall are they? 15.2-31.5 in (38.5-80 cm)
What do they look like? Brown, fawn, and black
Skin Type Fur
What were their main threats? Humans, Coyotes
What is their conservation status? Least Concern
What do they prey on?
Insects, small animals, and fruits
What do they eat?
Omnivore
Average litter size?
1-3
How much do they weigh?
2.1 lb (0.9 kg)
How long are they?
N/A
How tall are they?
15.2-31.5 in (38.5-80 cm)
What do they look like?
Brown, fawn, and black
Skin Type
Fur
What were their main threats?
Humans, Coyotes
What is their conservation status?
Least Concern
Where you’ll find them? Mountainous Regions, Semi-arid Regions
Locations Asia, Israel, Saudi Arabia, And The United Arab Emirates
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Vulpes
Class Mammalia
Family Canidae
Where you’ll find them?
Mountainous Regions, Semi-arid Regions
Locations
Asia, Israel, Saudi Arabia, And The United Arab Emirates
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Vulpes
Kingdom
Animalia
Genus
Vulpes
Class Mammalia
Family Canidae
