Corsac, Steppe fox
The Corsac foxes (Vulpes corsac) are medium-sized foxes found in Asia. They live in open grassy steppes and semideserts and try to stay far away from human habitations. Fossils of Corsac foxes date back to the mid-Pleistocene and show they once reached as far west as Switzerland, and as far south as Crimea.
No
NocturnalNocturnality is an animal behavior characterized by being active during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal",...
Di
DiurnalDiurnal animals are active during the daytime, with a period of sleeping or other inactivity at night. The timing of activity by an animal depends ...
Om
OmnivoreAn omnivore is an animal that has the ability to eat and survive on both plant and animal matter. Obtaining energy and nutrients from plant and ani...
Ca
CarnivoreA carnivore meaning 'meat eater' is an organism that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of a...
Sc
ScavengerScavengers are animals that consume dead organisms that have died from causes other than predation or have been killed by other predators. While sc...
Te
TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
Cu
CursorialA cursorial organism is one that is adapted specifically to run. An animal can be considered cursorial if it has the ability to run fast (e.g. chee...
Al
AltricialAltricial animals are those species whose newly hatched or born young are relatively immobile. They lack hair or down, are not able to obtain food ...
Bu
BurrowingA burrow is a hole or tunnel excavated into the ground by an animal to create a space suitable for habitation, temporary refuge, or as a byproduct ...
No
NomadicNomadic animals regularly move to and from the same areas within a well-defined range. Most animals travel in groups in search of better territorie...
Vi
ViviparousAmong animals, viviparity is the development of the embryo inside the body of the parent. The term 'viviparity' and its adjective form 'viviparous'...
Mo
MonogamyMonogamy is a form of relationship in which both the male and the female has only one partner. This pair may cohabitate in an area or territory for...
So
SocialMi
MigratingAnimal migration is the relatively long-distance movement of individual animals, usually on a seasonal basis. It is the most common form of migrati...
C
starts withTr
TravelersThe Corsac fox has grey to yellowish fur over much of the body, with paler underparts and pale markings on the mouth, chin, and throat. During the winter, its coat becomes much thicker and silkier in texture, and is straw-grey in color, with a darker line running down the back. The Corsac fox is reported to have keen eyesight and hearing and an acute sense of smell. It has a number of scent glands, some of which produce pungent odors, although not so extreme as those found in some other Vulpes species. The glands are found under the tail, above the base of the tail, and on the paws and cheeks.
Corsac foxes live in the central and northeast Asia. They are found throughout Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan, and through all except the northernmost regions of Mongolia. In the south, their range extends into the more northern parts of Iran, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, and China, and they can also be found in neighboring regions of Russia. These foxes inhabit open grassy steppes and semideserts and avoid dense vegetation and mountainous regions. True deserts with drifting sands are also avoided, as are snowfields more than about 15 cm (6 in) deep. Corsac foxes generally stay far away from human disturbances.
Corsac foxes are nocturnal and nomadic hunters of the steppes. They do not have a defended territory, and sometimes form packs. Because they cannot hunt in deep snow, they will either shelter in their dens during harsh weather or, in the northern parts of their range, they may migrate up to 600 km (370 mi) south in the winter. They sometimes follow herds of local antelope, relying on them to compress the snow as they pass. Their prey is often buried in caches. Corsac foxes shelter in burrows from harsh weather and larger predators. Although they can dig their own dens, these are generally shallow, and they often take over the burrows of other animals. Dens may have several entrances but are usually less than 1 meter (3 ft 3 in) deep. The burrow is shared between the social packs, with several dens and connecting holes. Corsac foxes are excellent climbers, but are slow runners and could be caught easily by a dog. During hunting or when threatening rivals these foxes produce barks, and to use higher pitch yelps or chirps as alarm calls or social greetings.
Corsac foxes are omnivorous, mainly carnivorous animals. Their diet consists mainly of insects and small rodents, such as voles, gerbils, jerboas, hamsters, and ground squirrels. They may also eat larger prey, including hares and pikas, and will scavenge for carrion and human refuse. They do occasionally eat fruit and other vegetation, especially when animal prey is scarce. As an adaption to the arid climate in which they live, Corsac foxes need little water to survive, obtaining most of the moisture they need from their food.
Corsac foxes are monogamous and form pair bonds, however, before that males will initially fight for access to females. The breeding season starts in January and ends in March. The female creates a birthing den, which is sometimes shared with other pregnant females, but moves her young to new burrows several times after they are born. Typically, 2-6 kits are born after a gestation period of 52 to 60 days. However, the maximum recorded litter consisted of 11 kits. Newborn kits weigh around 60 g (2.1 oz) and have fluffy, light brown fur that turns yellowish as they age. They are born blind and open their eyes at around 2 weeks of age. Both parents assist in the raising of their young. Kits begin to eat meat at 4 weeks and emerge from the den shortly after. Corsac foxes reach reproductive maturity within 9 to 10 months and reproduce in the second year of life.
The major threat posed to the corsac fox is poaching. They are slow runners and are easily caught by hunters, and their population has been reduced in areas where they have been heavily hunted for their fur. In the late 19th century, up to 10,000 Corsac foxes were killed annually for pelt trade. The other main threats include overgrazing by livestock, landscape development, and natural disasters, which can cause the numbers of foxes to drop 90% in some areas.
The IUCN Red List and other sources do not provide the Corsac fox total population size, but this animal is common and widespread throughout its known range. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List.
Social animals are those animals that interact highly with other animals, usually of their own species (conspecifics), to the point of having a rec...