Blanford's fox (Vulpes cana ) is a small fox native to the Middle East and Central Asia. It is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
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NocturnalNocturnality is an animal behavior characterized by being active during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal",...
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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...
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InsectivoresAn insectivore is a carnivorous plant or animal that eats insects. An alternative term is entomophage, which also refers to the human practice of e...
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CarnivoreA carnivore meaning 'meat eater' is an organism that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of a...
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FrugivoreA frugivore is an animal that thrives mostly on raw fruits or succulent fruit-like produce of plants such as roots, shoots, nuts, and seeds. Approx...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
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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...
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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 ...
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ZoochoryZoochory animals are those that can disperse plant seeds in several ways. Seeds can be transported on the outside of vertebrate animals (mostly mam...
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ViviparousAmong animals, viviparity is the development of the embryo inside the body of the parent. The term 'viviparity' and its adjective form 'viviparous'...
A territory is a sociographical area that which an animal consistently defends against the conspecific competition (or, occasionally, against anima...
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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...
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Generally solitaryGenerally solitary animals are those animals that spend their time separately but will gather at foraging areas or sleep in the same location or sh...
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Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
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starts withBlanford's fox is a small fox native to the Middle East and Central Asia. It has wide ears and a long, bushy tail nearly equal to the length of its body. The body is brownish-grey in color, fading to light yellow on the belly. The winter coat is soft and woolly, with a dense black undercoat and white fur speckles in the dorsal area; together with a somewhat thicker layer of fat, it serves as thermal insulation in cold and dry winter. The summer coat is less thick, the fur is paler, and the white hair is less noticeable. A characteristic mid-dorsal black band extends caudally from the nape of the spine, becoming a mid-dorsal crest along the length of the tail. The tail is the same color as the body. A black spot is found at the base of the spine. The tip of the tail is normally black, but it is white in some individuals. Juveniles have similar markings as adults, but their fur is darker and more grayish.
The Blanford's fox has a rather discontinuous range. Initially known only from southwest Asia, this species was reported in Israel in 1981 and was later found to be more widespread in the Arabian Peninsula. The eastern part of the range included the Iranian Plateau in Iran, Turkmenistan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan. In the Middle East, their range includes Jordan, the Sinai Peninsula (Egypt), Oman, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Blanford's foxes have long been suspected of occurring in Yemen and have been reported in Hawf Forest, Al Mahra Governorate, in the far east of Yemen, near the border with Oman. They generally inhabit mountainous regions and were also reported in the mountains of Ras Al Khaimah and Jebel Hafeet in the UAE, and in Saudi Arabia. In some areas of their range, Blanford's foxes occur in dry and hot regions such as valleys and deserts.
Blanford's foxes are strictly nocturnal and this activity pattern is most definitely an anti-predator response to diurnal raptors. During the day they remain inside their caves, dens, or other rocky shelters. They are almost always solitary foragers and only occasionally may feed in pairs. Unlike other fox species, they seldom cache food. Blanford's foxes have an ability to climb rocks and jump to ledges 3 m (9.8 ft) above them with ease, and regularly climb vertically crumbling cliffs by a series of jumps up vertical sections. They use their sharp, curved claws and naked footpads for traction on narrow ledges and their long, bushy tails as a counterbalance when jumping or climbing.
Blanford's foxes are omnivores, primarily insectivores, and frugivores. Insect prey includes beetles, locusts, grasshopper, ants, and termites. They also consume wild fruits and plant material of date palm. In Pakistan, their diet includes Russian olives, melons, and grapes.
Blanford's foxes are monogamous and form pairs. Their breeding season typically occurs between January and February. The gestation period lasts around 50-60 days, and litter size is 1 to 3 kits. The young are born blind, with soft, black fur, with and weigh 29 g. They are nursed by their mother for 30-45 days. At the age of 2 months, the kits start to forage with one of the parents, and at 3 months of age, they begin to forage on their own. Reproductive maturity is reached at the age of 10-12 months.
Blanford's foxes don't face major threats at present. However, local populations suffer from habitat loss and fur hunting. Blanford's foxes are also vulnerable to the diseases of domesticated dogs and occasionally they may take poison intended for hyenas and other species.
The IUCN Red List and other sources don’t provide the number of the Blanford's fox total population size. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List and its numbers today are stable.