The pale fox (Vulpes pallida ) is a species of fox found in the band of African Sahel from Senegal in the west to Sudan in the east. It is one of the least studied of all canid species, in part due to its remote habitat and its sandy coat that blends in well with the desert-like terrain.
No
NocturnalNocturnality is an animal behavior characterized by being active during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal",...
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...
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 ...
Vi
ViviparousAmong animals, viviparity is the development of the embryo inside the body of the parent. The term 'viviparity' and its adjective form 'viviparous'...
So
SocialNo
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.
P
starts withThe Pale fox is a small fox found in Africa. It is one of the least studied of all canid species, in part due to its remote habitat and its sandy coat that blends in well with the desert-like terrain. Its fur is quite thin, with a pale sandy color that turns white towards the abdomen. The back is often speckled with a blackish or a rufous coloration, with a darker mid-dorsal line. The flanks are paler than the dorsal pelage, blending into buffy-white underparts, and the legs are rufous. This fox has a pale face, an elongated muzzle with relatively long whiskers, and a dark ring surrounding the eye. Its tail is long and bushy, with a reddish-brown color with a prominent black tip and a dark patch above the tail gland. The ears are large compared to other foxes but are typical of a desert inhabiting canid.
Pale foxes are occur in the semi-arid Sahelian region of Africa bordering the Sahara Desert, from Mauritania and Senegal via Nigeria, Cameroon and Chad to the Red Sea. They live in sandy or stony arid terrain, and occasionally venture south into the savanna. They may also move southwards and northwards in relation to the periodic droughts that affect these regions.
Pale foxes are primarily nocturnal. They are gregarious, living in shared burrows, probably in small family groups with parents and their young. During the day they rest in dug burrows that can extend up to 15 meters long and descend up to 2 meters to the ground. At dusk Pale foxes venture out and forage for food.
After the gestation period that lasts around 51-53 days, female Pale foxes give birth to 3-6 kits. The young are born altricial (helpless). They weigh 50-100 grams (1.7-3.8 ounces) and become weaned from their mothers between 6 and 8 weeks.
The Pale fox is not considered threatened at present, although it is sometimes hunted because it raids villages and takes poultry, and it is sometimes killed by vehicles at night.
According to the IUCN Red List, the total population size of the Pale fox is 10,000-99,999 mature individuals. 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...