Last fall I had heard that the DNR is looking for reports of Gray Fox. I never knew there was another species of Fox in Minnesota.
The Red Fox can occur in different color phases, or mutations, some Red Fox are gray and silver – but they’re known as a Silver Fox or a “Cross” Fox.
The DNR is interested in the Gray Fox as they are a species that is expanding their range to the north. They don’t know why, but one reason may be due to climate change.
Gray Fox in trail cam
The other night I captured this image on my trail cam. I thought the Fox looked a little small and I wondered if it might be a Gray Fox.
Gray Fox's black tail
One of the identifying marks of a http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/mammals/grayfox.html Gray Fox is the black tail. This Fox does have that. A Gray Fox is also a bit smaller and they are supposed to be more ‘cat-like’. I guess one of the traits that they have is an opposing thumb – or their dew clay is such that they have the ability to climb trees, like a cat and unlike a Red Fox.
Red Fox
Another image on the web cam showed a regular Red Fox: notice the white tipped tail. This Fox also looks bigger to me than the other Fox.
Red Fox marking
Gray Fox
About 15-20 years ago, another mail carrier and I saw a gray fox cross the parking lot at the post office in Shakopee, MN. I saw another gray about that time in that general area but I don’t remember exactly where.