Dwindling gray fox not as well-known as its more famous red cousin

The red fox gets a lot of press in the Fox Valley. His likeness is everywhere - on signs, in logos and in sculpture.

There is another native fox, however, that is overshadowed by its iconic cousin. This little-known fox is just as cunning, just as cool and just as important in Illinois' ecology. It's known in the vernacular as the gray fox, or in scientific circles as Urocyon cineargentus.

The story of the gray fox began some 10 million years ago in the southwestern part of North America. Foxes, coyotes and wolves - collectively known as "canids" - radiated from the southwest over time and adapted to new environments and changing conditions.

While the red fox joined the mass movement of mammals across the newly formed land bridge from North America to Asia roughly 8 million years ago, the gray fox stayed home. In the march of geologic time, the red fox made its way across Asia to Europe.

In the meantime, the gray fox dispersed throughout the North American west (excluding the northern Rocky Mountains), across the southern forests, throughout the eastern deciduous forest of what is now the United States, and southward through Mexico into Central America.

The gray fox became a denizen of forests, swamps and woodlands. Lithe and agile, the gray developed a talent not shared by other North American canids: the ability to climb trees.

"The anatomy (of) their feet (allows them to) rotate their front appendages more than an average coyote or red fox would," explains biologist Alison Willingham, who studied gray foxes from 2005-07 as a graduate student of the Ohio State University. "Their claws are set high on their toes and are recurved."

These adaptations give the gray fox the distinct advantage of being able to climb straight upward, scaling a tree posthaste in pursuit of food - or to avoid becoming food.

A testament to gray foxes' arboreal skills is the report in the Illinois Department of Natural Resources "Guide to Furbearers" that "(they) have been found in squirrel nests and abandoned hawk nests up to 60 feet above the ground." On the ground, the gray fox is equally adroit, maneuvering tangles of brush and dense tree cover with ease.

The gray fox is readily recognized as it shares the canid gestalt of its red cousin: diminutive size, thin dog-like face, and the signature fox tail. It differs in the color and texture of its coat, however. The fur is a grizzled gray on the sides, blended with rusty patches behind the ears, white on the throat and a dark stripe extending along the back to the tip of tail.

Another key difference is that the gray fox lacks the trademark black stockings of the red fox; the gray's feet are reddish-brown instead. The gray fox's coat is somewhat coarse and sparse - a trait that has literally saved its skin as furriers prefer the thick silky pelage of the red fox.

Gray foxes measure about 55 inches in length, 40 percent of which is that magnificent fox tail. They weigh from 5 to 14 pounds, which is a far cry from its big bad wolf relative. What the gray fox lacks in size, it makes up for in attitude. When hassled, it will put up quite a fight. Gray foxes are unlikely to pick a fight, however, and prefer a reclusive life of "doing their own thing."

The ecological translation of doing their thing is "filling their niche." An animal's niche is its job, or role, in the ecosystem. The gray fox plays a secretive, solitary and strictly nocturnal role in dense wooded cover.

Although classified in the taxonomic order Carnivora, the gray fox is not a strict carnivore. Like many animals, gray foxes are opportunistic omnivores, which is another way of saying they'll eat what they can get, when and where they can get it. They are, in fact, more omnivorous than coyotes or red foxes, according to Willingham.

High on the gray fox's list of favorite foods are rabbits. They consume mice, voles and chipmunks as well. Their consumption of plant material is significant when wild grapes, blackberries, and mulberries are ripe.

Grays, as well as red foxes, will snack on poultry, too, if and when available. (Thus, the proverbial fox in the hen house could be either the red or the gray fox.) In turn, gray foxes may be preyed upon by coyotes and larger animals.

It's courtship time in the woods, and gray fox males are paring up with females this month. Mating will occur by the end of February. Denning in hollow logs, trees or other protected woody sites, the female will gestate her litter for approximately 53 days. In spring, she'll give birth to an average of three to five pups.

With eyes closed and scant fur, these pups will be under constant care by fiercely protective parents. (Dad helps out here.) By the tender age of three months, the young will be up and at 'em, joining Mom on hunting forays. Come autumn, they'll be ready to venture off on their own.

The gray fox was once common in northern Illinois woodlands. Today, these foxes are faring well in the forested southern part of Illinois, but they are few and far between in the Fox Valley. What has caused the disappearance of the gray fox from our woodlands? First and foremost, the disappearance of woodlands!

Habitat loss is almost always the main culprit in a species' decline. Habitat alteration is also to blame. From the time of European settlement through the early 20th century, Illinois woodlands were extensively cleared for agriculture. More recently, large tracks of intact woodlands in northern Illinois have been diced into small parks and preserves hemmed in by highways, housing developments and strip malls.

For red foxes, this changing landscape has been a plus. Gray foxes, however, have taken a bad hit. As Donald Hoffmeister explained in his book, "Mammals of Illinois," "Whereas red foxes may have benefited by man's activities in reducing the forest and creating more forest-edge in Illinois, the gray fox has suffered through the same activities."

Population data from an Illinois hunter survey revealed a significant decline in gray fox numbers from 1992 to 2004. Willingham's 2005-07 research showed the continuation of this downward trend. Willingham reported that "(as) foxes have experienced substantial declines in relative abundance - other species, such as raccoons and coyotes, have experienced dramatic increases in the same time period."

She suggests that a combination of factors is at play in the decline of gray fox populations. In addition to continuing habitat loss and landscape alteration, the disappearance of gray foxes is linked to mortality due to coyote predation and overall avoidance of ubiquitous coyotes, raccoons and domestic cats.

Thus, the gray fox is up against some significant challenges in the Fox Valley. Although it lacks the fame and familiarity of the red fox, it is a noteworthy native mammal. Seeing a gray fox would headline "Fox News" in Kane County. So keep your eyes open when you walk in the forest preserves - and don't forget to look up in the trees for the fabulous tail and grizzled gray coat of this unique fox.

• Valerie Blaine is a naturalist with the Forest Preserve District of Kane County. If you've spotted a gray fox, please send your "Fox News" to her at valerieblaine@kaneforest.com.