Crab-eating fox

The crab-eating fox (Cerdocyon thous), also known as the forest dog, wood fox, bushfox (not to be confused with the bush dog) or maikong, is a medium-sized canid that lives in South America. It has been around since at least the Pleistocene epoch, which was a time long ago when the Earth had ice ages.

Unlike true foxes, the crab-eating fox belongs to a different group of animals called Cerdocyon. The name comes from Greek words meaning "fox" and "dog" because it looks like both. These foxes are special because they are not closely related to real foxes, even though they look similar.

This animal is found mainly in the central part of South America and is one of the smaller wild dogs in that area. It is still alive today and is considered an extant species, meaning we can still see it in the wild.

Taxonomy and evolution

The crab-eating fox was first described by Linnaeus in 1766 as Canis thous and was later placed in its current genus Cerdocyon by Hamilton-Smith in 1839.

The group Cerdocyonina appeared around 6 million years ago in North America as Ferrucyon avius. This group lived until about 1.3 million years ago. The crab-eating fox’s closest living relative is thought to be the short-eared dog, though this needs more study. Today, the crab-eating fox is the only living member of its genus, Cerdocyon.

Description

The crab-eating fox is mostly greyish-brown, with red patches on its face and legs, and black tips on its ears and tail. It has short, strong legs and a long, bushy tail. On average, its body is about 64 centimetres long, and its tail is about 28.5 centimetres. It weighs between 10 and 17 pounds.

The fur is short and thick, and its color can range from grey to brown, yellowish, pale, or dark grey. It has a black streak on its back legs and a black stripe along its spine. The muzzle, ears, and paws have reddish fur, while the tail, legs, and ear tips are black. The ears are wide and round, and its legs are short but strong. The tail, which is covered in hair, stands up when the fox is excited. The color of these foxes can vary a lot, from very dark to light grey-yellow. Genetically, they have 74 diploid chromosomes (36 pairs).

Habitat

The crab-eating fox lives in many different places, including savannas, woodlands, subtropical forests, thick bushes, and tropical areas. You can find them from Colombia and southern Venezuela in the north all the way down to Paraguay, Uruguay, and northern Argentina. Since the 1990s, they have also been seen in Panama.

These foxes like to stay near wooded riverbanks. During the rainy season, they move to higher ground, and during drier times, they move to lower areas. They live in many environments but avoid rainforests, high mountains, and open grassy savannas. In some places, they are in danger of disappearing.

Behaviour and ecology

The crab-eating fox forms hunting teams with one partner, and sometimes several pairs group together when raising young. They live in areas that range from about one fox every 4 square kilometers in Venezuela to just a few foxes in very large areas of wetlands in Argentina. During dry times, they guard their space more, but when there is plenty of food in the rainy season, they worry less about borders. They make their homes in bushes and thick grass, often using burrows made by other animals. These foxes make several sounds, like barking and howling, especially when they get separated from their partner.

These foxes are mostly active at night, with the most activity happening in the middle of the night and early morning.

Reproduction

Crab-eating foxes become adults in about 9 to 10 months. Females usually have one or two sets of babies each year, depending on the weather and food. The time to have babies often starts in November or December and again in July. After about 56 days, the babies are born, usually in January, February, or March, and again from September to October. The parents stay together and help raise the young, who start eating solid food after about three months and become fully independent when they are 5 to 8 months old.

Diet

Crab-eating foxes look for crabs in muddy areas during the wet season, which is why they are called crab-eating foxes. They eat many different things, depending on what they can find. Their favorite foods are insects and small animals like rodents and birds, but they also eat other small creatures, turtle eggs, fruit, and even dead animals. What they eat changes with the seasons — more crabs and other water animals in the wet season, and more insects in the dry season. By eating these foods, they help control numbers of rodents and harmful insects.

Conservation

The crab-eating fox is not in danger of disappearing, according to groups that watch over wild animals. It is found in many places and its numbers stay about the same.

Some farmers think the fox is a problem for their animals, which sometimes leads to hunting them without permission. The biggest danger to the fox comes from sickness spread by dogs that haven’t been treated by a vet.

Subspecies

The crab-eating fox has five recognized subspecies, which look a bit different in size and fur color.

These subspecies live in various places such as Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, and Brazil, among other areas in South America. Each subspecies has its own name and region where it is found.