Silver fox (animal)

The silver fox is a special type of red fox (Vulpes vulpes) that has a unique coat color. This form, called melanistic, means the fox has darker colors than the usual red. Some silver foxes are almost completely black, except for a white tip on their tail, which gives them a silvery look. Others may be bluish-grey, and some have a mix of colors on their sides, known as cinereous.

In the past, silver foxes were very important because their fur was highly valued. Nobles in places like Russia, Western Europe, and China often wore clothes made from silver fox pelts. These foxes can live in the wild together with regular red foxes, and they may even have brothers and sisters of different coat colors. However, in places where foxes are kept for their fur or as pets, they are usually bred with others that have the same blueish-grey fur, known as blue fox fur.

Description

Silver foxes have long, soft fur that can be up to five centimeters (two inches) longer than the shorter fur underneath, especially around the throat, shoulders, sides, and tail. The fur underneath is brown at the base and has silver-grey tips that are black further up. This fur is very fine and was once thought to be even softer than the fur of a pine marten. The fur is shortest on the forehead and limbs and finer on the belly, where it looks wavy. The ears have very little long fur, and the soles of the feet are covered with thick, woolly hair.

When silver foxes have babies with another silver fox, most of their offspring will also have silver fur. If a silver fox has babies with a red fox, the young will usually have red fur but with darker markings. Sometimes, two red foxes can have a silver fox baby, though this is rare. The dark colour in silver foxes comes from special changes in their genes, known as mutations.

Range

Red foxes are found all over the northern half of the world and even in Australia. Humans brought them to new places for hunting.

In North America, silver foxes are mostly seen in the northeastern areas. In the 1800s, people found them in Labrador, the Magdalen Islands, and sometimes in the mountains of Pennsylvania and New York. They were also seen in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. In Canada, silver foxes make up about 8% of all red foxes.

In the former Soviet Union, silver foxes live mainly in forest areas and forest-tundra zones, especially in central and eastern Siberia and the Caucasus mountains. They are very rare in dry grasslands and deserts.

History of fur use

The silver fox has very beautiful fur that was highly valued. Its fur was once thought to be even richer and more beautiful than that of beavers or sea otters. Only the finest silver fox furs were sold for very high prices and were always in demand.

To be considered a high-quality pelt, the silver fox fur needed certain features. It had to include a section of glossy black fur on the neck with a bluish look. The silvery parts of the fur had to have pure bands that were not white or very noticeable. The best furs had an even spread of silvery hair, because patches of it made the coat look flaky, which was not wanted. The fur also needed to feel very soft, like silk, and have a shiny look that showed the health of the fox and the quality of its fur. The fur also had to weigh at least one pound, and heavier fur was considered more durable and attractive.

In New England, the fur of a silver fox was once worth more than 40 American beaver skins. The Hudson's Bay Company records show that between 1825 and 1850, 19–25% of the fox skins traded in British Columbia were silver, and 16% of those traded in Labrador were silver. The fur was mostly sold to traders from Russia and China.

Because of its beautiful colour and style, the silver fur was the most wanted. By 1830, about 15% of foxes had this silver fur, but by 1930, this dropped to 5% because of too much hunting. Before fur farming became common on Prince Edward Island, it was common to let silver foxes loose on small islands, where they often died from hunger.

Fur farmers on Prince Edward Island found success by breeding and caring for foxes in captivity. They noticed that foxes are monogamous and allowed pairs to stay together for life, which helped them succeed. The fur from these captive-bred foxes was much better quality—worth $500–1,000 instead of $20–30—because of better care and food. These foxes were only bred with others of the same silver colour, and after three generations, any remaining red or mixed colours disappeared. Although the silver fox price boom in North America ended in 1914, by 1921 there were 300 farms across the USA.

A famous silver fox ranch in North America belonged to Fred Colpitts from Salisbury, New Brunswick. Known as the “Colpitts Brothers,” Fred and James raised silver foxes in the early 1920s. They used careful breeding to improve the foxes’ colour. Fred created the Platinum fox, a special colour version of the silver fox, which was recognised worldwide for its unique look. These Platinum foxes sold for very high prices in Montreal, New York, and London, and won major awards. The brothers sold foxes for breeding all over North America.

In the 1930s, new scientific advances improved fox health. The Fromm brothers helped develop a vaccine for distemper and vitamin D tablets to prevent a disease called rickets. They also let the foxes move more freely to keep their fur healthy and fed them every day. The largest silver fox they had weighed over 20 pounds (9.1 kg).

In Estonia, silver fox farming began in 1924 after receiving 2,500 foxes from Norway. The number of Estonian silver fox farms grew over the next decades. During the Soviet time, the silver fox industry grew a lot because of government support and a focus on breeding foxes that could have more babies rather than just the best fur quality.

Behaviour

See also: Red fox § Behaviour

The silver fox behaves much like the red fox. One common action is scent marking, which shows dominance or shares information about food and social groups.

Mating behaviour

See also: Red fox § Reproduction and development, and Fox § Sexual characteristics

Silver foxes form pairs during the breeding season from December to April, with most mating happening in January and February. Female silver foxes have one breeding time each year, lasting 1 to 6 days, and give birth after about 52 days. They usually start breeding in their first autumn, and factors like age, food, and population density affect their success. Litters usually have between 1 and 14 pups, averaging 3 to 6. More pups are born when the mother is older and there is plenty of food. Both parents help care for the pups, with males bringing food and protecting the den while females also defend their young.

Competition capacity

In captivity, the ability of females to compete for resources affects how many healthy pups they raise. Some females may eat their own young and later help raise others, which can lead to more successful breeding later.

Feeding

Silver foxes eat whatever food they can find but prefer meat when available. When meat is scarce, they eat more plants. They hunt small animals by listening for sounds, then pouncing and catching them. For faster prey, they stalk and chase. If prey hides underground, foxes sometimes wait nearby for it to come out.

Domestication

Main article: Domesticated silver fox

The domesticated silver fox is a special kind of silver fox that has been raised in labs for science. Scientists did this to test how selective breeding can change animals, just like Charles Darwin talked about in his book On the Origin of Species. They wanted to see if choosing only the friendliest foxes to have babies could make them act more like pets. Over time, many of these foxes became friendlier and even started to look more like dogs, with fur that had spots or different colors.

In culture

Main article: Foxes in culture

The silver fox is an important symbol in many cultures. The Achomawi people of Northern California have a story about two creators: a wise silver fox and a trickster coyote. In the story, the silver fox creates land, trees, rocks, and fruits while the coyote eats everything up. This tale shows the silver fox as wise and creative.

The silver fox also appears on the coat of arms of Prince Edward Island. In the past, these rare foxes lived there and their fur was very valuable. Over time, the silver fox came to represent the cleverness and hard work of the people on the island.

In books, TV shows, and cartoons, silver foxes are also popular characters. For example, Silver Fox is a character in the Wolverine superhero stories, and Scarface and Lady Blue are silver foxes in the animated series The Animals of Farthing Wood.