Hybrid Foxes?

[christianhunter]

I live in coweta county,on three different occasions,in three different locations,miles apart.I have saw 3 odd phased fox.They all had white tipped tails,red backs,and yellow sides,with the usual white underbellies.I'm no expert,but body wise they appear to have traits of both the red,and gray fox.I've killed seven Grey's,and these were not the same size,they were smaller.

 

[NCHillbilly]

Sounds like color variants of the red fox. Reds and Grays probably aren't even closely related enough to hybridize. Red foxes can show a tremendous amount of color variation.

 

[00Beau]

Red Fox white tipped tail, grey fox black tipped tail.

 

[christianhunter]

Red Fox white tipped tail, grey fox black tipped tail.

Yep you are right,should've looked on the computer first.Members of my family have saw red fox with black tipped tails.My wife and I saw a black fox,about five years ago,rather small and the tail not as bushy.My taxidermist said it was probably the opposite of an albino,malchinistic(sorry didn't look it up for spelling)or something like that.He said that would account for body size etc;Thanks for the correction.

 

[C.Killmaster]

It's highly unlikely that a red and grey can hybridize. They are not only different species but not even in the same genus (Red-Vulpes, Grey-Urocyon). Over the years in many different areas red foxes were bred in captivity to have different color phases when fur was a more popular item. Since the decline in fur prices foxes may have been turned loose as breeding operations failed. This was the case on some of the Alaskan islands in the Kodiak archipelago. A few odd color phases show up in GA occasionally in the illegal pet trade, which is the most likely source of the fox you saw.

 

[Ol' Gobblero]

Reds and greys can and do hybridize. Not very common, but totally possible.

 

[Lowjack]

I have several in My Property that look like silver foxes, the kind that are bred for pelts.tHey are totally blackish grey with a white patch on the chest and white tip tail.

 

[christianhunter]

I have several in My Property that look like silver foxes, the kind that are bred for pelts.tHey are totally blackish grey with a white patch on the chest and white tip tail.

It was dark when my wife and I saw the one we saw.It had the white patch on the chest,and the white tipped tail.It ran across the hwy we were approaching,and stopped and looked at us as we were nearing the stop sign.It looked black in the headlights.Sounds like what you saw Low.

 

[christianhunter]

Order: Carnivora
Order Description: Carnivores
Family: Canidae
Family Description: Wolfs, Coyotes, and Foxes

Description:
Red fox are small, active canids with a reddish-brown coat above, with white underparts except for a black tipped nose and lower legs.
It also has a large, very noticeable, bushy tail that is white tipped.
This species has several different color phases including a melanistic or black phase.
This black phase often has white-tipped guard hairs that gives it a grizzled or silvery appearance; it is commonly called the silver fox.
There is a “cross fox” color phase that has a blackish or brownish color across the shoulders and down the back.

This is a common color phase throughout the Rocky Mountains.

Mike

Thanks.

 

[christianhunter]

It's highly unlikely that a red and grey can hybridize. They are not only different species but not even in the same genus (Red-Vulpes, Grey-Urocyon). Over the years in many different areas red foxes were bred in captivity to have different color phases when fur was a more popular item. Since the decline in fur prices foxes may have been turned loose as breeding operations failed. This was the case on some of the Alaskan islands in the Kodiak archipelago. A few odd color phases show up in GA occasionally in the illegal pet trade, which is the most likely source of the fox you saw.

Thanks.