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Red
Fox Journal and Photos
by David J. White |
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Introduction
1: 2007
2: The Den 3: Night Visits
4: Lady 5: Prince 6: Princess
7: Kits at Play 8: Rivalry 9: Tracking 10: 2009 11: Fox Life 101 12: References and Links |
| 5: Prince |
| There
was one male fox in the litter. He
grew up into a beautiful,
elegant young fox who I named "Prince". He had a moderate white tip
on his tail and a large dark patch on his muzzle. Prince was the dominant kit of the three though he got along well with both the females almost all of the time. He was only assertive if there was food around and he was hungry. He was very active and loved to jump---especially on top of his siblings. He seemed to start more of the chases and mock-battles than the females did. With his long legs, he could run like the wind. Prince seemed quite comfortable being watched and photographed if he was with Princess (who was the most comfortable kit around me) but on his own, Prince was fairly wary. By early August, Prince was coming around only every few days. It seemed as though he just came by to look for Princess. If she was around, they played together, often at length. But if she was not in sight, he might wait around for a bit but usually he just wandered off. Our property was only a small part of his range by then and only Princess made it of interest. Prince was in his prime in August. His coat was thick and full, and his long legs and confident demeanor gave him an athletic bearing. If there were dog shows for foxes, he would surely have taken Best of Breed! It all ended so abruptly. On our way into Ottawa one morning in late August, less than 2 km (1 mi) from the den, we saw a young fox dead on the roadside. As we got close I could see it was Prince. I was devastated. What a waste of such a beautiful animal. Our trip was put off so I could bring his body back and bury him at our place. Continued in 6: Princess. © David J. White 2009 |
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