{"id":278669,"date":"2025-11-11T23:35:13","date_gmt":"2025-11-11T23:35:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/278669\/"},"modified":"2025-11-11T23:35:13","modified_gmt":"2025-11-11T23:35:13","slug":"photographer-shares-surprising-facts-shes-learned-about-foxes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/278669\/","title":{"rendered":"Photographer Shares Surprising Facts She\u2019s Learned About Foxes"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Fox<\/p>\n

Wildlife photographer Roeselien Raimond<\/a> knows a thing or two about foxes. She\u2019s been observing and photographing the elusive creatures for more than a decade, capturing their beauty, charm, and idiosyncrasies, from how they show affection toward each other<\/a> to the myriad expressions on their faces<\/a>. Now, she\u2019s compiled her fox wisdom<\/a> and is sharing what she\u2019s learned with everyone\u2014and of course, there is fantastic fox imagery to accompany it.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I first started photographing foxes,\u201d Raimond tells My Modern Met, \u201cI thought I knew them: cute, clever, a little sneaky. But after 15 years of spending thousands of hours in the field, I\u2019ve learned one thing: when it comes to foxes, the more you know, the less you know.\u201d So, what are some of the things she\u2019s learned? \u201cThey are loyal lovers, devoted parents, expert swimmers, and surprisingly expressive talkers,\u201d she shares. \u201cThey can \u2018see\u2019 magnetic fields, cache food for the future, and even\u2026 laugh.\u201d<\/p>\n

Each fox has its own personality and is delightfully unpredictable. Because they are \u201cforever surprising,\u201d they excel at adaptation. Foxes inhabit a wide variety of environments, from deserts and tundras to forests and cities. And while their ability to live anywhere is impressive, there\u2019s so much more to be in awe over.<\/p>\n

Scroll down for facts about foxes from Raimond and then learn even more on her website<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Wildlife photographer Roeselien Raimond shares some of what she\u2019s learned about foxes after observing and photographing them for 15 years.<\/p>\n

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Foxes can swim<\/p>\n

\"Fox<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen it comes to water, foxes sit somewhere between cats and dogs. They\u2019re not afraid of getting wet, and they swim perfectly well, though I doubt they enjoy it much. In 15 years of watching foxes, I\u2019ve only seen a handful of swimming foxes, and that says a lot.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Foxes can climb<\/p>\n

\"Fox<\/p>\n

\u201cCats have retractable claws; dogs can\u2019t retract theirs at all and red foxes are said to have semi-retractable claws. Scientists still debate this, but one thing I do know: foxes can climb surprisingly well. They may not be cat-level acrobats, but compared to dogs, they\u2019re excellent climbers.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Foxes are monogamous\u2026 mostly<\/p>\n

\"Fox<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen it comes to love and loyalty, foxes resemble humans. They often form long-term, even lifelong relationships. I\u2019ve known fox couples who stayed together for years, sharing territory, cuddling, arguing, and making up. Some males are devoted fathers, too. But just like people, when options abound, fidelity tends to waver. In the end, foxes are only human, or maybe it\u2019s the other way around.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Foxes store their food<\/p>\n

\"Fox<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen food is plentiful, foxes bury their leftovers as a backup for leaner times. This behavior, known as caching, involves digging a small hole, placing the food inside, and using their nose like a shovel to cover it with sand, soil, or leaves. They sometimes even urinate on the spot as their own little GPS marker.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Foxes share parenthood<\/p>\n

\"Fox<\/p>\n

\u201cSometimes fox families take it even further. I\u2019ve seen dens with as many as 10 cubs; the offspring of both a mother and her grown daughter, who pooled their litters and even nursed each other\u2019s young. It makes you wonder if they knew whose babies were whose\u2026 though perhaps that\u2019s just a human concern. To them, it\u2019s all family.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Foxes are sloppy<\/p>\n

\"Fox<\/p>\n

\u201cIn Dutch we call a messy person a sloddervos\u2014literally, a \u2018sloppy fox.\u2019 And for good reason. Fox dens quickly become messy with leftover prey, parasites, and smell. Instead of cleaning up, foxes often just move. They also relocate when cubs grow and need more space, or when danger, flooding, or human disturbance threatens. I\u2019ve learned that foxes move often and never leave a forwarding address!\u201d<\/p>\n

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Foxes have individual hunting styles<\/p>\n

\"Fox<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery fox develops its own hunting style. Some specialize in digging out rabbits, others master the perfect mouse pounce. I\u2019ve known foxes that could climb trees to raid nests or dig up beetle larvae with expert precision. Urban foxes, on the other hand, are masters of dumpster diving\u2014or use their best cute look to beg for BBQ snacks. And really, who could resist those eyes?\u201d<\/p>\n

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Foxes can \u201csee\u201d magnetic fields<\/p>\n

\"Fox<\/p>\n

\u201cRed foxes can use the Earth\u2019s magnetic field to locate hidden prey beneath snow or grass. Scientists believe a protein in their retina allows them to \u201csee\u201d magnetic fields as a visual pattern, helping them gauge distance before pouncing.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Foxes bark<\/p>\n

\"Fox<\/p>\n

\u201cThe first time I heard a fox bark, I had to listen twice. It\u2019s a form of communication, used during mating season to attract partners, or to defend territory. I once heard a lonely cub barking loudly into the distance, perhaps calling for its mother. Fox voices can be surprisingly expressive.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Foxes defend their territory<\/p>\n

\"Fox<\/p>\n

\u201cRed foxes defend their territories from rivals. These can range from 0.2 square kilometers [0.08 square miles] in cities to 40 square kilometers [15.4 square miles] in rural or mountainous areas. They mark boundaries with droppings and urine, creating an invisible\u2014but very smelly\u2014fence.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Foxes gentle by nature<\/p>\n

\"Fox<\/p>\n

\u201cFoxes have been unfairly branded as sly or deceitful. In truth, I\u2019ve met countless foxes and never witnessed unprovoked aggression toward humans\u2014not even near cubs or crowds. The only risks arise when foxes are fed by people; even then, a mistaken nip is curiosity, not hostility. A healthy wild fox poses no danger. In fact, they\u2019re gentle by nature and domesticated foxes show it beautifully.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Foxes are built for snow<\/p>\n

\"Fox<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople sometimes worry when they see my photos of foxes in snow. \u2018Poor thing, isn\u2019t it cold?\u2019 But their fur coat is perfectly designed for winter. A fox can sleep right in the snow, tail wrapped around like a blanket. I\u2019ve seen young foxes react to snow just like children\u2014ecstatic, playful, rolling and sliding in pure joy.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Foxes originated the \u201cfox trot\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Fox<\/p>\n

\u201cInstead of fighting with teeth and claws, foxes often rise on their hind legs, place their paws on each other\u2019s shoulders, and open their mouths wide. It looks like an elegant dance; a ritual of dominance where\u2014literally\u2014the biggest mouth wins. Anyone who\u2019s seen this can tell where the term Fox Trotting came from: two dancers, dancing for peace.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Foxes are a bit dramatic<\/p>\n

\"Fox<\/p>\n

\u201cFoxes are expressive communicators. Their language ranges from soft whines to theatrical screams\u2014for stolen food, a quarrel, or sheer excitement. When two foxes reunite after a day apart, they can shriek as if welcoming a long-lost friend. Foxes are true drama artists.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Hearing is a fox\u2019s superpower<\/p>\n

\"Fox<\/p>\n

\u201cTheir real superpower isn\u2019t smell\u2014it\u2019s hearing. Foxes can rotate their ears almost 180 degrees and scientists have discovered they can hear a watch ticking from 36 meters [118 feet] away! I\u2019ve never tested it myself, since I don\u2019t wear a watch, but I have witnessed them track rodents and lizards so effectively. I once saw a cub hunting at dusk. She would tilt her head to the left, head to the right, and then, after a very purposeful little jump, without fail, a fat larvae would emerge!\u201d<\/p>\n

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Foxes can be active at all times of day<\/p>\n

\"Fox<\/p>\n

\u201cFoxes are often called nocturnal, but that\u2019s not entirely true. In urban areas, they\u2019re frequently active during the day. It\u2019s human persecution that\u2019s driven them into the night. In places where they\u2019re treated with respect, they enjoy both daylight and moonlight.\u201d<\/p>\n

Roeselien Raimond:\u00a0Website<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Facebook<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Instagram<\/a>
\nMy Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Roeselien Raimond.
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\nA Street Savvy Fox Wins the 2025 British Wildlife Photography Awards<\/a>
\nRare Red Fox Spotted for the First Time in Years in California National Park<\/a>
\nIncredible Photos Capture Eagle and Fox Fighting Over Rabbit in Mid-Air<\/a>
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