Corsac Fox

 

This week we are looking at the corsac fox, also known simply as a corsac, it is a medium-sized fox found in steppes, semi-deserts and deserts in Central Asia, ranging into Mongolia and northern China.

It is slightly smaller than the red fox with larger legs and ears. The coloration is predominantly grey or reddish grey on the upper parts with silver undertones, while the under parts are white with yellow undertones. Their body length is between 45-65cm and their tail is between 19-35cm long.

They like to eat rodents, such as partridges, snow buntings, ducks, pheasants, and geese insects and fruits, as well as large mammal remains.

When hunting thy like to leap into the air and drop down on prey, they like stalking prey and making short-distance attacks.

They live up to 9yrs in the wild and up to 13yrs in captivate.

They are nocturnal animals and, unlike most fox species, Corsac foxes are social animals that form smalls packs. They have excellent hearing, vision and smelling senses which they use to hunt. They are nomadic animals with no fixed territory and like to move from place to place.

They are observant and analytical, with a keen eye for detail. They notice subtle nuances and patterns that others might overlook, which helps them make well-informed decisions. Their versatility and multifaceted talents are also remarkable. They are monogamous and form pair bonds, however, before that males will initially fight for access to females. The breeding season starts in January and ends in March. The female creates a birthing den, which is sometimes shared with other pregnant females, but moves her young to new burrows several times after they are born. Typically, 2-6 kits are born after a gestation period of 52 to 60 days. However, the maximum recorded litter consisted of 11 kits. Newborn kits weigh around 60 g (2.1 oz) and have fluffy, light brown fur that turns yellowish as they age. They are born blind and open their eyes at around 2 weeks of age. Both parents assist in the raising of their young. Kits begin to eat meat at 4 weeks and emerge from the den shortly after. Corsac foxes reach reproductive maturity within 9 to 10 months and reproduce in the second year of life.