Gray Fox   Urocyon cinereoargenteus

The gray fox, like the red fox, is a member of the canine or dog family.  But unlike the rest of the canine family, the gray fox is the only member that has the ability to climb trees.  The gray fox's sharp claws and strong hindquarters make it as agile as a cat.  This talent makes the gray fox very difficult to spot in its natural habitat of partially to fully closed forests.  The gray fox is most comfortable in a forest environment where trees and shrubs are abundant.  They were historically found in the wooded areas of the eastern and southern U.S.  Much like its close relative the red fox, the gray fox prefers to hunt and travel under the blanket of night, which also decreases its chances of being spotted by predators.
  
The gray fox's coat is mainly "salt and pepper" gray with reddish orange fur underneath.  The easiest way to tell the difference at first glance between a red and gray fox is to look at the color of the tip of the tail.  The gray fox has a black tipped tail, while the red fox has a white tipped tail.  Additionally, the gray fox is typically of smaller stature and has a less "bushy" tail than a red fox.
  
Over the course of a night, a gray fox will cover a large area (as much as 2 square miles) searching for food.  Primarily a carnivore, the gray fox will eat rodents, insects and birds.  This species has also been known to eat fruit, nuts, and eggs.
  
In the wild, gray foxes are thought to mate for life.  A single litter of pups are born in early spring, in an underground den that is often times an abandoned woodchuck or badger den.  The litter, usually 4 pups, stays in the den with their mother through the summer then venture out on their own.  Both male and female gray foxes share in the care giving responsibility and pup training.