Bengal Fox
Encyclopedia
The Bengal fox also known as the Indian fox, is a fox
endemic to the Indian subcontinent
and is found from the Himalayan foothills and Terai of Nepal
through southern India
and from southern and eastern Pakistan
to eastern India
and southeastern Bangladesh
.
Vulpes bengalensis is a relatively small fox with an elongated muzzle, long pointed ears, and a bushy tail ca. 50 to 60% length of head and body. Dorsal pelage is very variable but mostly grayish and paler ventrally; legs tend to be brownish or rufous
. They are more daintily built thanVulpes vulpes . Tail is bushy with prominent black tip which distinguishes it from Vulpes vulpes. Back of ears are dark brown with black margin. Rhinarium
is naked and lips are black, with small black hair patches on upper part of nuzzle (shaft) in front of eyes. The ears have the same colour as the nape or maybe darker but not having a dark patch as in Vulpes vulpes. Extensive variation in coat colour exists across populations and seasonally within populations, but generally varies from grey to pale brown. Head and body length is 18 in (45.7 cm), with a 10 in (25.4 cm) long tale. Typical wait is 5 to 9 lb (2.3 to 4.1 kg).
The genus Vulpes can be separated from Canis and Cuon in the Indian region by the flat forehead between the post orbital processes and not inflated by air-cells. The processes themselves are slightly concave with a raised anterior edge (convexly round in other Canids). The canine teeth are longer.
valley. The preferred habitat is short open grassland, scrub or thorn forest. They appear to avoid steep terrain, tall grassland. Indian foxes were considered to be habitat generalist
s, but recent studies have shown a strong preference for semi-arid short grassland habitats at multiple scales.
in its habits. During the heat of the day, they hide under vegetation or in subterranean dens that they dig. The dens are large and complex with multiple chambers and escape routes. They are sometimes seen basking at a vantage point around sunrise or sunset. In captivity, the lifespan is about 6 to 8 years.
s, reptile
s, crab
s, termite
s, insects, small bird
s, and fruits. Scats of young pups appeared to show that they fed mainly on rodents but are opportunistic feeders.
approximately 50–60 days, two to four pups are born in a den. Both parents participate in pup-rearing. The pups are fully weaned about 3–4 months after emerging from the den. Pup mortality is high during the first few months. Pups may sometimes be nursed by multiple females. During the day they tend to rest under shrubs and bushes, except in summer when they rest in dens.
for its skin and flesh as well as conversion of its grassland habitat to agriculture, industry and increasingly bio-fuel plantations, have affected its population density. Another big threat is Indian roadways through the forest area. Every day forest animals mostly the foxes are killed by the cars in those areas. In addition, its body parts are used in traditional medicine
, and in some areas it is eaten. They are hunted by the narikuruva tribes of southern India. In Karnataka, they are captured in rituals conducted during Sankranthi
. Another major threat is disease such as canine distemper virus and rabies, which spills over from the large unvaccinated populations of free-ranging dogs that are found throughout its range.
Fox
Fox is a common name for many species of omnivorous mammals belonging to the Canidae family. Foxes are small to medium-sized canids , characterized by possessing a long narrow snout, and a bushy tail .Members of about 37 species are referred to as foxes, of which only 12 species actually belong to...
endemic to the Indian subcontinent
Indian subcontinent
The Indian subcontinent, also Indian Subcontinent, Indo-Pak Subcontinent or South Asian Subcontinent is a region of the Asian continent on the Indian tectonic plate from the Hindu Kush or Hindu Koh, Himalayas and including the Kuen Lun and Karakoram ranges, forming a land mass which extends...
and is found from the Himalayan foothills and Terai of Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
through southern India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and from southern and eastern Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
to eastern India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and southeastern Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
.
Appearance
Rufous
Rufous is a colour that may be described as reddish-brown or brownish-red, as of rust or oxidised iron.The first recorded use of rufous as a colour name in English was in the year 1782....
. They are more daintily built thanVulpes vulpes . Tail is bushy with prominent black tip which distinguishes it from Vulpes vulpes. Back of ears are dark brown with black margin. Rhinarium
Rhinarium
The rhinarium is the moist, naked surface around the nostrils of the nose in most mammals. In actual scientific usage it is typically called a "wet snout" or "wet nose" from its moist and shiny appearance...
is naked and lips are black, with small black hair patches on upper part of nuzzle (shaft) in front of eyes. The ears have the same colour as the nape or maybe darker but not having a dark patch as in Vulpes vulpes. Extensive variation in coat colour exists across populations and seasonally within populations, but generally varies from grey to pale brown. Head and body length is 18 in (45.7 cm), with a 10 in (25.4 cm) long tale. Typical wait is 5 to 9 lb (2.3 to 4.1 kg).
The genus Vulpes can be separated from Canis and Cuon in the Indian region by the flat forehead between the post orbital processes and not inflated by air-cells. The processes themselves are slightly concave with a raised anterior edge (convexly round in other Canids). The canine teeth are longer.
Distribution
The species is found throughout much of the Indian subcontinent with the exception of the wet forests and the extreme arid zone. The distribution is bounded by the Himalayan range and the Indus riverIndus River
The Indus River is a major river which flows through Pakistan. It also has courses through China and India.Originating in the Tibetan plateau of western China in the vicinity of Lake Mansarovar in Tibet Autonomous Region, the river runs a course through the Ladakh district of Jammu and Kashmir and...
valley. The preferred habitat is short open grassland, scrub or thorn forest. They appear to avoid steep terrain, tall grassland. Indian foxes were considered to be habitat generalist
Generalist and specialist species
A generalist species is able to thrive in a wide variety of environmental conditions and can make use of a variety of different resources . A specialist species can only thrive in a narrow range of environmental conditions or has a limited diet. Most organisms do not all fit neatly into either...
s, but recent studies have shown a strong preference for semi-arid short grassland habitats at multiple scales.
Behaviour and ecology
The Bengal fox is mainly crepuscularCrepuscular
Crepuscular animals are those that are active primarily during twilight, that is during dawn and dusk. The word is derived from the Latin word crepusculum, meaning "twilight." Crepuscular is, thus, in contrast with diurnal and nocturnal behavior. Crepuscular animals may also be active on a bright...
in its habits. During the heat of the day, they hide under vegetation or in subterranean dens that they dig. The dens are large and complex with multiple chambers and escape routes. They are sometimes seen basking at a vantage point around sunrise or sunset. In captivity, the lifespan is about 6 to 8 years.
Diet
The Bengal fox feeds on rodentRodent
Rodentia is an order of mammals also known as rodents, characterised by two continuously growing incisors in the upper and lower jaws which must be kept short by gnawing....
s, reptile
Reptile
Reptiles are members of a class of air-breathing, ectothermic vertebrates which are characterized by laying shelled eggs , and having skin covered in scales and/or scutes. They are tetrapods, either having four limbs or being descended from four-limbed ancestors...
s, crab
Crab
True crabs are decapod crustaceans of the infraorder Brachyura, which typically have a very short projecting "tail" , or where the reduced abdomen is entirely hidden under the thorax...
s, termite
Termite
Termites are a group of eusocial insects that, until recently, were classified at the taxonomic rank of order Isoptera , but are now accepted as the epifamily Termitoidae, of the cockroach order Blattodea...
s, insects, small bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
s, and fruits. Scats of young pups appeared to show that they fed mainly on rodents but are opportunistic feeders.
Communication
Foxes make a wide range of vocalizations. A chattering cry is the commonest call. They also growl, whine, whimper and bark. The Bengal fox does not appear to have latrine behaviour, a feature seen in some social canids, in which all members defecate at specific spots.Reproduction
The Bengal fox forms pair bonds that may last a lifetime, but extra-pair copulations are known to occur. Throughout most of its range, the mating season starts in autumn (usually October-November) and after a gestation periodGestation period
For mammals the gestation period is the time in which a fetus develops, beginning with fertilization and ending at birth. The duration of this period varies between species.-Duration:...
approximately 50–60 days, two to four pups are born in a den. Both parents participate in pup-rearing. The pups are fully weaned about 3–4 months after emerging from the den. Pup mortality is high during the first few months. Pups may sometimes be nursed by multiple females. During the day they tend to rest under shrubs and bushes, except in summer when they rest in dens.
Threats
Lack of habitat protection is perhaps the greatest threat to the Indian fox. For example, in southern India, less than two percent of potential Indian fox habitat is covered under the existing protected area network of the states of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh . HuntingHunting
Hunting is the practice of pursuing any living thing, usually wildlife, for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law...
for its skin and flesh as well as conversion of its grassland habitat to agriculture, industry and increasingly bio-fuel plantations, have affected its population density. Another big threat is Indian roadways through the forest area. Every day forest animals mostly the foxes are killed by the cars in those areas. In addition, its body parts are used in traditional medicine
Traditional medicine
Traditional medicine comprises unscientific knowledge systems that developed over generations within various societies before the era of modern medicine...
, and in some areas it is eaten. They are hunted by the narikuruva tribes of southern India. In Karnataka, they are captured in rituals conducted during Sankranthi
Sankranthi
Makar Sankranti or Sankranti or Sankranthi marks the transition of the Sun into Makara rashi on its celestial path...
. Another major threat is disease such as canine distemper virus and rabies, which spills over from the large unvaccinated populations of free-ranging dogs that are found throughout its range.