- Lifespan
- 2–5 years in the wild; up to 10 years in captivity
- Size & Weight
- Head and body 45–50 cm, tail 30–40 cm; 4.5–7.5 kg (males larger than females)
- Habitat
- Highly adaptable to diverse environments including woodlands, farmland, moorland, grassland, and increasingly urban and suburban areas including gardens and parks.
- UK Distribution
- Found throughout mainland Britain, Wales, and Scotland as a resident species present year-round; absent from most of Ireland and the far north of Scotland.
- Diet
- Opportunistic omnivore consuming small mammals (especially rabbits and rodents), birds, insects, fruit, berries, and carrion; also scavenges from human waste.
- Prey
- Rabbits, hares, voles, mice, rats, birds (particularly gamebirds and ground-nesting species), insects, earthworms
- Predators
- Golden eagles (chicks); adult foxes have few natural predators in the UK and are primarily controlled by humans through culling and traffic accidents
- Mating Season
- December to February
- Breeding
- Litter size 4–6 kits born March–April after gestation of 52 days; kits weaned at 8–10 weeks; single brood per year
- Behaviour
- Primarily nocturnal and solitary or in pairs; territorial with family groups defending home ranges of 1–10 km². Highly vocal, with distinctive barks, screams, and contact calls. Increasingly bold in urban environments and capable of rapid habituation to human presence.