Gray Fox

About the Gray Fox

The gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus), or grey fox, is an omnivorous mammal of the family Canidae, widespread throughout North America and Central America. This species and its only congener, the diminutive island fox (Urocyon littoralis) of the California Channel Islands, are the only living members of the genus Urocyon, which is considered to be genetically sister to all other living canids. Its species name cinereoargenteus means "ashen silver".

It was once the most common fox in the eastern United States, and though still found there, human advancement and deforestation allowed the red fox to become the predominant fox-like canid. Despite this post-colonial competition, the gray fox has been able to thrive in urban and suburban environments, one of the best examples being southern Florida. The Pacific States and Great Lakes region still have the gray fox as their prevalent fox.

The genus Urocyon comes from Ancient Greek οὐρά (ourá, "tail") + κύων (kúōn, "dog"). The species epithet cinereoargenteus is a combination of 'cinereo' (from 'cinereus') meaning ashen, and 'argenteus' (from argentum), meaning 'silver', referencing the color of the tail. Wikipedia →