Gray Fox
Urocyon cinereoargenteus
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassMammalia (Mammals)
- OrderCarnivora (Carnivorans)
- FamilyCanidae (Canids)
- GenusUrocyon (Gray Foxes)
- SpeciesUrocyon cinereoargenteus (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 →
Closest Relatives at Saguaro National Park
Coyote
Canis latrans
Bobcat
Lynx rufus
Common Raccoon
Procyon lotor
White-nosed Coati
Nasua narica
Mountain Lion
Puma concolor
American Black Bear
Ursus americanus
American Badger
Taxidea taxus
Ringtail
Bassariscus astutus
Hooded Skunk
Mephitis macroura
Common Hog-nosed Skunk
Conepatus leuconotus
Striped Skunk
Mephitis mephitis
Desert Spotted Skunk
Spilogale leucoparia
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Gray Fox in Saguaro National Park?
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Gray Fox sighting in Saguaro National Park, based on 252 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Gray Fox in Saguaro National Park?
November has the highest sighting rate for Gray Fox in Saguaro National Park in our monthly data.