Foxes are part of a highly adaptive animal family known as the Canidae. It is the same category of animal that dogs, wolves, and coyotes fall under.
Each has adapted to living alongside humans reasonably well. As such an adaptive species, have foxes evolved to climb trees?
Foxes can climb trees using their specially evolved claws that are great for climbing and digging. Foxes may climb trees to escape a predator or hunt for prey that likes to live in trees. Some species of fox are so good at climbing that they can even climb back down a tree backward!
So how and why do foxes climb trees?
In this article, we’re going to take a closer look at the evolutionary traits and behaviors that led foxes to be able to climb trees, so keep reading to learn everything you need to know about this topic.
Traits that Allow Foxes to Climb Trees
Over the generations of evolution, foxes have developed several evolutionary traits that allow them to climb trees very well. Let’s take a closer look at some of these traits.
The first trait that helps them climb is their semi-retractable claws. Because foxes can only partly retract their claws, they always benefit from increased traction.
They can easily dig into the bark when fully extended to help foxes climb higher into trees. These claws come in handy when the fox needs to make a quick escape.
Something else that helps immensely while climbing trees is the fox’s strong hind legs. To reach higher parts of a tree, foxes will often leap up the trunks with full force, making their strong hind legs very useful. They’re also great for pushing the fox up or down the tree when they need.
Paired with their strong hind legs is a pair of sturdy forelegs, great for bracing their weight against a tree and keeping themselves in the same place without slipping back down a tree trunk.
Flexibility also plays a massive role in the fox’s ability to climb trees. When foxes need to make a sudden change in direction while climbing, their flexibility allows them to quickly and easily.
And finally, their rust-colored fur is excellent for blending in among the foliage of a tree or against a tree trunk’s bark. Because they’re so good at blending in, they often escape predators and hide in the tops of trees when they feel threatened.
How High Can a Fox Climb in a Tree?
So, we’ve already established that foxes can climb trees reasonably well and will do so to escape predators or to catch elusive prey. But this begs the question, how high can they climb?
Many trees may reach incredible heights when fully grown, often towering a hundred feet or more above the ground. Foxes have been known to climb such trees to heights of at least 60 feet. To descend from such heights, foxes often hop between branches or scoot backward down the trunk, much like domestic cats.
Foxes are so adept at climbing in trees that they can even make up to 6 foot jumps between trees and the branches and may not need to come back down to the forest floor for a long while.
Not only are they good at climbing tall trees, but they can also climb walls, fences, and other obstacles they need to get around in search of food or to escape from a predator.
How Fast Can Foxes Climb?
Foxes can climb trees at speeds of up to 10 feet per second, and this speed may vary depending on the size of the fox that is climbing and their species. Some species of fox are better at climbing trees than others. For example, large foxes will also climb more slowly than smaller, more nimble foxes.
When threatened by a predator or pursuing fast-moving prey, a fox may be able to climb at even faster speeds than usual. They are perfectly adapted to climb in trees as if they were walking or running on the ground.
Which Species of Fox is Best at Climbing?
Two main species of fox live around humans, that being the Grey Fox and the Red Fox. Grey Foxes are smaller and nimbler, making them better climbers than their Red Fox cousins.
However, Red Foxes are larger and stronger, making them better runners than the Grey Fox. They are also typically slower at climbing trees due to their greater size, so the Grey Fox wins in terms of climbing ability.
Other species of the fox may not ever climb trees or do it so seldomly that they have not become well adapted for it. These species include the arctic fox, which has evolved for life on the frozen tundras of polar regions throughout the world. Because there are typically not many trees in such areas, they are not as adept at climbing as other species of fox.
Final Thoughts
Foxes are nimble, sly, and quick creatures, evolved to adapt to a wide range of situations. As such, they have developed the ability to climb trees exceptionally well. Their sharp, curved claws are perfect for digging into the bark and helping them lift their bodies into the branches of trees.
Foxes are often known to climb trees to escape predators or track down elusive prey seeking refuge in the treetops. They are very good at climbing and can climb up to 60 feet high at speeds of 10 feet per second or more. Some species of fox are better at climbing than others, like the Grey Fox.
We hope the information we’ve outlined in this article has answered all your questions about whether or not foxes can climb trees.
For more interesting facts and information on all types of animals, check out our other articles!
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