Corsac Fox

Vulpes corsac

How can you not love the face on this guy? It just looks so... devious.

Anyway. This is the Corsac Fox, a member of the Vulpes genus that can be found throughout the steppes of Central Asia.  There are three recognized subspecies that are distributed across the continent.

Corsac Foxes live in the arid steppes,  which are dry grasslands that don't contain an overabundance of water. In order to survive, the foxes have adapted to the point that they don't need to drink actual water, they ingest it all from the food they eat! These foxes eat all sorts of small mammals, including wild gerbils and hamsters. They also eat insects and carrion.

The mating season in spring is pretty interesting for Corsac Foxes. Males fight each other for females, but then instead of mating and leaving, they actually stick around and form a monogamous bond with the female. The two parents help to raise their litter, which can number as many as 11 kits at one time! During the winter months the foxes often hunt in groups with their now grown-up children.

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IUCN Status : Least Concern
Location : Central Asia
Size : Body length up to 2ft (63cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Mammalia -- Order : Carnivora
Family : Canidae -- Genus : Vulpes -- Species : V. corsac