23 Different Types of Foxes From Around the World

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Learn about each fox’s unique appearance, habitat, diet, and more

Co-authored by Amy Bobinger, BA

Last Updated: April 1, 2026 References

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• True Foxes
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• South American Foxes
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• Other False Foxes
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There are 12 species of “true” foxes in the Vulpes genus—but a number of canids (animals related to dogs, wolves, jackals, coyotes, and foxes) are called foxes, too! We’re going over all of them here, including the true foxes, the 6 species in the Lycalopex genus (known as South American foxes), and a handful of other false foxes.

Types of Foxes

• True foxes (Vulpes): Red fox, arctic fox, fennec fox, swift fox, kit fox, corsac fox, cape fox, pale fox, Bengal fox, Tibetan fox, Blandford’s fox, Rüppell’s fox
• South American foxes (Lycalopex): Culpeo, Darwin’s fox, chilla, Pampas fox, Sechuran fox, hoary fox
• Other false foxes (Urocyon, Otocyon, Cerdocyon): Gray fox, bat-eared fox, island fox, Cozumel fox, crab-eating fox

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Section 1 of 3:

True Foxes (Vulpes)

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   Red fox (Vulpes vulpes) The red fox, also known as the common fox, is found around the world. Their color is usually between orangish-red and reddish-brown, but they can also be silver or black. They’re omnivores that eat rodents, insects, rabbits, and fruit.

   • Conservation status: Least Concern
   • Habitat: Varied biomes in North America, Central America, Asia, and Northern Africa.
   • Average weight: 6–30 lb (2.7–13.6 kg)
   • Average length: 17–35 in (43–89 cm)
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   Arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) Arctic foxes are built to live in the snowy north—they have thick fur, with an extra layer on their feet to protect them from the cold. They molt twice a year; they have a thinner, lighter coat in summer and a thicker, denser coat in winter. They mainly eat small rodents, but they will eat insects and berries, too.

   • Conservation status: Least Concern
   • Habitat: Arctic foxes live in the tundras of the Arctic Circle.
   • Average weight: 6–17 lb (2.7–7.7 kg)
   • Average length: 43 in (110 cm)
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   Fennec fox (Vulpes zerda) Fennec foxes are the smallest known members of the canid family. They have extra-large ears, and their light, sandy color helps them blend into their desert environment. They’re omnivores and mostly eat insects, rodents, lizards, fruit, and roots.

   • Conservation status: Least Concern
   • Habitat: Sandy deserts of North Africa.
   • Average weight: 2–3 lb (0.91–1.36 kg)
   • Average length: 14–16 in (36–41 cm)
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   Swift fox (Vulpes velox) Swift foxes are one of the smallest canids in North America. As their name suggests, they’re super-fast, capable of speeds up to 30 miles per hour (48 km/h). They’re mainly mottled grey and orange, with white markings on their undersides and black on their nose and tails. Swift foxes eat insects, small rodents, birds, reptiles, fish, grasses, and berries.

   • Conservation status: Least Concern
   • Habitat: Prairies of North America.
   • Average weight: 4–6 lb (1.8–2.7 kg)
   • Average length: 31 in (79 cm)
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   Kit fox (Vulpes macrotis) Kit foxes are a small species native to the southwestern United States and Mexico. These tiny canids are tan-colored, with a black-tipped, bushy tail. They’re mainly carnivorous, primarily feeding on rodents, rabbits, and carrion. They will sometimes eat fruit, as well.

   • Conservation status: Least Concern
   • Habitat: Arid deserts of the US and Mexico.
   • Average weight: 4–5 lb (1.8–2.3 kg)
   • Average length: 12–20 in (30–51 cm)
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   Corsac fox (Vulpes corsac) The Corsac fox is a sandy fox with white on its face and chest. They have narrow eyes and long fur on their bodies. These nocturnal foxes are omnivores that eat small mammals, birds, reptiles, carrion, and vegetation. They’re known for being clever and agile, with exceptional hearing.

   • Conservation status: Least Concern
   • Habitat: Steppes, semi-deserts, and deserts of Central Asia.
   • Average weight: 3.5–7 lb (1.6–3.2 kg)
   • Average length: 17–25 in (43–64 cm)
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   Cape fox (Vulpes chama) The Cape fox is the only known true fox that lives below the equator in Africa. Their fur is a silvery gray, with red, white, and black patches, and they have big ears, lanky limbs, and long tails. They mainly eat rodents, rabbits, reptiles, beetle larvae, and insects.

   • Conservation status: Least Concern
   • Habitat: Savannas and semi-deserts in Southern Africa.
   • Average weight: 5–6 lb (2.3–2.7 kg)
   • Average length: 21 in (53 cm)
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   Pale Fox (Vulpes pallida) The pale fox has pale yellow or cream-colored fur, helping it easily camouflage itself in the sandy deserts where it lives. It has short legs and large, triangle-shaped ears that help it pinpoint its prey. Its large ears also help dissipate heat, making it easier to stay cool. They primarily eat small mammals, birds, insects, reptiles, carrion, fruit, and seeds.

   • Conservation status: Least Concern
   • Habitat: Deserts and semi-arid regions of North Africa.
   • Average weight: 4–6 lb (1.8–2.7 kg)
   • Average length: 24–32 in (61–81 cm)
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   Bengal fox (Vulpes bengalensis) The Bengal fox is a small, grayish fox with a black-tipped tail, long legs, a slender snout, and pointed ears. They live in short grasslands, and they’re mainly nocturnal, spending the hottest part of the day in dens. Bengal foxes mainly eat rodents, reptiles, birds, insects, and seeds.

   • Conservation status: Least Concern
   • Habitat: Indian subcontinent.
   • Average weight: 5–9 lb (2.3–4.1 kg)
   • Average length: 29–30 in (74–76 cm)
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    Tibetan fox (Vulpes ferrilata) Tibetan foxes mainly live at high elevations, preferring rocky areas with sparse brush. They can be black, brown, or rust-colored, and they have a unique square-shaped face. They primarily eat birds, small mammals, and eggs. They excavate dens or make burrows in rock crevices, and mated pairs remain together for life.

    • Conservation status: Least Concern
    • Habitat: Plateaus of Tibet.
    • Average weight: 6.5–8.8 lb (2.9–4.0 kg)
    • Average length: 38–46 in (97–117 cm)
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    Blanford’s fox (Vulpes cana) Blanford’s fox has brownish-grey fur, wide ears, and a long, bushy tail. They have excellent climbing abilities, scaling vertical cliffs with extraordinary jumps. These foxes can vary a lot in size depending on where they live. They mainly eat insects, capers, and fruits.

    • Conservation status: Least Concern
    • Habitat: Central, West, and South Asia.
    • Average weight: 2–7 lb (0.91–3.18 kg)
    • Average length: 28–36 in (71–91 cm)
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    Rüppell’s fox (Vulpes ruepelli) Rüppell’s fox, or Rüppell’s sand fox, is a small, sandy-colored fox with a pointed snout, bushy tail, and big, pointed ears. They usually mate for life, and only their mate and pups are allowed within their territory. They primarily eat insects like beetles and grasshoppers, but some may eat small lizards and birds.

    • Conservation status: Least Concern
    • Habitat: Desert habitats in North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.
    • Average weight: 8 lb (3.6 kg)
    • Average length: 26–29 in (66–74 cm)
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Section 2 of 3:

South American Foxes (Lycalopex)

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   1
   Culpeo (Lycalopex culpaeus) The culpeo is a large canid with grey and red fur and a dark, bushy tail. Even though they’re called a fox—and strongly resemble red foxes—they’re more closely related to wolves and jackals. They’re carnivores, primarily eating small mammals, reptiles, birds, eggs, and carrion.

   • Conservation status: Least Concern
   • Habitat: Forests, grasslands, and savannas in South America.
   • Average weight: 11–30 pounds (5.0–13.6 kg)
   • Average length: 37–52 in (94–132 cm)
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   Darwin’s fox (Lycopex fulvipes) The Darwin’s fox, also called Darwin’s zorro, was named for Charles Darwin, who documented it in 1834. It’s very small with dark grey fur, and unlike most other foxes, it’s mainly active during the day. These rare foxes eat small mammals, reptiles, insects, and fruit.

   • Conservation status: Endangered
   • Habitat: Old-growth forests in Chile.
   • Average weight: 4–8.7 lb (1.8–3.9 kg)
   • Average length: 20 in (51 cm)
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   Chilla (Lycalopex griseus) The chilla—also known as the South American gray fox, Argentine gray fox, or Patagonian fox—has gray fur, with darker gray on its thick, bushy tail and white along its throat and belly. They’re omnivores, primarily eating rabbits, birds, seeds, berries, insects, and carrion.

   • Conservation status: Least Concern
   • Habitat: Plains, deserts, and grasslands in South America.
   • Average weight: 4–9 lb (1.8–4.1 kg)
   • Average length: 16–26 in (41–66 cm)
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   Pampas fox (Lycalopex gymnocercus) The Pampas fox, also known as the grey pampean fox, is a medium-sized canid with reddish-grey fur. It looks like a culpeo, but with a slightly wider snout, similar to a wolf’s. They’re omnivores that mainly feed on birds, rodents, lizards, carrion, insects, and fruit.

   • Conservation status: Least Concern
   • Habitat: Grasslands of South America.
   • Average weight: 5–17 lb (2.3–7.7 kg)
   • Average length: 20–31 in (51–79 cm)
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   Sechuran fox (Lycalopex sechurae) The Securan fox, also known as the Peruvian desert fox, is named for its home in Peru’s Sechura desert. It’s a very small canid, with a mottled gray coat and red ears. It mainly eats insects, small rodents, birds’ eggs, berries, and seeds.

   • Conservation status: Near Threatened
   • Habitat: Sandy deserts and dry forests in Peru.
   • Average weight: 5–9 lb (2.3–4.1 kg)
   • Average length: 33–44 in (84–112 cm)
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   Hoary fox (Lycalopex vetulus) Hoary foxes are endemic to Brazil. They’re small and grey, with reddish fur on their ears and legs and lighter-colored fur on their undersides. They often use armadillo burrows for their dens. They’re omnivores, but their primary food is termites. They also eat small rodents, fruit, and insects.

   • Conservation status: Least Concern
   • Habitat: Steppes and savannas in Brazil.
   • Average weight: 6–9 lb (2.7–4.1 kg)
   • Average length: 23–25 in (58–64 cm)
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Section 3 of 3:

Other False Foxes (Urocyon, Otocyon, Cerdocyon)

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   Gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) In adulthood, gray foxes are a unique mixture of red, black, gray, and white (they’re usually dark brown as pups). They’re one of only two types of canids that can climb trees, and they’re unique for having oval pupils (instead of cat-like slits, like most foxes). These foraging omnivores eat small mammals, insects, carrion, and fruit.

   • Conservation status: Least Concern
   • Habitat: Forests and woodland brush from North America through South America.
   • Average weight: 6–15 lb (2.7–6.8 kg)
   • Average length: 47 in (120 cm)
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   Bat-eared fox (Otocyon megalotis) The bat-eared fox is a unique little creature with a small face and enormous ears. They’re typically yellow-brown, and they’re the only living member of the genus Otocyon. They share their intricate dens with up to 5 family members, and they primarily feed on termites, grasshoppers, lizards, fruit, and eggs.

   • Conservation status: Least Concern
   • Habitat: Grasslands of East and South Africa.
   • Average weight: 7–12 lb (3.2–5.4 kg)
   • Average length: 18–26 in (46–66 cm)
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   Island fox (Urocyon littoralis) The island fox is a small fox that’s endemic to California. They’re about the same size as a housecat, and have gray fur on their back, reddish-brown fur on their sides, and white on their chest and bellies. They mainly eat rodents, insects, fruit, and crabs.

   • Conservation status: Near Threatened (previously Endangered, but conservation efforts have helped stablize the population).
   • Habitat: Channel Islands off the coast of Southern California.
   • Average weight: 4–5 lb (1.8–2.3 kg)
   • Average length: 23–32 in (58–81 cm)
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   Cozumel fox (Urocyon sp.) The Cozumel fox is an extremely rare little fox. In fact, none of these foxes were seen between 2001 and 2023, when a male was spotted near a highway on the island. This small fox has a long tail and grey fur with white on its face.

   • Conservation status: Critically Endangered
   • Habitat: The island of Cozumel
   • Average weight: Unknown
   • Average length: Unknown
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   Crab-eating fox (Cerdocyon thous) The crab-eating fox is a grayish-brown canid with reddish-brown fur on its face, legs, and ears, and white on its throat and belly. They live in monogamous pairs and often eat crabs and crustaceans during the wet season. In the dry season, they eat insects, small mammals, and reptiles.

   • Conservation status: Least Concern
   • Habitat: Savannahs and woodlands in South America.
   • Average weight: 11–17 lb (5.0–7.7 kg)
   • Average length: 25 in (64 cm)
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