A cunning fox was able to swap a man’s smartphone right from his hand as he filmed the sly red fox creeping closer. The fox, moves towards the man stealthily, its body low to the ground ready to commit the robbery.
In a swift, almost comical leap, it snatches the phone from the man’s hand and darts off, leaving the man half-stunned, half in disbelief. The fox then runs off with the phone headed straight to its den.
Red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) are fascinating creatures known for their adaptability and intelligence. Here are some key facts about them and why they’re considered so clever:
Facts About Red Foxes
- Widespread Distribution: Red foxes are the most widely distributed carnivore, found across the Northern Hemisphere, from North America to Europe, Asia, and parts of North Africa. They’ve also been introduced to Australia.
- Adaptable Diet: They are omnivorous, eating small mammals, birds, insects, fruits, and even human food scraps. This flexibility helps them thrive in diverse environments, from forests to urban areas.
- Physical Traits: Red foxes have a distinctive red coat, bushy tail, and sharp, triangular ears. They typically weigh 8-15 pounds and are agile, with a top speed of about 30 mph.
- Communication: They use a variety of vocalizations, like barks, screams, and whines, along with body language and scent marking to communicate.
- Solitary Hunters: While mostly solitary, they are skilled hunters, using keen senses of sight, smell, and hearing to locate prey, often pouncing with precision to catch small animals.
Why Red Foxes Are Clever
- Problem-Solving Skills: Red foxes exhibit remarkable problem-solving abilities. They can navigate complex environments, like urban areas, to find food or avoid threats. For example, they’ve been observed raiding trash cans or stealing pet food, as seen in cases like the smartphone theft in the YouTube Short.
- Learning and Memory: Foxes learn from experience and adapt quickly. Studies show they can remember cache locations where they’ve hidden food, retrieving it later with precision. This spatial memory is key to their survival.
- Strategic Hunting: Their hunting technique, like the “mousing leap” (a high arc to pin prey), shows calculated precision. They listen for sub-snow movements, adjusting their approach based on sound and terrain.
- Social Deception: Foxes use cunning to outsmart rivals or predators. They may feign disinterest in food to lure competitors away or use misdirection to escape threats.
- Urban Adaptation: In cities, red foxes exploit human environments, learning to cross roads safely or scavenge at optimal times (e.g., at night when humans are less active). This adaptability reflects high cognitive flexibility.
- Tool Use and Opportunism: While not tool users in the traditional sense, foxes opportunistically exploit resources, like stealing items (e.g., the smartphone) out of curiosity or to gain attention, showcasing their boldness and quick thinking.
Their intelligence stems from a combination of keen senses, adaptability, and a knack for exploiting opportunities, making them one of nature’s most cunning survivors.
