Vulpes vulpes
ClaudiaTen · Rautas
The red fox (Vulpes vulpes) is a mammal in the dog family (Canidae). It is the largest species of the true fox genus (Vulpes) and one of the world's most widely distributed predatory mammals. In Georgia it is a native and year-round resident species. At species level, head–body length is about 45–90 cm, the tail is 30–55 cm, and mass often ranges between 3–14 kg. It has no venom. The main possible risk to people is a bite and infectious disease risk, including rabies. IUCN assesses the red fox globally as Least Concern, and it is not included in Georgia's 2014 Red List.
Identification
A medium-sized dog-like predator. A typical individual has a rusty-red back, dark or black ear backs and lower legs, and a bushy tail that often has a white tip. It is a year-round resident species in Georgia.
At species level, head–body length is about 45–90 cm, tail 30–55 cm, shoulder height about 35–50 cm, and mass often ranges between 3–14 kg. Males are usually slightly larger than females. A separate broad measurement series for the Georgian population is not presented by the sources used on this page. The red fox has a slender muzzle, erect ears, and vertically oval pupils.
Typical colour is rusty-red on the back, while the throat and belly are paler. The backs of the ears and the lower legs are usually black. The tail is long and bushy. A white tip is a good identification mark when visible, but not every individual has one; some foxes have a dark tail tip. Darker and other colour forms also occur.
The golden jackal (Canis aureus) is taller and heavier than a red fox, and its colour is usually more uniformly yellowish-grey. The tail is relatively shorter and lacks the white tip typical of many red foxes. The wolf (Canis lupus) is much larger and longer-legged. Compared with a dog, a fox usually has a finer muzzle, smaller tracks, and a straighter line of travel. The corsac fox (Vulpes corsac) is recorded from dry areas of the northern Caucasus, but by the data used on this page it is not treated as part of Georgia's fauna.
The red fox is not venomous. However, a bite or dangerous contact with saliva can be associated with rabies risk. Do not touch a wild fox by hand, especially if it is unusually fearless, disoriented, or aggressive. Seeing a fox during the day does not by itself mean disease; a healthy fox may also be active during daylight hours.
In Georgia, red foxes occur in many kinds of places: woodland edges, scrub, grasslands, agricultural landscapes, foothills, and the edges of settlements. The species' global habitat is very broad and includes forests, open landscapes, mountains, coasts, and city outskirts. IUCN notes occurrence up to about 4,500 m across the whole range, but a Georgia-specific elevation range is not defined by the sources used on this page. The map on this page shades Kakheti, Mtskheta-Mtianeti, Samtskhe-Javakheti, Kvemo Kartli, Shida Kartli, and Tbilisi as confirmed distribution: regions where public iNaturalist photo observations reach the table threshold. Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti, Imereti, and Adjara have only individual records, which do not yet count as regional distribution. Few or no records do not mean the species is absent, and record counts reflect observation effort, not density. The Georgian locality named in the sources is the Iori floodplain.
The red fox map uses public iNaturalist photo observations from Georgia. Only regions marked confirmed in the records-by-region table are shaded as distribution; other points are individual records. Record counts reflect observation effort, not population density.
Data: Reptiles.ge + iNaturalist · Methodology
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The red fox is an opportunistic omnivore. Small mammals, especially rodents, make up an important part of its diet. It also eats birds, insects, fruit, and carrion, and near settlements it may use food waste. In unprotected yards it may sometimes take poultry. A separate quantitative diet study for the Georgian population is not presented by the sources used on this page, so the exact local diet should not be treated as measured here.
Related guides
Yes. The red fox is a native and year-round resident species in Georgia. It is included in the country's mammal checklists and on the list of hunting species.
Red foxes may be found at woodland edges, in scrub, agricultural areas, grasslands, foothills, and on the edges of settlements. They occur in Georgia year-round. Regions confirmed by photo observations are Kakheti, Mtskheta-Mtianeti, Samtskhe-Javakheti, Kvemo Kartli, Shida Kartli, and Tbilisi; Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti, Imereti, and Adjara have individual records so far. See the map on this page. The locality named in the sources is the Iori floodplain.
Look for a rusty-red back, dark ear backs, black lower legs, a slender muzzle, and a long bushy tail that often has a white tip. The golden jackal is more yellowish-grey, taller, and relatively shorter-tailed, while the wolf is much larger and longer-legged than a red fox.
At species level, head–body length is about 45–90 cm, the tail is 30–55 cm, and mass often ranges between 3–14 kg. A separate broad measurement series for the Georgian population is not presented by the sources used on this page.
It feeds mainly on small mammals, especially rodents. It also eats birds, insects, fruit, and carrion. The Georgian population's diet is not separately studied quantitatively on this page.
It is mainly active at night and at dusk, though it can also appear by day. In Georgia it is a year-round resident species and does not make regular seasonal migrations like many birds.
The red fox is not venomous, but it can bite. In Georgia it is named, together with other wild predators, as a possible source of rabies. Do not pick up a wild animal. If a fox bites you, wash the wound and seek medical care.
Globally, the red fox is Least Concern and is not included in Georgia's 2014 Red List. In Georgia it is a hunting species; the season and other conditions are defined by current official rules.
References
Species profiles are compiled from peer-reviewed literature and established biodiversity databases, and are reviewed as new taxonomic and conservation data become available.
Prepared by the Reptiles.ge editorial team from the sources listed here.
