Fox
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Fox
Mammal
Collective name: a skulk
A cunning omnivore, often found in both countryside and urban areas.
💡 Fun Facts
- Has whiskers on its legs as well as its face to help it feel its way around in the dark.
- Can make around 20 different sounds, including a scream-like bark that is often heard at night.
Name Story
Vulpes vulpes
means “the fox — a name that may hide the words 'the tailed one'”
a traditional storyThe idea that "fox" means "the tailed one" is a popular old explanation, not something scholars can prove for certain.
What does its name mean?
- Vulpes (×2) — fox — the scientific name simply says 'fox' twiceLatin
- fox — possibly 'the bushy-tailed one'Old English
Some word-detectives think the very word "fox" once meant "the tailed one" — which would suit it perfectly, because a fox's big, white-tipped, bushy tail (its "brush") is its most famous feature, used for balance, signalling and keeping warm.