Vulpes pallida
pale fox

The pale fox is found from Senegal to Northern Sudan and Somalia (Grzimeck 1990).

The pale fox digs extensive dens made of earth. The burrows are large, with tunnels extending 10-15 meters and opening into small chambers lined with dry vegetable material (Walker, 1991; Dorst and Dandelot, 1970).

The pale fox has an elongated, low body, relatively short legs and a narrow muzzle. Its ears are long and rounded at the tip. Its tail is bushy and is at least half as long as its body, and often fully as long. The tip of its tail is black. The upperpart of its body is pale and sandy in color, and the underpart is buffy white. The pupil of its eye generally appears elliptical in strong light. The fox's eye is surrounded by a dark ring (Walker, 1991; Rosevear, 1974).

The pale fox is predominately nocturnal. It has no known enemies. It is gregarious, and usually lives in a pack with three adults (one female and two males) (Walker, 1991).

The pale fox feeds on rodents, small animals, small reptiles, birds, eggs, vegetable matter (wild melons), and insects (Dorst and Dandelot, 1970; Grzimeck, 1990; Walker, 1990).

As a predator, the pale flox plays an important role in the balance of the ecological system and food chain.

Little is known about the species. IUCN -- "insufficiently known."

There are ten Vulpes species. Some species have a "foxy" odor arising mainly from a gland located on the dorsal surface of the tail, not far from the base (Walker, 1991).

The pale fox may be confused with the Fennec, and it is distingished from the Rueppell's fox by its black tipped tail (Dorst and Dandelot, 1970).

The skull of the pale fox and of the Rueppell's fox are similar except that the bullae of the pale fox are slightly larger and the nasals are appreciably longer (Rosevear, 1974).