Pampas fox

Pampas fox
Conservation status
Least Concern
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Carnivora
Family:	Canidae
Genus:	Pseudalopex
Species:	P. gymnocercus
Binomial name
Pseudalopex gymnocercus (Fischer, 1814)

Pampas Fox (Pseudalopex gymnocercus), also known as Azara's fox, Azara's Zorro or sometimes Pampas Gray Fox and Zorro Pampeano in Spanish, is a medium sized zorro (false fox) native to South American pampas and their range spread by central South America in Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and Brazil. This is possible one from less famed for world, among canids or mammals live there, and this is very important part of this ecosystem and this is good know for natives people.

Description

The pampas fox resembles the Culpeo, but is smaller and gray in color with black sign on muzzle. It has short, dense fur that is gray on the back and underparts. The head and neck are reddish, and the ears are triangular, broad and relatively large; they are reddish on the outer surface and white on the inner surface. Pampas foxes weigh 9 to 12 pounds. Their mainly spend in hight grassland and thicket when hunt their victims. Pampas fox often killed harmful rodent and fulfil important role in their ecosystem (Boccaceci, 1998). Pampas fox in north part of their range are richly colored (Boccaceci, 1998). They live in deserted dens of battle-ship and viscacha. The males are approximately in 10% larger than females. They run not too fast, and sometimes hide in lowered building.

Subspecies

oryginal sources

• P. g. antiquus (central Argentina)
• P. g. gymnocercus (north-eastern Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, and south-eastern Brazil)
• P. g. lordi ( Salta and Jujuy provinces of Argentina)

Distribution and habitat

Pampas fox can be found in Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and Brazil. They prefer grasslands, forest and valleys. This occur during southern Argentina from Chile to Uruguay, Paraguay, and southern Brazil, eastern Bolivia to western coast of South America. This is typical inhabitant of the Southern Cone Pampas grasslands, space forest and occur in sub-humid and they prefers various open habitats in their range, how grasslands, forest and valleys, but also live in dry scrub lands, ridges and open woodlands not more than 13,500 foots (Brooks 1992, Redford and Eisenberg 1992). Pampas fox often appear in part of towns, villages and rummage in skips. In Argentina, the Pampas fox has been successfully bred in captivity and is best occur carnivore in captivity (Aprile 1999; Jiménez, J.E., Lucherini, M. & Novaro, A.J., 2004/ IUCN). Now, Pampas fox is classified as "Least Concern" category (Diaz and Ojeda 2000).

Pampas fox, also known as pampas gray fox, at América's zoo, Argentina.

Behavior

Pampas foxes mostly live a solitary life, but come together in breeding season and care for their young. They are most active at dusk and night. They are known to collect parts of clothing and take it back to their den. If a threatening or larger animal comes near them they are known to play dead with their eyes closed and will stay there until the animal leaves. They are mainly nocturnal, with often are active at dusk, but sometimes are active during a day on areas with small people influence. They have strange habit, with collect parts of clothing and take back to their den. When they feel threat, example predator comes near them they are often know to play dead with closed the eyes, and stay so, until threatened away.

Reproduction

They prefers relatively solitary lifestyle, but sometimes live in pairs (monogamous pairs). This conceal in dens, among bushs and base of trees. After a gestation period of 55 - 60 days, the mother gives birth to 3-5 kits in a den. The puppies birth almost dark brown, among rocks and basin of ground. Puppies will hunt with parents when have 3 months old. The males bring food to their females which stays at the den with kits (Postanowicz, 1997).

Diet

Pampas foxes eat plants, rats, fruits, rabbits, frogs, lizards, sometimes lambs, carrion, eggs, invertebrates, and often birds. Approximately 75% of their diet consists of rodents, rabbits and birds and included ever gathering fields. They also eat frogs, fruits or sugar cane (Postanowicz,1997). It consider as omnivorous canid and sometimes attack domestic livestock. Sometimes killed the poultry and attack the young sheep (Berta,1988; Alderton 2001).

Threats

Mainly threats for pampas fox is hunt for their skin, often it kill, in reason their can attack for livestock. They are catch in the traps, boxes and with dogs. Pampas fox is protect in Brazil and are not hunt for furs, in Paraguay and Uruguay also are protect but also unlegally killed (Boccaceci, 1998).

Gallery

References

• Template:IUCN2006 Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern