Changing Fox

[aubintbay]

Driving out to work again today and came across this fox just sitting on a moss covered rock. I thought at first it was crossfox but it looks like a red fox changing coats for the winter. I did'nt think they did that. Some other kind of fox I suppose.
The interesting thing is as I was driving away from this what appeared to be a white timberwolf ran across the road not to far ahead. I slowed and tried to find him in the bush but no luck. To top it all i looked up and just a few hundred feet ahead a grey wolf crossed the road in the opposite direction!
Hoping I can get a shot of those guys, especially the white one.

[aubintbay]

Just moving this back to the top. I've been surfing a bit to find out what kind of fox this is but not much luck. Any ideas??

[Kevin McRae]

Great photo!

Just to clarify a few things. There is no such species as a "cross fox" they are simply different colour variants of a Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes). From siliver to melanistic (black). They do not change colour in the winter; if anything they look even more brilliant red due to their thicker coats. The subject in your photo is a Red Fox.

[Hillbillygirl]

So as not to confuse, the OP did not say it WAS a species, was just asking if it was indeed a Cross Fox. I have seen and photographed these beautiful variants of the Red Fox and I can say, you DO actually have a Cross Fox in this pic. Aub, and a beauty at that. The area we now live in is very well known for an abundant population of the Cross Fox.
Just for some more clarification. The Cross Fox also may be a little larger with a thicker tail and more fur on the feet than the all red version of the Red Fox species.

[XPWizard]

Nice shot, Aub.

[Iguanasan]

A very nice shot and to be able to have seen all three like that must have been very cool. I'm a city boy and while I appreciate nature shots like these I rarely get out of the city to capture them. Nicely done.

[aubintbay]

Thanks Kevin, Hbg, XP, and Iggy!
I thought this might be a crossfox but with the volume of fur (he seems very bushy to me) and all that lighter colour around his head it kinda threw me. Now i know.
Iggy....fyi since I saw them all that day I have'nt seen a freakin' thing but chickens!!

[asnow]

A very nice shot and to be able to have seen all three like that must have been very cool. I'm a city boy and while I appreciate nature shots like these I rarely get out of the city to capture them. Nicely done.

I'm like Iggy ... a city (well suburbs) boy, so I appreciate it when others can bring the rural and nature to me with their pictures. Nicely done and keep them coming.

[Mad Aussie]

I'm going to have to google this 'Cross Fox' you speak of now ... never heard of that. Love the rock as well as the fox.

[Mad Aussie]

From Wiki ...

The cross fox is a partially melanistic colour variant of the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) which has a long dark stripe running down its back, intersecting another stripe to form a cross over the shoulders. It tends to be more abundant in northern regions, and is rarer than the common red form, but is more common than the even darker silver fox.