The Hoary Fox Is A Slender Animal

The hoary fox is a slender animal with a relatively short, pointed muzzle, and large ears. Pelage colour is variable: the upper body regions are pale grey, whereas the underparts are generally buff yellow to chestnut including the neck, chest and patch behind the ears. The anterior part of the neck is buff white, but the underside of the lower jaw is dark, almost black, as is both the tail base and tail tip; a dark spot on dorsal surface of tail base variably present. Near melanic forms have been described (Cabrera 1931; Vieira 1946; Cabrera and Yepes 1960; J. Dalponte pers. obs.).

Similar species Crab-eating fox (Cerdocyon thous): sympatric throughout the geographical range of the hoary fox; more robust, larger (4.5–8.5kg), and has coarse bristly pelage; colour variation is substantial within and between populations, ranging from dark grey/black (e.g., Amazonia, central Brazil) to grey/yellow rufous (e.g., Ceará, north-east Brazil), with or without a dark dorsal line along the body to tail tip (specimens of the lighter colour type could be confused with the hoary fox); footpad (and footprint) differentiation of the two species is possible by the experienced field worker (Becker and Dalponte 1991). Pampas fox (P. gymnocercus): possibly sympatric with the hoary fox in southern São Paulo state; more robust and larger (4–6kg); pelage colour and body proportions are similar. Sechuran fox (P. sechurae): not sympatric, occurring in north-west Peru and south-west Ecuador; similar size (4–5kg), and pelage colour, but lacks the dark stripe along the dorsal line of the tail.

Habitat

Occurs in open cerrado habitats, but readily adapts to insect-rich livestock pastures and areas of agriculture(soybean, rice, corn, eucalyptus plantation). Rarely observed in densely wooded cerrado, floodplains, dry orgallery forests.

Conservation status

Threats The principal biome where hoary foxes occur is the cerrado which is being destroyed at a rate of 3% each year, largely in the interests of agriculture (livestock and soybean) (MMA-BRASIL 1998). It appears that hoary foxes adapt to livestock pasture rich in termites and dung beetles. Breeding hoary foxes are found in deforested wooded areas (J. Dalponte pers. obs.), thus it is possible that deforestation may not have a negative impact on the species. Areas of high human population density are unlikely to be suitable. There are no population estimates available.