Rare and threatened gray fox making a home in northwestern Ontario

A rare and threatened animal has started to make a home in the Thunder Bay district.

Reports of gray fox sightings have been increasing around the region and the Thunder Bay Field Naturalists (TBFN) want to learn more about these animals.

The group is encouraging residents to become "citizen scientists" by keeping an eye out for gray foxes near bird feeders, especially at dawn, dusk, and after dark.

Rob Foster is a biologist and member of the TBFN.

He said gray fox are are at the northern edge of the range here, but seem to be adapting.

"Gray fox run all the way down to northern South America, down into Venezuela," said Foster. "But here in Canada, there's a few reports from southeastern Manitoba and then across northwestern Ontario, a few in southern Ontario, southern townships of Quebec and a few from New Brunswick."

Foster added, "the only confirmed breeding up until recently has been on Pelee island in southern Ontario. And now we have confirmed breeding in the Thunder Bay Area."

In Ontario, the gray fox is listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act and have the same designation federally. Foster said although still a threatened species, they seem to be on a good trajectory. He said the main reason for the increase in gray foxes locally may have to do with climate.

"The supposition is that lower snow depth and generally warmer winter temperatures, makes it a little bit easier for gray fox to push their boundary north," he said.

Foster noted it can be difficult to tell a gray fox from a red fox, especially at night when colour is less reliable. In particular, he said, the "cross fox" phase of the red fox is very similar to gray fox colouration.

He said the gray fox is slightly smaller, with shorter legs, a shorter muzzle and a longer tail to better help its balance while climbing trees. Another key distinguishing feature is the tip of the tail in a gray fox is always black, where it is white on a red fox.

Foster said although gray fox sightings have been increasing in the Thunder Bay district, they have been historically rare here. He said the earliest gray fox record in northwestern Ontario is from 1944, in the Fort Frances area.

"That was a pelt turned in for the wolf bounty," said Foster. "But then there are not many more records until about the 1980s from trapper by-catch or roadkill. But you're looking at a couple of dozen gray fox records over half a century."

That, however, has changed.

Foster said about ten years ago, some gray foxes began to be sighted south of Thunder Bay.

In 2015, he said a breeding female was seen repeatedly during the summer and was clearly lactating. "So she had kitts," said Foster. "And that was pretty good evidence that there was beginning to be a breeding population around Thunder Bay."

Foster said gray foxes tend to eat more fruit, seeds and plant matter than red foxes and they'll often come to bird feeders. He said those people who have trail cameras and think they have gray fox should consider placing a camera near their bird feeder, especially if using sunflower seeds or suet.

Foster said quite a few reports of gray fox are already coming in this winter. "We're getting a lot of reports from people who are seeing them during the evening or at night at their feeders," he said. "We've had records of at least 25 gray foxes in the Thunder Bay area that are at 25 or so different locations. Some are possibly the same animals, but there is definitely a local population."

People who have seen gray fox are asked to report it (with photographs if possible) to [email protected].

Foster said the information will help monitor the status of the species in the Thunder Bay district and guide conservation efforts.

The Thunder Bay Field Naturalists will periodically share the results with the broader community, while safe-guarding confidential or sensitive information.