Cable News is a Mess - Thankfully We Have Fox News!

High profile firings, lawsuits, settlements, mini-series and more. Let’s face it, cable news is a mess.

Now for the good news. There is a new social media event capturing the hearts of West Bedford. A family of foxes, complete with at least four kits, has moved into a newly unfurnished burrow just off of Davis Road. The kits have just started to explore their neighborhood, learning the lay of the land so to speak.

A few facts about fox kits: (from AZ Animals.com)

Don’t confuse them with a squirrel: “A baby fox is called a kit or kitten. A group of baby foxes is called a litter. These tiny mammals are part of the canine family and are not the only animals called kits. Beavers, ferrets, muskrats, skunks, and even squirrels are also called kits when they’re babies.”
Tiny stomachs: “Did you know that baby foxes have seriously tiny stomachs? It’s true! Their little tummies are so small that they must eat several small meals throughout the day to stay full. When they’re babies, foxes can eat up to four times a day!”
Keen Senses: “One of the biggest advantages that a fox has over other animals is its senses. While many animals have sharp hearing and smell to make up for their lack of sight, foxes don’t. In fact, baby foxes have sharp eyesight, astounding hearing, and an amazing sense of smell. This means that they are well-equipped to handle themselves in the wild.”
They may be listening to us: “A baby fox has such great hearing that it can hear a tiny mouse squeak from 100 meters away. Their eyes have a slit pupil, similar to a cat, which allows them to see very well in the dark. Since foxes are nocturnal animals that spend their waking hours at night, this is essential to their survival. They use their acute sense of smell to communicate with each other, find food, and detect threats.”
They stink: “You might be surprised to learn that fox kits have a smelly odor comparable to a skunk. Even though they can’t spray an oily substance to ward off predators, they have similar glands that produce a bad odor. However, unlike skunks, they don’t use the odor to protect themselves. Instead, a fox’s odor is a way to identify itself. You can think of this odor as nature’s cologne. The odor of a fox can be used to determine the animal’s status.”
Their Claws Retract: “One of the major traits that foxes share with cats is their claws. Like cats, fox kits can retract their claws when they’re not in use. Incredibly, baby foxes are the only members of the canine family that can do this.”