U. cinereoargentenus Skull Replica measures 4.7 inches. U. cinereoargentenus Skull Replica is museum quality polyurethane cast. 2-part skull (separate cranium and jaw). Known as Gray Fox.
The U. cinereoargentenus is a carnivorous mammal of the family Canidae ranging throughout most of the southern half of North America from southern Canada to the northern part of South America (Venezuela and Colombia).
No other canid’s natural range spans both North and South America and it is the only American canid that can climb trees.
U. cinereoargentenus is mainly distinguished from most other canids by its grizzled upper parts, black stripe down its tail and strong neck, while the skull can be easily distinguished from all other North American canids by its widely separated temporal ridges that form a U-shape.
U. cinereoargentenus ranges from 29.9 to 44.3 in. in total length. The tail measures 10.8 to 17.4 in. of that length and its hind feet measure 3.9 to 5.9 in. The gray fox typically weighs 7.9 to 15.4 lb.
The Gray Fox displays white on the ears, throat, chest, belly and hind legs. In contrast to all Vulpes and related (Arctic and fennec) foxes, the gray fox has oval (instead of slit-like) pupils.
U. cinereoargentenus is an omnivorous, solitary hunter. It frequently preys on the eastern cottontail in the eastern U.S. It readily catch voles, shrews, and birds.
In California, Gray fox or U. cinereoargentenus primarily eats rodents, followed by jackrabbits and brush rabbits.
In some parts of the Western United States (such as in the Zion National Park in Utah), the gray fox is primarily insectivorous and herbivorous.
Fruit is an important component of the diet of the U. cinereoargentenus and they seek whatever fruits are readily available.
The Gray Fox is specifically adapted to climb trees. Its strong, hooked claws allow it to scramble up trees to escape many predators, such as the domestic dog or the coyote, or to reach tree-bound or arboreal food sources.
It can climb branchless, vertical trunks to heights of 18 meters and jump from branch to branch. It descends primarily by jumping from branch to branch, or by descending slowly backwards like a domestic cat.
The U. cinereoargentenus breeding season of the gray fox varies geographically; in Michigan, the Gray Fox mates in early March, in Alabama, breeding peaks occur in February. The gestation period lasts approximately 53 days. Litter size ranges from 1–7, with a mean of 3.8 young per female.
Kits begin to hunt with their parents at the age of 3 months. By the time that they are 4 months old, the kits will have developed their permanent dentition and can now easily forage on their own.