Silver Fox!

Trotting along on the sidewalk outside my building just a few minutes ago - around 10:30 in the evening - was a fox I've since identified as a "silver fox." Rangy, blackish with silver ripplings, and a white-tipped tail. And just what is a "silver fox"? An NT government website says that they're part of the red fox family, or what the fur industry calls "coloured foxes." That's because red foxes can come in three distinct phases, sometimes all of them in the same litter: a red phase (45-75% of the population), a "cross fox" (20-44%), and finally a silver fox (2-17%). Check out the details at http://www.enr.gov.nt.ca/_live/pages/wpPages/red_fox.aspx  I think I've seen at least one of the others (the red fox), as well - this was my fourth fox sighting so far, and I have been awakened by them barking in the middle of the night.

For a historic image (of silver fox furs) I'm directing you to the Prince of Wales Heritage Centre website, which has great pictures of all manner of things relating to the Northwest Territories: http://pwnhc.learnnet.nt.ca/research/photogallery/Galleries/Business%20and%20Economy/Traders%20Gallery/n-1979-067-0032.jpg

Next time I'll try to get a picture myself!