Meet the Foxes

While the classic red color phase is the most common in Alaska, red foxes can be found with a few different colors in the wild. The term “silver fox” refers to black foxes with or without silver-tipped guard hairs. Any combination of red and black or silver is termed a “cross fox.” Red foxes remain the same color year-round, and colors have nothing to do with age or sex of the individual. As in dogs, foxes of different colors can be found in the same litter. You can differentiate a wild red fox from other wild canids by the white-tipped tail and black paws. Selective breeding in human care has created a multitude of additional color varieties among red foxes. Alaska is also home to artic foxes (Alopex lagopus). In tundra regions, where the ranges of the arctic and red foxes overlap, the red fox is dominant.

Red foxes are omnivorous with an emphasis on carnivory. In most parts of Alaska, small rodents such as voles and lemmings are the most important year-round prey. Other food items include grouse, ptarmigan, squirrels, snowshoe hares, salmon, carrion, and berries, but this list is far from exhaustive. Foxes cache excess food when the hunting is good.

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Meet Jade

In June of 2013, Jade was picked up by joggers on a running trail in Anchorage believing he was orphaned.

Jade was found by joggers along a trail in Anchorage, Alaska. Seeing no mother nearby, the people assumed Jade was an orphan and brought him to AWCC. This was not only illegal but unwise. Only the Alaska Department of Fish and Game or the Alaska Wildlife Troopers are legally allowed to remove orphaned mammals from the wild, and there is a good chance that Jade was not truly an orphan. Foxes are known to be very curious animals so it’s possible that Jade may have just been exploring his new surroundings when he was found. Jade was named after the state of Alaska’s gemstone. Jade has become a favorite animal at the AWCC and can be seen “wagging” his tail around curious visitors while enjoying the occasional raw egg.

Meet Storm

Storm is a female red fox with a black and white coat, referred to as a “marble fox”.

Storm’s name comes from the stormy colors appearing in her coat. She was born in 2013 and was being kept illegally as a pet in Montana and was confiscated in 2015 by Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks, and brought to AWCC in 2016. Storm was selectively bred in captivity for her “marbled” coat color of white and gray. Her unique coloration is the result of selective breeding on fur farms seeking novel coat patterns. She had some of her teeth removed when she was kept illegally. Due to this she receives a specialized diet at AWCC. Storm’s favorite foods are chicken and rabbit. The Animal Care staff cut her diet into 1-inch bits and remove all bones to accommodate her missing teeth. Her favorite enrichment includes scent enrichments of essential oils and other animal scents. We consider it successful enrichment when she urinates on things to mark them. Storm is generally calm and laid back. She loves laying in boxes that her keepers introduce. She is a great digger and works really hard on digging her perfect den.

Meet Warren

In the spring of 2024, AWCC welcomed the one-pound fox kit with open arms. Warren’s tale is a powerful reminder of the importance of coexistence and conservation.

It was a rainy spring day in Alaska’s Matanuska-Susitna Valley when a construction crew began clearing a site for a new development. The crew worked steadily, unaware of the small family of red foxes that had made their den in the brush nearby. Hidden beneath the undergrowth, a vixen had been raising her litter of kits, keeping them safe and well-hidden from the bustling world beyond. As the sounds of heavy machinery echoed across the valley, the mother fox quickly sensed the danger. One by one, she carefully moved her kits to safety, racing against time to protect her young in the chaos. Later, as the dust settled, one fox kit was still waiting for his mother to return. A member of the construction crew stumbled upon the small, orange bundle of fur. Assuming the kit was orphaned and couldn’t survive on his own, the worker gently scooped him up. While well intentioned, this was not only illegal but unwise. Only the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) or the Alaska Wildlife Troopers are legally allowed to remove orphaned mammals from the wild, and there is a chance that the fox was not truly an orphan. ADF&G was contacted eventually, but the fox kit had already been separated from his family long enough that it was no longer possible to reunite them. Young fox kits are dependent on their mothers for food and protection, and without intervention, his chances of survival were slim. Instead of being released back into the wild, where he might struggle alone, ADF&G made a decision that would change his life; they made a call to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center (AWCC).

AWCC welcomed the one-pound fox kit with open arms. Our staff, experienced in caring for orphaned and displaced wildlife, immediately began tending to his needs. We provided him with warmth, nourishment, and the care he would have received from his mother. We named him Warren after the local artist Amanda Rose Warren and her husband Don who have been long-time supporters of AWCC. Over time, Warren grew stronger, and his playful, curious nature emerged. Though he had lost his fox family, he had found a new home where he could thrive. Warren soon captured the hearts of our staff. With his bright red coat and lively personality, he has quickly become a favorite at the center. The AWCC team has worked tirelessly to ensure Warren has an environment that simulated the wild—complete with hills to climb, spaces to explore, holes to burrow in, and plenty of enrichment to keep his intelligent mind active. He has been introduced to our two other resident red foxes, Jade and Storm, and will cohabitate with them.

Since Warren can never be released back into the wild—having been separated from his family at such a young age—he now serves as an ambassador for his species. Through stories like Warren’s, AWCC educates thousands of visitors each year about the challenges Alaska’s wildlife face as human development continues to expand into natural habitats. His tale is a powerful reminder of the importance of coexistence and conservation.

Discover the WILD of Alaska and come meet the locals! Walk on the Wild Side Tours are available year-round and include an animal encounter. Summer Moose Encounters (feed a moose!) & Summer Bear Encounters (feed a brown bear!) are available. Book early to ensure your spot!