Lycalopex vetulus

The Brazilian highland fox is a small fox of the genus Pseudocovich, weighing 2.7-4 kg, with a head and body length of 58.5-64 cm and an average tail length of about 32 cm. It has a small skull, a short muzzle, very small teeth and wide molars, adapted to chewing insects and dry plants, and fox-like canines. It has slight sexual dimorphism, with males 5% larger than females. The number of chromosomes is 2n=74.
The fur is gray, the face and underparts are pale, and the ears and legs are slightly reddish. There are black stripes along the back line to the tip of the tail. The legs are yellow and the back of the tail is black. The species name "vetulus" in the scientific name means "gray", which refers to the white or silver color of its fur. The hair is short.

The Brazilian fox is found only in Brazil. It is found in the central and eastern Brazilian highlands of Mato Grosso, Goiás, Minas Gerais, Bahia, and São Paulo.
The Brazilian fox lives in tall grass prairies and savannas and wooded "islands", as well as open woodlands and scrublands in hilly and mountainous areas. Their habitat stretches across central and eastern Brazil, along more open terrain. Most of them live near Brazilian tropical tall grass prairie vegetation (cerrado vegetation).

Brazilian Highland Fox (Scientific name: Lycalopex vetulus) Foreign name Hoary Fox, Hoary Zorro, no subspecies.

Brazilian Highland Fox generally acts alone, although occasionally appears in pairs. Burrowing, often using abandoned armadillo holes. It is nocturnal and spends a lot of time digging holes during the day. It is omnivorous, feeding mainly on insects, preying on termites, small animals, etc., and also eating fruits. The fox is an opportunist, and its diet varies greatly, depending on the season and habitat. It generally feeds on seed pods, especially those of mesquite and mitochondrial plants that grow in the bush, and can be completely herbivorous. It also eats insects, rodents, bird eggs and carrion. It can survive for a long time without drinking water, getting water from its food.

The Brazilian highland fox is monogamous, and the breeding season consists of a small group of two adult foxes and cubs (3-5), and the male fox generally forages alone. The gestation period is 60 days, and the cubs are born in early autumn from October to November, with 2-4 in each litter. Although the role of males in this species has not been confirmed, in many other fox cubs are cared for by males and females, but in this species, it is likely that males play the role of caring for cubs.

The Brazilian Highland Fox lives in a few protected areas throughout its range. The species is listed as Least Concern on the Red List and Near Threatened in the Minas Gerais state list. Hunting and wildlife trade are generally prohibited in Brazil. However, there are no specific laws for fox hunting. The species lives in several zoos in Brazil, including Brasilia, Sao Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Belo Horizonte, Teresina. High mortality rates due to starvation in captured cubs are reported, so there are no plans to reintroduce wild foxes into the wild.

Listed in the 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, ver 3.1 - Least Concern (LC).

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