The South American gray fox (Lycalopex griseus), also known as the Patagonian fox, the chilla, or the grey zorro, is a species of zorro, the "false" foxes.

Range and habitat

The South American gray fox is found in the Southern Cone

Southern Cone

Southern Cone is a geographic region composed of the southernmost areas of South America, south of the Tropic of Capricorn. Although geographically this includes part of Southern and Southeast of Brazil, in terms of political geography the Southern cone has traditionally comprised Argentina,...

 of South America, particularly in Argentina

Argentina

Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...

 and Chile

Chile

Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...

. Its range comprises a stripe, both sides of the Andes Mountain Range between parallels 17ºS (northernmost Chile) and 54ºS (Tierra del Fuego).

In Argentina, this species inhabits the western semiarid region of the country, from the Andean spurs (ca. 69ºW) to meridian 66ºW. South from the Río Grande river, the distribution of the fox widens reaching the Atlantic coast. In Chile, it is present throughout the country. Its presence in Peru

Peru

Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....

 has been mentioned; to date, however, there has been no confirmation of it. The South American gray fox was introduced to the Falkland Islands

Falkland Islands

The Falkland Islands are an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean, located about from the coast of mainland South America. The archipelago consists of East Falkland, West Falkland and 776 lesser islands. The capital, Stanley, is on East Falkland...

 in the late 1920s early 1930s and is still present in quite large numbers on Beaver and Weddell Islands plus several smaller islands.

The South American gray fox occurs in a variety of habitats, from the warm, arid scrublands of the Argentine Monte

Monte

-Surname:* Philippe de Monte , Renaissance composer* Lou Monte , Italian-American singer-Given name:* Monte Attell , American world champion bantamweight boxer* Monte Irvin -Surname:* Philippe de Monte (1521-1603), Renaissance composer* Lou Monte (1917-89), Italian-American singer-Given name:*...

 and the cold, arid Patagonian steppe to the forest of southernmost Chile.

Description

The South American gray fox is a small South American canid, weighing 2.5–4 kg (5–9 pounds), and measuring 43–70 cm (17–27 inches) in length.

Reproduction

It breeds in late austral fall, around March. After a gestation period of 2 months, 2-4 kits are born in a den. Not much else is recorded about its lifestyle.

External links

• Funes, M. C., Novaro, A. J., Monsalvo, O. B., Pailacura, O., Sánchez Aldao, G., Pessino, M., Dosio, R., Chehébar, C., Ramilo, E., Bellati, J., Puig, S., Videla, F., Oporto, N., González del Solar, R., Castillo, E., García, E., Loekemeyer, N., Bugnest, F. and Mateazzi, G. (2006) El manejo de los zorros en la Argentina. Compatibilizando las interacciones entre la ganadería, la caza commercial y la conservación. In Bolkovik, M. L. and Ramadori, D. (eds.), Manejo de fauna silvestre en la Argentina. Programas de uso sustentable. Buenos Aires, Dirección de Fauna Silvestre. Chapter 12. (Available at http://www.canids.org/species/Funes%20et%20al%202006%20Manejo%20de%20zorros%20en%20Argentina.pdf)
• http://www.lioncrusher.com/animal.asp?animal=19