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What sort of foxes are these? (1 Viewer)

Carless

Carless

Well-known member
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJCknhL15dQ&t=57s

The location is Iran. I don't think they are Turkmenian Foxes as Turmkenian Foxes have regular sized ears. They look a bit like Fennec Foxes, but they are only found in Africa. Though, I've seen other youtube videos of foxes in Iran that the poster has claimed to be Fennec Foxes. Could they be Rüppell's Foxes? Again, the ears seem too big to be Blanford's Fox.

I think I'm all outta foxes. What are they?

The foxes can be seen clearly if you skip to one minute into the video.

EDIT: I'm told that the common name 'Sand Fox' is used for a variety of species, and hence even similar looking 'Sand Fox' photos online aren't that helpful.
 
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They're definitely not Fennec Fox or Blanford's Fox. I would say Ruppell's is good shout although the desert form of Red Fox can look very similar. Ruppell's tends to occur only in the most driest of habitats where Red Fox can not survive. I'll stick my neck out and say Ruppell's Fox.
 
Thanks very much. After reading your post, I googled Ruppell's fox again. And immediately found this page: http://www.mekshat.com/vb/showthread.php?182843-الدليل-المصور-للثدييات-في-المملكة-العربية-السعودية which google translate reveals to be a list of mammals in Saudi Arabia. Boy, do they have a lot of very interesting mammals there. But, Vulpes rueppellii has as its common name the dreaded ( :) ) 'Sand Fox'. But, as soon as I did an image search on the latin name, there are loads of pictures that look bang on, including the distinctive ears.

ruppels.jpg


NB: This isn't just a random senseless question. I'm looking into possibilities for a holiday next Easter which could, if things go to plan, inclulde a bit of camping in an Iranian desert. So, I was looking into what wildlife is out there, found that video, and was wondering what on earth the foxes were because many people call any fox in Iran a 'Fennec' when there shouldn't be any there. Though, if the page linked to above is a page on Saudi mammals as google translate tells me, then that raises the question of why Fennecs are listed.

(Note: Yes, I plan to have a rabies shot before I go.)
 
Carless said:
NB: This isn't just a random senseless question. I'm looking into possibilities for a holiday next Easter which could, if things go to plan, inclulde a bit of camping in an Iranian desert.
(Note: Yes, I plan to have a rabies shot before I go.)
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Not sure how easy it is to get a visa at the moment with the various sanctions and diplomatic frictions that exist right now, let us know how it goes?


A
 
andyadcock said:
Not sure how easy it is to get a visa at the moment with the various sanctions and diplomatic frictions that exist right now, let us know how it goes?


A
Click to expand...

NZ passport! Provided that I arrive at a major airport I don't need a visa ahead of time.

People who only have a UK passport need to get a visa and, due to some government level tit-for-tat, need to go on an organised tour. There are lots of trip reports on the interwebz.
 
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Carless said:
NZ passport! Provided that I arrive at a major airport I don't need a visa ahead of time.

People who only have a UK passport need to get a visa and, due to some government level tit-for-tat, need to go on an organised tour. There are lots of trip reports on the interwebz.
Click to expand...

I did suspect that you had a plan! :t:


A
 
Carless said:
I'm looking into possibilities for a holiday next Easter which could, if things go to plan, include a bit of camping in an Iranian desert. So, I was looking into what wildlife is out there.
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If you have a look at my website HERE (under the 'trip reports' section), I have done three birding/wildlife trips to Iran in recent years (spring. summer, winter) - should give an idea of the excellent possibilities in this magical country.

PS saw Rüppell's Foxes in Iran.
 
Thanks very much to all who answered, but in particular Jos Stratford. I've read your 'spring' tour report, and will read the others. It takes me some time as I don't know birds that well, and stopped to google birds often. Some really interesting birds there, e.g. the Goliath herons and the Pleske's Ground Jay that approached you closely.

My trip will be mainly for historic sites, but I hope to fit in nature as well. I'll be using public transport. I've heard about hitch-hiking, but don't have your background of hitch-hiking north of Perth at 13! At present, plans may change, I was thinking of camping outside Varzaneh, east of Isfahan. Though, this would be pretend camping compared to yours. My reason for choosing that location is that I have made contact with someone who can hire me the camping equipment, and supply a taxi service into the desert and back out again the next day.

I am really impressed at how quickly you got around the country. One day you're up there, then you're down there, then you're across there :) You went much closer to Iraq than I am planning to do. It's not currently on the list, but I was thinking of taking in the ancient hydraulic works in Shustar (Shooshtar), about 100km from the border. That was close enough for me (and for British Government travel advice.)

Did you run into any honey badgers in the far west of the country? I've heard that there are some. More common than Goliath Herons, I would guess.
 
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Carless said:
I was thinking of taking in the ancient hydraulic works in Shustar (Shooshtar), about 100km from the border. That was close enough for me (and for British Government travel advice.)

Did you run into any honey badgers in the far west of the country? I've heard that there are some. More common than Goliath Herons, I would guess.
Click to expand...

The Shustar area (the adjacent river valley and oxbows, rather than ruins themselves) is really good for birds in particular - good species, good abundance.

Didn't see Honey Badgers at all in Iran - actually didn't even know there were any :)

Feel free to ask any questions about Iran, ether on post or by PM. All I can say in summary about Iran is that it is truly an amazing country to travel in - incredible people, the warmest and most welcoming in the world.
 
Carless said:
Did you run into any honey badgers in the far west of the country? I've heard that there are some. More common than Goliath Herons, I would guess.
Click to expand...

In my experience Honey Badgers are almost impossible to see in the wild outside of Southern Africa (where they can be relatively easy to see). They occur at very low densities in many parts of their range, especially in the deserts of North Africa and the Middle East.
 
Even when present they can be difficult: in Kruger I actually heard one turn over a bin with a great crash and still didn't see it!

John
 
@Jos. Thanks for the offer of advice. I'm planning to go next Easter (which I note you describe as the ideal time to travel there.) I was meant to go Easter this year but life got in the way. Generally I think I'm well prepared and know most of what I need to know, but there is always more to learn. Your very detailed trip reports have a wealth of information that I'm still ingesting. Over and above the wildlife, I'm now forewarned that small town police may want to check my passport. I may well ask questions, but given the time available for planning it may be quite a bit in the future :)

It seems that much wildlife from Africa has spread across Asia as well. Big cats such as Lions, Leopards, Cheetahs (though sadly these are near extinct in Iran), Elephants, etc. I was surprised to see the Honey Badger listed in the page of mammals in Saudi Arabia, and on checking its range found a triangular section of overlap from Iraq into Iran, which I think you (Jos) must have passed through. I suppose in the case of the Honey Badger, the question would be: who is going to stand in the way of the crazy nastyass Honey Badger expanding its range? - not me 3:)

I've never seen a mongoose in the wild, mainly because I've not been to the right places. And you (Jos) ran into a family of them just lazing around!
 
Just bringing this thread back to life. It's taking ages, but I should have my visa for Iran in my hands tomorrow, and I leave on the 15th of December. I'm not sure how much wildlife watching I'll get as time is limited, but at least after all this time (first plan was Easter 2017!) it seems that I'm going. Visa and New Zealand passport in hand.

I'm going to be revising Jos Stratford's blogs in preparation, though I will admit that my trip is more city based than I'd like...
 
Carless said:
Just bringing this thread back to life. It's taking ages, but I should have my visa for Iran in my hands tomorrow. Visa and New Zealand passport in hand.
Click to expand...



Having the visa in advance is a good move even for those nations that can get the visa on arrival. It is not unheard of persons persons getting rejected at the airport in visa application, whereas with the visa you will have no problem whatsoever - as long as you don't have any nasty unwanted stamps in your passport, eg. exit stamps form Egypt or Jordan on the wrong border.

December is actually a wonderful time in Iran, especially in the south - good weather and fantastic birding. Cold in the north, bitterly cold possible, but still good birding.
 
Thanks. If I don't go now, then I simply won't get the chance to go for years. My passport is clean and boring, as I usually travel on my UK passport. (Which wouldn't be problematic - Germany, Japan, Czechia, New Zealand, Austria.)

Not having a visa can cause other problems. There was a trip report where someone who qualified for visa on arrival was initially refused boarding by their airline because they didn't have a visa. And that was Turkish Airlines whom I'm flying with. They did eventually board after some argument...

I went to Prague for work; it was -17C. Gloves on all the time except for operating my phone - and they would start freezing in seconds.

Having done some research, your reports are by far the best resource on Iranian wildlife that I've found. Iranian people have been very impressed!

I'll read your reports in more detail when finalising plans for the days that are still unscheduled, but I note your trip to Mount Damavand, and presumably the Lar National Park. This is very possible, particularly if I can Snapp my way around. I'm going to visit the Urima Salt Lake out near Maragheh/Tabriz, but I don't know if there's much wildlife there. There's only 10% as much lake as there used to be. EDIT: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Urmia#Modern_ecology Sounds more promising than I thought.

My initial plans included four days in Sulaymaniyah. Unfortunately the direct flight I needed sold out before I booked. But, I note that it's easy and relatively inexpensive to fly there from London, so it is a possibility for the future.
 
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