Associated Press file photo Associated Press file photo February
is the month where love is in the air. However, I’m not talking
about the kind that involves a dinner out, roses and chocolates
(one of the annual mating rituals of homo sapiens), but one of
the variety that involves a lot of yipping and yapping. Listen
closely this month for lots of high-pitched canine vocalization,
because February is the mating season for the fox. The fox is a
member of the dog, or canid, family. However, unlike other
canids such as wolves and coyotes, the fox exists primarily in
monogamous pairs and family units, rather than packs. It may be
“love,” but more likely it is thought that single male and
female foxes have overlapping territories. During mating season,
the male can be seen following the female closely everywhere she
goes. Vocalizations are at their highest, and fights can break
out if more than one male is competing within a female’s
territory. At the end of the winter, the female finds a suitable
den where she ca