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Unusual wildlife sighting in Iran26/04/2011 16:55:48
MORE UNUSUAL SIGHTINGSNocturnal animals in daytime; herbivores eating meat; odd markings and colourations. See more unusual sightings Wildlife sighting from Iran This image was sent to us by Hamidreza Reihanian; the image was taken in Golestan National Park, North East Iran. Hamidreza wasn't sure what this animal could be, so sent the image to Wildlife Extra. We believe that it is probably a Raccoon dog. The Raccoon dog is native to East Asia but has been widely introduced across Central and Northern Europe, and has spread through other regions too. The name Raccoon dog is somewhat of a misnomer as it is not related to raccoons in any way, but much more closely related to foxes and wolves. If this is a Raccoon dog, this may be the first sighting of this species in Iran. If you think it might be a different species, please do let us know below.
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Read the comments about this article and leave your own comment
It is not a raccoon dog for sure, this is what a raccoon dog looks like
eol.org/data_objects/17439254
Also the silver phase of a red fox (Vulpes vulpes) has a uniformly black snout not a white snout and it does not have "tear" markings
Plus it may very well not be digitally altered; there are nearly 7 species and almost 27 subspecies of foxes that are listed as data deficient. Go to animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/ or eol.org and you will understand what I mean
Posted by: Alicia Morton | 13 Mar 2012 20:39:00
Definitely red fox
Posted by: Steven C. Anderson | 28 Apr 2011 21:39:30
Dear Robert
Plz Note:
The Red Fox is one of the most widely distributed mammals in the world. They occurs naturally throughout all of Europe, Asia, northern Africa and North America. They were also introduced to Australia and are now widespread there. The Red Fox, in its normal pelage, is instantly recognized by most. It resembles a small, slender dog with a long, bushy white-tipped tail. Its face is pointed, as are its ears. The footpads are furred. The long, thick underfur is grey at the base but buffy towards the tip.
In the wild, three distinct colour morphs occur. The most common is the familiar orangy-red form, with white lips, throat and undersides. The back of the ears and the legs and feet are dark. A few black guard hairs may run along the centre-line of the back and these are quite prominent in the tail. Overall, this colour form represents at least 80 per cent of the population. The second morph is known as the 'cross fox'. Its pelage is an ochraceous or grey-brown. The dense, black guard hairs run in a broad band over the back and down across the shoulders, forming a solid cross. In some areas this form may account for about 20 per cent of the species.
The third morph, the least common, is the 'silver fox'. It is totally black except for the white-tipped tail and a variable frosting caused by the white tips of the guard hairs. It usually accounts for only about two per cent of the population.
In captive breeding, a number of other pelages such as 'platinum' have been created.
First Record Observation Report of the Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes),”Silver colour morph”at Golestan National Park in Iran
Posted by: Hamidreza Reihanian | 28 Apr 2011 21:05:27
LOOK AT THE MOSAIC COLOR BLOTCH ABOVE LEFT OF THE FOX, ALONG THE BORDER. THEN LOOK AT THE PIECES OF COLOR BEHIND THE FOX, LAYING IN THE ROCK BED THE FOX IS STANDING ON. THESE ARE UNUSUAL COLORS THAT APPEAR UNNATURAL...ESPECIALLY WHEN MUCH OF THE SURROUNDINGS ARE GRAY. THE FOX COULD ACTUALLY BE RED AND WE WOULD NOT KNOW IT CONSIDERING THE AMOUNT OF DIGITAL MANIPULATION THIS PHOTO HAS HAD.
BY THE WAY, THE RED FOX HAS A RANGE THAT IS WORLDWIDE IN THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE. IS IT EVEN UNUSUAL FOR A RED FOX TO BE FOUND IN IRAN?
I AM A WILDLIFE BIOLOGIST FORMERLY WITH SEVERAL DIFFERENT AGENCIES HERE IN AMERICA........THIS IS A RED FOX.
Posted by: robert king | 28 Apr 2011 16:51:09
I agree this is a Red Fox colour phase and not a Raccoon like Dog. The face, ears and leg length are all wrong for it to be a RLD.
Posted by: Chris Henwood | 28 Apr 2011 15:37:15
It looks like a color phase of a Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) to me.
Posted by: robert king
Posted by: Powell Ettinger | 28 Apr 2011 14:29:01
Red Fox(Vulpes vulpes) Color Type:Silver Fox.The First Record of Iran.
PLZ Note:
1:ears
2:Snout
3:Eye line
4:color
5:Habitat(Golestan National Park)
Hamidreza Reihanian
Dept. of Environmental Science & Energy, Research Branch of Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
Posted by: Hamidreza Reihanian | 26 Apr 2011 23:06:13