If the setting of Krylov’s fable about a crow, a fox and a piece of cheese had been in America, no one would have stood on ceremony with the bird. Because our heroine today lives there - a gray fox sister. And she doesn’t need to sing the praises of stupid birds, she can easily climb a tree herself and take away the treasured cheese! 
We got the cheese and ate the crow. Now the photographer is next!
The gray fox is a very original representative of the entire large and motley family of dogs. She lives throughout North America, excluding the northernmost regions. To date, 16 subspecies of gray foxes are known. However, none of them are related to the red-haired rogues we are used to. For other species of wild foxes, dogs and coyotes, these little animals are also a great addition to the jelly. Whole-genome sequencing suggests that the evolutionary paths of gray foxes and all other canids diverged at the very beginning of the formation of the subfamily. Simply put, these woolies are like great-uncles for all modern wolfdogs. 
What do you call it there? Parkour? This is fashionable among young people now, right?
Due to such antiquity, gray foxes can still be seen to have archaic features both in appearance and behavior. The size of a gray fox is approximately one and a half times smaller than the usual red one. The demands of cheats are also underestimated - it just so happens that more modern animals in the face of coyotes, wolves and the same red foxes bypass the old women both in strength and size. 
- Young man, show respect to your elder! Give up your seat! - Grandfather, you got it wrong, we are in the forest, not on the bus!
But the gray foxes also have a couple of trump cards up their sleeves. We'll start with the sleeves: animals have special equipment - retractable claws! This adaptation is not typical for a canid. At least modern ones. But ancient predators had such a feature. The fox carefully preserved it and carried it through centuries of evolution. 
And I'm not old at all! Look, did you see how fashionable the manicure is?!
Thanks to their retractable claws, foxes not only easily climb the tallest trees, but also very deftly jump from branch to branch. This skill saves lives from terrestrial predator relatives. And you can find food in the trees: unlike most members of the family, gray sisters are omnivores. In warm and fruitful seasons, the share of vegetarian dishes in the animal menu reaches 70%! The rest of the time, foxes hunt small prey: mice, lizards and all kinds of insects. 
It stands on tiny branches as if it should be so.
It happens that an animal catches or finds a little more tasty treats than it can eat in one sitting. In this case, the gray one digs a hole, puts provisions there, buries it and marks the treasure. For what? Firstly, so that no one would set their sights on it, and secondly, so that she herself would not later forget where and what lies. Unpretentiousness and thriftiness are the second trump card in the paws of our heroines! 
I like these meat balls better than the ones that are made from dough and run away!
The third trump card of the animal is divided into two. Have you already guessed what we're talking about? Gray foxes are a clear example of healthy family relationships, where mutual assistance and support reign. It all starts with the arrival of warmth. Males demonstratively fight for females and territory, after which the lady and the winner leave to live happily ever after. Together they build a secluded nest: the fox takes care of everyday life and insulates the family nest, and the fox gets food for two. 
We trust each other. But not for you. Leave!
After a short pregnancy of two months, up to 7 helpless little lumps will be born. The young will spend the entire fall and winter with their parents, learning from their parents the wisdom of fox life. And it works! 
A squad of young fighters is ready for training!
The average lifespan of wild animals is 6-10 years. Which is not bad, considering that any large or medium-sized predator can eat them. People also contribute to the decline in the population: the fur of gray foxes is considered a good raw material for clothing and other products. Fortunately, at least the animals are not in danger of extinction from loss of habitat. Due to pressure from other predators, cheaters often come out to people and settle along roads not far from human buildings.
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