Foxes

Foxes are a popularly known creature. The most popular conception is that of red foxes. However, other fox species are well known, such as the arctic foxes and fennec foxes. Silver foxes are also popular, of which "red" foxes have as an alternative fur color, and other fox species may also have silver in them, though it is usually not associated with those other particular species (and sometimes it's not meant to be based on a red fox or any others at all, but not always). Media depictions mostly focus on the burning or bright oranges of the red fox. They are highly loved for their white tail tip, but even orange-coloured foxes in real life don't always have them and have a black tip instead. However, there is no double or yin yang notion of this- that is, the black tip is mostly ignored, and thus most fox portrayals won't havea black tip. Many fictional portrayals of foxes will have the tail tip be of a different color though when they're depicted in unusual colors- for example, green and purple.
Foxes can be depicted nobly, especially if they're British, but many depictions showcase them as somewhat wily and villainous around the world. They are usually known as clever creatures, villainous or heroic. In Chinese-related cultures the foxes intelligence moves them into mythology, with them being long-lived, sometimes "immortal-ish" creatures that have a fox-society and know advance magics that allow them to possess people and/or shapeshift into. Americans in anime subcultures particularly love the Japanese concepts of kitsune and kyuubi (nine-tailed fox), of which in Japanese culture these are sometimes intertied. Foxes are the symbolic mascot of the furry fandom and quite popular there. "Yiff" is a furry term derived from fox calls to describe furry sex and pornography. Foxes have also been sub-domesticated to make exotic pets. Foxes used to be an important part of the fur trade. Many a rich female character incorporates a fox stole. Foxes used to be just a variety of "sexy woman" that some animals get roped into, such as cats. The furry fandom took it to another level, though it is still tied to that subculture.
Foxes are important for many religions. Chinese folk religion/Taoism has several fox gods if not more, as well as Shintoism. In modern Paganism, foxes (especially but not exclusively red ones) are associated with Loki, though this is a modern belief set (shared personal gnosis) rather than one based in history. 
== Media depictions==
In His Dark Materials arctic foxes are one of the speaking animals of the North. A man with a silver fox daemon is a Gobbler who kidnaps children.
There are, including the evolutionary lines of eevee, over a dozen Pokemon based at least partially on foxes. Additionally Poochyena has a face and color resembling a silver fox, though it's usually considered to be based off of dogs, wolves, and hyenas.
In Dora The Explorer, the villain Swiper is a fox that has to be told "swiper, no swiping" three times and at a correct pace or else he will steal an item he covets.
There are several movies that feature foxes as a main character, such as Fantastic Mr. Fox and Zootopia.
Anime taking place in ancient Japan or with more magical genres often include foxes due to their influence in Japanese mythology. Naruto is sort of part-fox, having a kyuubi stuck in him.
Category:Animals important to American children
Category:Foxes