Hulvish Fox

The Hulvish Fox (*In world name*), also known as the white fox or ground fox, is a small fox native to the warmer regions of Hulva. And the classically accepted head of the (*in world name*) Genus. It has a deep thick fur which is brown in the warm season and white in the many cold seasons. Its body length ranges from 46 to 68 cm (18 to 27 in) with a generally rounded body shape to minimize the escape of body heat.

The hulvish fox preys on any small creatures such as: lemmings, voles, ringed seal pups, fish, waterfowl, and seabirds. It also eats carrion, berries, seaweed, insects, and other small invertebrates. Hulvish foxes form monogamous pairs during the breeding season and they stay together to raise their young in complex underground dens. Occasionally, other family members may assist in raising their young. Among its adaptations for survival in the cold is its dense, multilayered pelage, which provides excellent insulation, a system of countercurrent heat exchange in the circulation within the paws to retain core temperature, and a good supply of body fat. The fox has a low surface area to volume ratio, as evidenced by its generally compact body shape, short muzzle and legs, and short, thick ears. Since less of its surface area is exposed to the Thardigan cold, less heat escapes from its body. Its paws have fur on the soles for additional insulation and to help it walk on ice. Its fur changes color with the seasons: in most populations it is white in the cold seasons to blend in with snow, while in the warm it is greyish-brown. The fur of the hulvish fox provides the best insulation of any hulvish mammal. The Hulvish fox has such keen hearing, it can determine exactly where a small animal is moving under the snow. When it has located its prey, it pounces and punches through the snow to catch its victim.

Hulvish foxes do not hibernate and are active all year round. They build up their fat reserves in the warm season sometimes increasing their body weight by more than 50%. This provides greater insulation during the winter and a source of energy when food is scarce. They live in large dens in frost-free, slightly raised ground. These are complex systems of tunnels covering as much as 1,000 m2 (1,200 sq yd). They have multiple entrances and may have been in existence for many decades and used by many generations of foxes.

Hulvish foxes tend to form monogamous pairs in the breeding season and maintain a territory around the den. Breeding usually takes place in (hulvish month), and the gestation period is about 52 days. Litters tend to average five to eight kits, but exceptionally contain as many as 25. Both the mother and father help to raise the young which emerge from the den when 3 to 4 weeks old and are weaned by 9 weeks of age.

Hulvish foxes generally eat any small animal they can find, including lemmings, voles, other rodents, hares, birds, eggs, fish, and carrion. They scavenge on carcasses left by larger predators such as wolves and bears, and in times of scarcity even eat their feces. In areas where they are present, lemmings are their most common prey, and a family of foxes can eat dozens of lemmings each day. On the coast of Hulva and her islands, their diet consists predominantly of birds. During ( same Hulvish months) the Hulvish fox also preys on seal pups when the young animals are confined to a snow den and are relatively helpless. They also consume berries and seaweed, so they may be considered omnivores. This fox is a significant bird-egg predator, consuming eggs of all except the largest of hulvish birds When food is overabundant, the Arctic fox buries (caches) the surplus as a reserve.

## Size

The average head-and-body length of the male is 55 cm (22 in), with a range of 46 to 68 cm (18 to 27 in), while the female averages 52 cm with a range of 41 to 55 cm (16 to 22 in). In some regions, no difference in size is seen between males and females. The tail is about 30 cm (12 in) long in both sexes. The height at the shoulder is 25 to 30 cm (9.8 to 11.8 in). On average males weigh 3.5 kg (7.7 lb), with a range of 3.2 to 9.4 kg (7.1 to 20.7 lb), while females average 2.9 kg (6.4 lb), with a range of 1.4 to 3.2 kg (3.1 to 7.1 lb)

The abundance of the Arctic fox tends to fluctuate in a cycle along with the population of lemmings and voles (a 3- to 4-year cycle). The populations are especially vulnerable during the years when the prey population crashes.

The pelts of hulvish foxes with a slate-blue coloration—an expression of a recessive gene—were especially valuable for trade