However, the basic coat color is usually gray or silvery. On the other hand, the body of a red fox is usually all the same orange color except for white chest and underside. A tell-tale identifier ...

The gray fox has a white throat and belly. The chest and lower sides of the body, undersurface of the tail, backs of the ears, parts of the legs, feet and neck are reddish or yellowish brown. The ...

"The animal spotted in Portland last week does look like some kind of fox. White morphs are more common in red foxes than gray foxes, but the ears and snout are atypical for a red fox," Quillian said.

This, paired with disease testing and trail cameras around den sites, may help the researchers understand why gray fox numbers have dropped in Iowa. Other Corn Belt states have launched similar ...