The Crab-Eating Fox

The crab-eating fox is a small wild canine native to northern and eastern South America in the countries of Colombia, Venezuela, Paraguay, Uruguay, and northern Argentina. Most are about 2 feet in length and weigh 10-17lbs.

Photo: David Monniaux

The crab-eating fox gets its common name from its feeding habits. The fox often hunts on muddy floodplains during the rainy season, at which time crabs can make up nearly one third of its diet. Far from just a seafood lover, the crab-eating fox also hunts a variety of small rodents, lizards, amphibians and will dine on carrion whenever it is available.

Most crab-eating foxes live in mated teams and spend their leisure time resting in abandoned burrows. Crab-eating foxes pose no danger to livestock and are not actively hunted; in fact, they are known to be quite easily domesticated.