Male foxes are uniquely monogamous, remaining single if their mate dies—a rare symbol of unwavering loyalty in the wild.

Question

Male foxes are uniquely monogamous, remaining single for life if their mate dies—a rare symbol of unwavering loyalty in the wild.

Answer 1

This claim is mildly misleading. When looking at the website that was provided, I found that it was actually a social media post and not from a credible news source. When I went to investigate this claim I first looked at the National Park Service Website and found that foxes are generally monogamous but occasionally the males will have multiple mates who will all raise their pups together. However, this generally depends on how many males are in the area. To double check this information I went to Wildlife Rescue League and confirmed that they are usually monogamous but there are exceptions 

https://www.nps.gov/bith/learn/nature/red-fox.htm

https://www.wildliferescueleague.org/animals/foxes-red-and-gray/

Comments

This is a great factcheck! I like how your answer is concise and that you went to outside sources to determine if the claim was true. It could help to include information on the credibility of the other sources you found.

Answer 2

While this claim has some truth to it, it is misleading in the way it is phrased and the general facts. According to the National Park Service, red foxes are generally monogamous, staying with the same mate for life. I couldn't find anything to confirm that if a mate dies that is still the case. This is also not exclusive to male foxes, with women also remaining monogamous. This is exemplified by male foxes hunting food for the female and pups and brining it back to them. Overall, not a false claim but definitely slightly misleading!!

https://www.nps.gov/bith/learn/nature/red-fox.htm