The Grass Fox;
The Foxes that stayed behind once the ice shrank back after the end of the Ice Age developed many adaptations. These adaptations include a brownish-red fur coat, tall pointed ears, a longer snout, longer legs, and a longer body.
The Fox also changed its hunting strategy in many ways, such as the Fox hunts from the trees. This strategy includes climbing to the top of a tree during the hot summer, and pouncing upon animals seeking shade. The pressures that caused these adaptations were the increasingly warmer climate that caused the grassland to develop.
Animals remaining in this grassland developed long muscular legs, much too fast for the Fox to capture. Therefore the Fox developed a brownish-red coat to blend in with the trees, in which it would hunt from. The pressure in this change in hunting strategy came when, during the long hot day, usually large mammals would seek shade. The Fox, being unable to capture its prey with speed, began climbing trees in search of eggs. Slowly over time though, the Fox would begin to attack mammals such as mice that would camp in the shade during the hot day.
This desired prey of the Fox slowly changed to large mammals, in which its shout was too short to successfully capture; therefore the Fox was pushed to develop a long and strong snout. This longer snout allowed the Fox to more effectively capture large prey.
The Fox also developed longer legs which allowed the fox to climb trees more efficiently as well as to quickly attack its prey with deadly force and speed. The factors that pushed for long legs were that the fox would have to leap great heights to be able to reach the first branch of the tree which would take many attempts before success. Over time, the Fox began to develop long legs, which allowed the Fox to easily jump to the first branch of a tree.
The tall pointed ears that the Fox developed were caused by the growing snake population. These ears allowed the Fox to better hear any approaching snake or another predator that would attack the Fox in the trees. This adaptation also unintentionally allowed the Fox to find small rodents that lived inside the tree.
The Fox also changed its hunting strategy in many ways, such as the Fox hunts from the trees. This strategy includes climbing to the top of a tree during the hot summer, and pouncing upon animals seeking shade. The pressures that caused these adaptations were the increasingly warmer climate that caused the grassland to develop.
Animals remaining in this grassland developed long muscular legs, much too fast for the Fox to capture. Therefore the Fox developed a brownish-red coat to blend in with the trees, in which it would hunt from. The pressure in this change in hunting strategy came when, during the long hot day, usually large mammals would seek shade. The Fox, being unable to capture its prey with speed, began climbing trees in search of eggs. Slowly over time though, the Fox would begin to attack mammals such as mice that would camp in the shade during the hot day.
This desired prey of the Fox slowly changed to large mammals, in which its shout was too short to successfully capture; therefore the Fox was pushed to develop a long and strong snout. This longer snout allowed the Fox to more effectively capture large prey.
The Fox also developed longer legs which allowed the fox to climb trees more efficiently as well as to quickly attack its prey with deadly force and speed. The factors that pushed for long legs were that the fox would have to leap great heights to be able to reach the first branch of the tree which would take many attempts before success. Over time, the Fox began to develop long legs, which allowed the Fox to easily jump to the first branch of a tree.
The tall pointed ears that the Fox developed were caused by the growing snake population. These ears allowed the Fox to better hear any approaching snake or another predator that would attack the Fox in the trees. This adaptation also unintentionally allowed the Fox to find small rodents that lived inside the tree.