Who's Who in the Folsom Zoo; Meet red foxes, Mindy and Mojo

Editor's note: This is a weekly feature in the Folsom Telegraph where readers will get the opportunity to meet Folsom's furriest. This week's "Who's Who in Folsom Zoo" are red foxes, Mindy and Mojo. Red fox female Mindy and male Mojo came to live at the Folsom Zoo Sanctuary in 2011 from a wildlife rehabilitation facility. The red fox is the most commonly found of the fox species and live on every continent. Their average lifespan in the wild is two to four years, but in captivity they can live as long as 10 to 15 years. Red foxes, unlike other mammals, hear low-frequency sounds. This skill helps them locate small animals digging underground, like squirrels, rabbits or mice, which the foxes can then dig through dirt or snow to catch for food. Both Mindy and Mojo enjoy digging tunnels in their exhibit. Eventually their zookeepers fill in the tunnels to provide them with new opportunities to dig. A fox uses its thick tail for balance and as a signal flag to communicate with other foxes. Although they're members of the canine family, foxes have some "cat-like" characteristics. Like cats, foxes have vertically slit eyes and retractable claws. They can also climb trees and sometimes play with their prey like a cat. Mindy and Mojo can often be found sleeping during the day up on high platforms in their exhibit area. If Mindy and Mojo are in hiding when you visit the zoo sanctuary, you will still get to smell them! Fox urine has a strong skunk-like odor. Foxes "re-scent" their exhibit after each daily cleaning. One way that foxes signal each other is by making scent posts: urinating on trees or rocks to announce their presence. Except for breeding females, foxes usually don't use dens but will sleep in the open, tucking their noses under their bushy tails to stay warm. The fox's resourcefulness has earned it a reputation for intelligence and cunning. Clever foxes adapt well to changes in their environment, and studies have shown that city-dwelling foxes can grow larger than their rural counterparts due to the abundance of "free food" and relatively few predators. Foxes play an important role in the ecological cycle by controlling the rodent population. Mindy and Mojo both like to investigate new scents and enthusiastically tear into enrichment boxes filled with treats and their regular diet hidden inside (mice, quail, and occasionally kibble). Mojo is the most curious about the enrichment items and will often follow the zookeepers to see what the "treat" of the day is. Mindy is a little more shy and will wait to investigate items until after zookeepers leave the exhibit. Visit Mindy and Mojo, and all of the amazing animals at the Folsom Zoo Sanctuary, 403 Stafford Street, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. For more information, go to folsom.ca.us or call 916-461-6629.