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We've all seen a red fox and maybe even the white Arctic one, but only a few of the lucky have spotted a black fox in the wilderness. The vixen, commonly known as a silver fox, is a melanistic form of the brown animal. And if you're wondering what 'melanistic' means, it is basically the opposite of albinism when dark-colored pigment melanin is developed in the skin, thus making fur of these vixens black. Melanism not only can be seen in foxes but also a wide range of other animals.

Through the experiment of fox domestication held in Russia since 1595, the silver foxes were bred together, so that the melanism will show in each litter of fox puppies. After some years of such breeding, the trait of black color now stays with every fox generation, and these foxes are also known as the Siberian fox type.

The wild silver fox, similar to the brown, has been favorited by many folklore tales, always portraying an intelligent and wise being, such as the one in Achomawi myth of world creation. Nowadays, the term 'silver fox' is used to describe handsome older men, who have started to show gray in their hair. Pretty appropriate, right?

Below, we've gathered a compilation of these cute foxes shown not only in a domestic environment but also captured by wildlife photography. So scroll down and be prepared for the most adorable fox photos!

#1

Black Silver Fox

Matt Knoth Report

#3

Black Silver Fox

Matt Knoth Report

#4

Black Silver Fox

missymandel Report

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#5

Black Silver Fox

Gitzo Report

#6

Black Silver Fox

Report

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#9

Black Silver Fox

Imgur Report

#10

Black Silver Fox

Shelley Evans Report

#11

Black Silver Fox

Monica Chase Report

#14

Black Silver Fox

Andreas Freund Report

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#15

Black Silver Fox

Joseph Leduc Report

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#16

Black Silver Fox

Paul Keates Report

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#17

Black Silver Fox

Monika Chace Report

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#18

Black Silver Fox

Grant.C Report

#19

Black Silver Fox

Reed Miller Report

#20

Black Silver Fox

Oliver Michels Report

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#21

Black Silver Fox

Monika Chace Report

#23

Black Silver Fox

Josh Ellis Report

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#24

Black Silver Fox

Malcolm Benn Report

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#25

Black Silver Fox

Zircon_215 Report

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#26

Black Silver Fox

f6.1-f8.0 Report

#27

Black Silver Fox

Jon Wedge Report

#28

Black Silver Fox

Darcy Mcgrath Report

#29

Black Silver Fox

Ami 211 Report

#30

Black Silver Fox

andrea mitchell Report

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#31

Black Silver Fox

PietervH Report

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#32

Black Silver Fox

matt knoth Report

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#33

Black Silver Fox

Lee Shand Report

#34

Black Silver Fox

Robert Gagnon Report

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#35

Black Silver Fox

Larry Report

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#36

Black Silver Fox

Tory Kallman Report

#37

Baby Black Fox. Ink Illustration By Rasa Warg

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#39

Black Silver Fox

Tom Littlejohns Report

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#41

Black Fox Playing In A Back Garden In Yorkshire

Robert Fuller Report

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#43

Black Silver Fox

Ryan Gardiner Report

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#44

Black Silver Fox

Dave Report

#45

Black Silver Fox

Monika Chace Report