Greater Common Sand Fox
If foxes are what happens when nature needs a feline, but has only canids to work with, then we must remember that some felines are much, much larger than others. And so it is true with canids.
The greater common sand fox is native to, and found almost exclusively on, the desert island of Tilth. It resides mostly in the wilds, though it is not uncommon for them to be found in and near the smaller settlements outside of Central Tilth.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Greater common sand foxes are quadrupedal mammals, with long legs, and long tails. On average, an adult will reach 120-150 cm at its shoulder, with males averaging slightly smaller than females.
Its head has a long, tapered muzzle filled with an assortment of teeth, similar to people. This tapered nose is particularly effective for helping the greater common sand fox burrow into soft sand dunes seeking prey such as desert-dwelling hares, snakes, and rodents. It uses its large, terrier-like paws to help it shovel loose sand out of the way when doing so.
Sand foxes have thick, bushy tails that are as long, or even slightly longer, than their bodies. These tails are essential to surviving in the harsh desert environment. They will curl up and wrap their tails around themselves, allowing the thick fur to keep them warm in the cold desert nights. Many a small dune in the night has, upon morning's warm light, been shaken off to reveal a family of greater common sand foxes curled up underneath.
Ecology and Habitats
Unlike their smaller, winged cousins, common sand foxes prefer to linger around the wild edges of Tiptown.
Behaviour
Because they do not display the same overdeveloped sense of community as the winged sand fox, many mistake them as being unsocial. This is far from true. It is just difficult for such a large animal to live in a large community, for all the usual reasons: limitations of physical space in a safe location, food needs of a large metabolism, etc.
Greater common sand foxes will, however, adopt -- or be adopted by -- a hamp of winged sand foxes. Because of this, it is a common sight around the smaller settlements to see one or two greaters accompanied by a score or more winged sand foxes flitting around as they go off on a hunt together.
Perhaps the most unique feature of the greater common sand fox is its voice. Excellent mimics, these sand foxes delight in games of copycat. They will mimic several sounds made by people including laughter, crying, screaming, and even occasional simple words such as 'help' or 'here.' More than one unwise person has been drawn out into the blowing sands of Tilth's unforgiving terrain seeking windborn cries of distress, only to find that they have been unwittingly drawn into a game of hide-and-getchoo with a playful fox the size of a large pony, out among the spiney shrubs and drifting dunes.
Additional Information
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Sand foxes have large eyes equipped with nictitating membranes that are especially resistant to blowing sand. The size of their eyes gives them excellent vision in low light conditions such as night-time and during sandswirls. They also have large, triangular ears that sit atop their head and can swivel independently of each other to focus on sounds.
Symbiotic and Parasitic organisms
One of the more fascinating and beautiful relationships in Argentii's animal populations is that between the greater common sand fox and the winged sand fox. While the greater common prefers to remain solo (as a juvenille) or as a member in a small family unit (one mated pair and their direct offspring for the first 2 years of life), it has no problem sharing its space and resources with any number of winged sand foxes
Greater common sand foxes have a countershaded color pattern, with a darker color on the back and a lighter shade on the belly. Colors typically range from tawny gold to sandy brown along the back, and creamy on the belly.
Your work is stunning! Really lovely. And now I want to see one of these huge foxes!
I just love the idea of a hamp of winged sand foxes playing with someone, luring them out into the deeper desert... Then, in the distance, a cry for help. The winds are growing, the sand is beginning to blow, but the cry sounds so close, just beyond that dune, just beyond that cloud, just between those rocks. And there, when the wind lets the blowing grit clear your vision for just a moment, you find yourself staring eye-to-eye with a fox the size of a horse. LOL LOL LOL!
Haly, the Moonlight Bard
Rhapsody by Moonlight , a daily email worldbuilding newsletter.
Terrifying. And yet such a wonderful story setting!