Red Fox - Coat Color Variant

More Foxy Stories - 

As it turns out facial expressions are easier to capture on light colored animals, so the tendency is to come home with dozens of photos of light-colored critters.  But this strangely patterned fox kit had me mesmerized.  This is a Red Fox and it's siblings were 'red'; this fox is clearly a 'cross'.  We were told it's father was a silver/black fox.  This type of color variation does not usually occur in the wild;  when it does it is often in cold climates.

Let's hope some zealous hunter doesn't consider this colorful little fellow a trophy...

"A mutant "arctic marble" was born in a silver fox litter at Sverre
Ombers farm in Norway in 1945. When a red or silver fox gene is added
to a marble fox, the mix is calico patterns in red, brown, black and
gray."

Adult Red Fox from a different den.