This informative post will be published on Saturday in place of my regular one.  You are invited to participate with the opening question.

Brain Teaser Question

A bus driver goes the wrong way along a one-way street.  A police officer passes him, yet he does not stop the bus driver.  Why?

(answer found at the end of this post)

Featured Facts

Found throughout the continental United States, red foxes are known for their clever and cunning intelligence.  They have been characterized as one of nature’s original artful dodgers.

Here are a few quick facts about red foxes:

• Body length:  18-34 inches
• Tail length:  12-22 inches
• Weight:  6-20 pounds
• Top speed:  30 mph
• Lifespan:  2-4 years

Because of their ability to adapt, foxes live in a diversity of habitats:  forests, grasslands, deserts, marshes, and mountains.  Featuring a rusty, reddish brown fur, foxes are larger than their cousins, the grey fox and Arctic fox.

Being an omnivore, foxes enjoy a variety of food sources:  insects, crayfish, fruits, reptiles, rodents, birds, eggs, and rabbits.  They are members of the dog family (canidae), but they lack necessary facial muscles to bare their teeth.

During the daytime, most foxes remain hidden in burrows or dens.  Their acute sense of hearing greatly aids their search for prey.  They have the ability to jump high in the air before pouncing upon their next meal.  Being nocturnal hunters, they usually hunt alone.  If they have surplus food, they will likely bury it.  

With the arrival of autumn, foxes’ fur thickens for the coming winter season.  Seeking warmth on a cold night, foxes enjoy being curled up within their long, bushy tails.  For mating purposes, males and females frequently pair up during the winter months of December through February.  

Moving from top left and clockwise:  adult foxes.  final two images:  pairs from the younger generation.  (Images courtesy of Pinterest)

Answer to Brain Teaser Question

The bus driver is walking.