Afghan fox is a small fox. The height at the withers is about 30 cm, the length of the body is 40–50 cm, the length of the tail is 33–41 cm, and the height of the ear is about 9 cm; weight - 1.5-3 kg.
The color of winter coat is brownish-gray, with a noticeable coating that extends along the top of a long fluffy tail.
The Afghan fox has been described as a type of feline appearance and behavior. This small fox has a short, slender face, a long, densely pubescent tail, which is equal to the length of the body of the fox, with long and dark hairs on the back. The head is decorated with very large ears, which help not only to hear well, but also dissipate excess heat, helping to cool the body in hot weather. The sharp slender muzzle has a distinctive black stripe, extending from the eyes to the upper lip. The pillows of the legs are not covered with hair, unlike other desert foxes, which have a thick layer of hair to protect their paws from hot sand. Males and females are very similar to each other.
Winter fur is soft and luxurious, consisting of rusty-brown hair, with a gray undercoat and black outer hairs, which in total creates a general brownish-gray coat color, with a noticeable black coating spreading over the top of a very long fluffy tail. Belly and throat are light, whitish. The tip of the tail is usually dark, but may be white. In some areas of its range, the color of the fur can vary greatly and can be dark, almost black, or light brown. Large ears are covered with sparse hairs and have a uniform dark brown color.
It occurs from the eastern regions of the Middle East to Afghanistan. Found in the following countries: Afghanistan, Egypt (Sinai), Iran, Israel, Jordan, Oman, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates and Yemen. The main part of the range is Eastern Iran, Afghanistan and Northwest Hindustan. From other areas, the species is excluded by interspecific competition with ordinary foxes .
The Afghan fox is found in semi-desert steppes and mountains, at an altitude of up to 2000 m above sea level, inhabiting mountainous, uninhabited habitats, hills, rocky slopes, canyons and steep cliffs. Historically, zoologists believed that the species avoided the hot desert lowlands, but they were found near the Dead Sea in Israel - an area that reaches extreme temperatures in the summer. They are also found in agricultural regions where grapes, melons and other vegetables and fruits are grown.
In the Arabian desert, the distribution of the fox is not limited to access to free water that they receive from food. Thanks to this, in Israel, foxes inhabit the driest and hottest areas. The highest population density is recorded in the Judean desert at an altitude of 100-350 m below sea level.
The Afghan fox is an omnivore. She eats insects (including locusts), small mammals (rodents). And according to available observations, it is more herbivorous than other foxes.
