In Helsinki, you may occasionally see fearless urban foxes scampering about right in the city centre. The red fox (Vulpes vulpes) makes its den in a burrow dug on the ground or a crevice under a small rock or building.
The female red fox chooses a quiet location for giving birth. Over the years, red fox litters have been spotted in Pasila, on the Pihlajasaari islands and in Laajasalo. The male also participates in taking care of the pups. Sometimes the parents are also assisted by a female born the previous year that is still too young to have pups of her own.
The red fox leaves a distinctly straight line of pawprints. Foxes can travel long distances, especially in the winter, sometimes crossing the ice to visit far away islands.