Red fox cubs play at sunset in the Gobi Desert on the southern outskirts of Karamay, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. [Photo by Min Yong/for chinadaily.com.cn]

In the Gobi Desert on the southern outskirts of Karamay, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, a photographer captured an image of a litter of red fox cubs poking their fluffy heads out of their den on Monday night.

Other cubs chased, tumbled, and played on the earthen slope near the den entrance. They sometimes paused to sniff the air, or pounced on one another in playful bursts. An adult fox stood nearby, ever alert and protective of the young.

The red fox is a protected wildlife species under second-class national protection. It's the largest and most widely distributed fox species, with highly developed hearing and smell, and alert and agile behavior. It preys mainly on rodents, hares, and small birds.

According to a local wildlife protection association, red foxes are well adapted to the desert environment, preferring to den in burrows or rock crevices. April to June is a breeding and rearing period. Many suburban areas of Karamay host fox dens where they breed in clusters, with each litter typically numbering four to eight cubs.

In recent years, Karamay has advanced ecological projects to restore wetlands, recover desert vegetation, and enhance water system management. The improved suburban ecology has provided abundant prey for clustered red foxes. Meanwhile, public awareness of wildlife protection has risen, reducing disturbances and creating a safer living space for the foxes to settle and raise their young.

Min Yong contributed to this story.

An adult red fox tends to its baby cubs in suburban Karamay, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. [Photo by Min Yong/for chinadaily.com.cn]

Red foxes spotted in the Gobi Desert of suburban Karamay, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. [Photo by Min Yong/for chinadaily.com.cn]

Red foxes gather at their den entrance in the Gobi Desert on the eastern outskirts of Karamay, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. [Photo by Min Yong/for chinadaily.com.cn]

Red fox cubs spotted in the Gobi Desert of suburban Karamay, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. [Photo by Min Yong/for chinadaily.com.cn]