Urban Foxes

As a general rule, I am against anthropomorphism, but I think this is little video presents a pretty good picture of the life of urban and suburban fox (including my own garden visitors), and the trade-offs that occur in the real world when it comes to fox management.

A couple of points before you go to the video:

1. The rise of urban fox in the UK is due to the end of leghold trapping in the 1950s which came about due to pressure from the mounted fox hunts which sought to increase fox numbers. It is ironic, but true, that nothing has been better for fox populations in the UK, and around the world, than the rise of mounted fox hunts.
   
   
2. In the wild, animals do not die with morphine drips and classical music gently playing the background -- they die from starvation, parasite infestations, infections, diseases such as distemper and mange, and vehicle impacts. The best death for a wild animal is generally found at the hands of an experienced marksman.
   
   
3. Fox are rarely a real problem in the countryside or in urban areas for the simple reason that they tend to subside on trash, carrion, mice, rats, rabbit, berries, bugs, and worms, and only come out at night. True free-range chickens and ducks are increasingly rare all over, and even here fox predation can generally be minimized if coops are properly constructed with welded fox wire and a electric hot-wire running around the perimeter.
   
   
4. Urban fox and rural fox have slightly different lifestyles and habits. For a look at seasonal changes in the life of rural fox, see A Corn & Fox Year at the http://www.terrierman.com/ web site.
   
   
5. Mounted fox packs, terrier work, and nuisance-abatement trapping and culling of fox has no impact on overall fox numbers over a large area either in the UK or the US, though it can reduce fox numbers on specific farms, golf courses, or neighborhoods.
   
   

Urban Red Fox: 'Meet the Foxes' - Part 1 of 6



Urban Red Fox: 'Meet the Foxes' - Part 2 of 6



Urban Red Fox: 'Meet the Foxes' - Part 3 of 6



Urban Red Fox: 'Meet the Foxes' - Part 4 of 6



Urban Red Fox: 'Meet the Foxes' - Part 5 of 6


Urban Red Fox: 'Meet the Foxes' - Part 6 of 6
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