steve firth

http://tinyurl.com/2q7ots

Twenty-first century fox

Simon Jenkins wants to 'suppress this vermin', but exterminating urban
foxes would be unpopular, inhumane and pointless.

writer John Bryant

My initial reaction, when reading a piece like Simon Jenkins', is that
I'm always amazed at how much ignorance there is about urban foxes,
which is probably one of the most studied wild animals on the planet.
There's about 35 years of intensive research into the UK's urban fox
populations, mostly by Bristol University, which is the world
authority.

A pair of urban foxes have a territory of 60 acres, about 150 gardens,
and all Bristol University's research shows that if you resort to
killing or removal of nuisance foxes, their vacant territory is filled
by neighbouring foxes within days. The government and local
authorities in London spent millions of pounds of tax payers' and rate
payers' money trying to rid the capital of fox for 40 years from the
1940s up until the 1980s, with the result that there were more foxes
than when they started over a wider area. In other words, it was a
policy that comprehensively failed, as mass culls almost always do.
So, there's no point in killing or removing them; deterrence is the
only logical solution.

The two unchallengeable facts emerging from the Bristol research are
that foxes are not dangerous to humans - there is no authenticated
case of a fox ever attacking a human being (compared with 250,000 dog
attacks on people in the UK every year) - and there is no medical
record in the UK of anyone ever contracting a disease from foxes (with
the exception of the occasional wildlife hospital worker getting a
mange mite or two, which is easily treated). The other fact that is
interesting is that the polls, including a fairly recent BBC online
poll, which followed an unchallenged story of a couple in Croydon
about foxes wrecking their garden. The BBC did an online poll that
showed 80% of respondents regarded foxes as "an important part of
British wildlife", which does show the level of affection.

Foxes, like any other animal, can be a nuisance, of course, with
fouling and digging and noise (screaming, in particular), but these
problems are easily countered with proven deterrence techniques. There
are chemical repellents (like cat or dog repellents); sometimes,
raising a fence can be the solution; but there are also more
sophisticated responses, such as devices that detect intruding animals
and squirt water at them. I've installed those in schools, on bowling
greens and on golf courses, to prevent foxes digging, and they work
very well.

As for the issue of mange, which Jenkins makes much of, the National
Fox Welfare Society, based in Northampton, will send out - free of
charge - mange treatment and advice anywhere in the country. And there
are several wildlife rescue groups around London that will cage-trap
badly affected foxes, get them into a clinic and return them to their
home when they are cured (the Fox Project, based in Tunbridge Wells;
London Wildcare, in Wallington; Wildlife Aid, based in Leatherhead,
and other groups).

The trick is to leave your resident foxes where they are - to keep
away other foxes - but to educate them as to where they're welcome and
where they're not. They soon learn.

Comment No. 466921
March 9 12:14
Is this like the possum problem in Sydney roofs? If they are native
fauna we need all the urban wildlife that survive. We are part of
"nature" but in urban living it is too easy to forget this!

Comment No. 466932
March 9 12:21
Persoanally speaking I would rather get rid of dogs; they make more
mess than foxes, and bite the faces off children.

They are a worse creature, it is only because we anthropomorphise that
they have any value.

In yesterdays obit on Baudrillard he had something to say about pets.

Can't remember though!

Comment No. 466954
March 9 12:32
GBR We used to be worried about foxes having a go at our cats when
they were out at night.

It turns out though that the felines are the aggressors and the foxes
will only fight to protect their young.

We like having foxes in our garden. They can be a little noisy but so
can my neighbours and nobody is advocating culling them (I hope :-)

[Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.] Margate
Comment No. 466961
March 9 12:36
GBR We have a very friendly community of foxes in Brixton. They're
more than happy to wander along the pavement in broad daylight. I saw
one carrying a handbag last night, perhaps left over after a mugging.

[Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.] Lacanian
Comment No. 466984
March 9 12:49
GBR "My initial reaction, when reading a piece like Simon Jenkins', is
that I'm always amazed at how much ignorance there is about urban
foxes, which is probably one of the most studied wild animals on the
planet."

Sorry for the pedantry but shouldn't it either read:

....I'm always amazed at how much ignorance there is about urban foxes,
which are probably one of the most studied wild animals on the planet.

or

....I'm always amazed at how much ignorance there is about the urban
fox, which is probably one of the most studied wild animals on the
planet.

?

[Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.] systemaddict
Comment No. 466988
March 9 12:50
GBR I'm quite happy about the urban foxes I see passing by the end of
my garden every other day or so. Every now and then we see them
actually passing our side of the fence early in the morning and I'm
pretty sure it is they who perform a valuable service in tidying up
the grey squirrels I shoot and leave out for them.

[Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.] AMouseNamedSerge
Comment No. 467002
March 9 12:55
DEU @Margate -

Did that fox have heels and a short skirt on, too?


Foxy...

[Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.] Waltz
Comment No. 467011
March 9 12:59
GBR @ margate - "I saw one carrying a handbag last night, perhaps left
over after a mugging."

Jeez, don't tell Simon Jenkins! He'll be adding mugging to his list of
charges against urban foxes.


[Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.] streathamite
Comment No. 467019
March 9 13:05
GBR I've seen loads of foxes around the streets of south london,
strolling around bold as brass. fine by me, they're the least
dangerous thing round here

[Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.] jimminybob
Comment No. 467061
March 9 13:23
GBR there's loads of them in s. london; it's rare to walk back from
home after a night out and not see at least one. and they seem to be
getting tamer. Haven't noticed them causing any damage.

[Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.] jonjo
Comment No. 467072
March 9 13:28
GBR I was doing some work at Lambeth Palace Garden last week and kept
coming across the same fox, moving around in the shrubberies.

I understand the Archbishop of Canterbury likes to support his local
biodiversity - and this fox certainly seemed blessed with very good
health.

And if the Archbish likes foxes, why can't the rest of us live and let
live too?

[Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.] Agog
Comment No. 467079
March 9 13:32
Faunal prejudice, no less.

@Lacanian
Well said.

[Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.] Vesca
Comment No. 467107
March 9 13:45
Aside from sentiment - because they are cute - I've also found the
urban foxes eat the snails on my allotment, a serious consideration
when you try to be organic.

[Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.] aquilla
Comment No. 467108
March 9 13:45
When I lived in Leytonstone I saw five together; 3 cubs 2 adults,
wandering across the street around midnight. I found out that there
was a lair in between two houses over the street from me. Didn't
bother the residents, less trouble than the dogs, and didn't shit on
the pavement.


[Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.] SlackAlice
Comment No. 467146
March 9 14:03
GBR I enjoy haveing foxes in my back garden and when the vixen is in
heat i put meat out for them regularly.

when the pups arrive I continue to feed them and love watching from a
blacked out house as the play in the garden and try and look through
the patio doors.

The one disadvantage is they roll over and destroy my bluebells, but
hey, having wildlife in the back garden is a delight.

Personally I believe if we are going to cull anything, then it would
be better to cull cats, which along with Orcas and humans are the only
predetors that enjoy killing, because the damage they do to the bird
population. Then again, the human population is so out of control and
as it is as likely to be as destructive and the asteroid that wiped
out the dinosaur maybe we should ...........

[Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.] Spartan300
Comment No. 467195
March 9 14:22
GBR scary how some people want to annihilate anything that causes them
a bit of minor irritation. live and let live is a good philosophy.
some of you should try it.

[Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.] Bagoas
Comment No. 467230
March 9 14:32
GBR I too found Simon Jenkins' post absurd and wildly overstated,
though like some other posters I didn't agree with the hunting ban. We
regularly see foxes around my block of flats in Southsea, Hampshire.
They are highly ornamental and make less noise than the traffic, the
drunken clubbers and the occasional ship's foghorn.

[Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.] kakihara
Comment No. 467269
March 9 14:46
GBR @SlackALice "cull cats, which along with Orcas and humans are the
only predetors that enjoy killing"

My turn to be pedantic (or maybe just mislead) but AFAIK there's a
reason cats play with their prey til it's well and truly dead - and
it's not for fun ...

Cats learn a lot of things from their mother including the way to kill
the prey they've caught. As most domestic cats over the generations
were separeted from their parents before they could learn this, it's
not really "common feline knowledge" in the domestic (ie not TRULY
wild) population.

So basiclly once your average moggy gets it's paws on a bird or
whatever it's pretty well buggered - no idea how to kill it so it just
tosses the critter around until something breaks or it dies of shock.

[Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.] aquilla
Comment No. 467303
March 9 15:00
The thing about cats, they do slowly kill their prey as they are not
killing for food.

So cat lovers you feeding your cats, increase the pain birds/mice feel
in relation.

Starving cat = immediate death.

Sated cat = slow death.

[Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.] Spartan300
Comment No. 467353
March 9 15:15
GBR alternatively you could attach several large jingly bells to your
cat's collar so that the birdies get some warning as it pounces.

[Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.] ShatterFace
Comment No. 467379
March 9 15:27
GBR Frankly I'd like to see wolves and grizzly bears released on the
kids of Hampstead wingers.

If they are never bitten they'll never develop immunity.

[Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.] RogerINtheUSA
Comment No. 467432
March 9 15:50
USA
In Los Angeles this problem could be easily handled by spreading the
word among the Mara Salvatrucha and the Latin Kings that the fox is a
symbol of the Bloods and of the Crips.

[Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.] AC89
Comment No. 467462
March 9 16:05
USA "all Bristol University's research shows that if you resort to
killing or removal of nuisance foxes, their vacant territory is filled
by neighbouring foxes within days."

I think you could say that about most urban wildlife. Here in the
states, trappers catching animals for the fur trade are always
defending themselves saying "if we don't go out and trap the raccoons,
foxes, and coyotes, we're all going to die of rabies and the animals
are going to over-populate and starve." Though there's not a shred of
evidence that trapping solves disease problems. Especially with
coyotes, if you trap, shoot, or poison them heavily, they just produce
more pups.

So please support humane wildlife conflict resolution in your
communities. And please also don't buy real fur!

[Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.] LaRitournelle
Comment No. 467478
March 9 16:16
GBR Thanks folks for making me laff my head off - things can get way
too serious and nasty on Comment sometimes....Just shows how attached
we are to our little foxy friends!
(-:

[Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.] martinusher
Comment No. 467556
March 9 16:57
USA Those animals are preying on wildlife that would otherwise become
a nuisance. So the only rule should be "no artificial feeding" -- if
we don't feed them then they'll regulate themselves, if we do then
they'll overrun the place. This rule should apply to everything,
including such traditional pastimes as feeding ducks in the park.

Our equivalent to the urban fox is the coyote. They're one up on foxes
because they'll take cats.


[Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.] freepoland
Comment No. 467574
March 9 17:05
GBR kakihara: cats play with their victims, which looks nasty. But ask
a chicken keeper what happens when the red devil gets in among the
poultry. Feathers, bodies, indiscriminate massacre, and the sad loss
of friends who have laid hundreds of eggs and given visual pleasure
and companionship, for no obvious nutritional gain. Foxes need anger
management classes; if they do not mend their ways, I will be donating
to the Countryside Alliance and, if I hear that the Cameronites are
reverting to type and legalising the hunt, voting Tory.

[Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.] ShatterFace
Comment No. 467575
March 9 17:06
GBR I remember Frederik Forsyth defending fox hunting on the grounds
that (a) it helps protect other wildlife, and (b) it improves the
health of foxes themselves by weeding out the weak.

The fact that this logic would result in the breeding superfoxes far
more destructive to wildlife seemed to escape him.

And 'The Fourth Protocol' was w*nk.

[Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.] Bugaboo
Comment No. 467724
March 9 18:28
GBR I was very interested to hear about Simon Jenkins wish to suppress
feral vermin from our suburban streets. However, I soon lost interest
when I realised he was talking about Fox's, I quite like Fox's.

[Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.] MightyChimp
Comment No. 467793
March 9 19:29
USA If I can kill a mole that's ripping up my garden, or a rat that's
in my floorboards, why should I not be allowed to kill a fox if I
don't want it on my property? Unless of course it is a protected
species, which I don't think it is.

I just don't get contemporary societies fascination with animal
rights. But maybe I am just a bit cold-hearted.

[Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.] israelvisitor
Comment No. 467835
March 9 19:53
GBR If foxes are killing rats, they're doing us all a good turn;
unless, of course, this is making the rats breed ever faster to
compensate.

[Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.] jsthecountryman
Comment No. 467976
March 9 21:43
GBR More than likely they are killing rats, and mice, and anything
else they can get their paws on.

Could it be possible that an over population might be reducing the
prey that other species could be feeding on e.g. owls? But then big
cities are already doing their best to kill off everything else, by
polluting and destroying every bit of habitat possible, so why make
the effort of a balanced eco-system in the big cities by managing
predators to an appropriate level.

[Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.] WhiteCanary
Comment No. 468079
March 9 23:03
USA If foxes are anything at all like coyotes the fewer there are the
more they will breed. In a coyote pack only the alpha male and female
breed, the rest of the pack does not, if the alphas are eliminated the
pack will breed like rabbits. I believe foxes are much more solitary
in their habits but still gaps in territory will
be filled immediatly (nature abhors a void) human kind has its own
irritating
habit of picking out what it considers undesirable traits and using
those as an
excuse for "culling" the offenders be they animal or human. How
eaislly we are
offended by something or someone elses habits makes my head spin.
Clearly
the fact that animals respond to instincts supplied to them by Mother
Nature
herself allows them no reprieve from the censure of those who would
seek to
eliminate them. True there are problems to deal with. I had one of my
champion
bantams snatched by a fox one night and the neighbor found the entire
bird
sans head (which was nearby) laying next to the street. 1 point
against the fox.
On the other hand the man that lives nextdoor decided he would make a
point
about my crowing roosters by shooting one of them with his BB gun. He
killed
it. 1 point against the human. At least I like to believe that had the
fox not been
startled for some reason it would have eaten the chicken. The man had
no such
motive nor was he reacting out of instinct. I have also lost chickens
and cats to
coyote predation. BUT unlike some I CAN BE TAUGHT ! My cats come in at
night
and my chickens are cooped every evening. If I lose them now its my
fault.
As for the neighbors not very neighborly action, short of pressing
charges and
spending time in court there was nothing I could do. Thank God he
stopped with one lucky shot.
What I see with so many of these articles about animals and people
coexsisting is that people would rather fight than switch.
The cat owner who refuses to break his cats habit of killing birds. (
it can be done quite eaisly)
The journalist who crys buckets over Regents Park but can't live with
a Fox in the neighborhood.
The people who move to the country for its atmosphere and find they
cant
abide the sound of a rooster at dawn (but strangly have no problem
with car
alarms or domestic disputes).
The folks that think wild things should not live in the city but offer
no solutions to the encrochment of that city into formerly wild
places.
People who bemoan the results of a society unchecked by rules and
morals
yet cringe at the idea of youthful dicipline judiciously applied.
Why do we with the ability to reason give credence to their whining?
The bottom line is this. We may not want to live with some aspects of
Nature
but there is no way we can live without it and survive. The cretures
that have
had the strength and determination to survive in the city have earned
their place there and I for one admire them immesurably.


[Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.] DyslexicAunt
Comment No. 468246
March 10 4:27
AUS I'm no fan of Malthus but it seems to me that a really big problem
in the UK and elsewhere is not the burgeoning fox [insert other
geographical alternatives here] populations and whatever ludicrously
inflated damage that they are alleged by Mr Jenkins et al to commit,
but rather the uncontrolled and pernicious expansion of our own
species.