Against all
odds foxes have maintained their numbers. Their adaptability
has ensured their success, as city encroaches on rural
regions, they colonize both contrasting habitats with
apparent ease.
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FOX FOOD
A major factor contributing to the fox's success is
their eating habits. Foxes are omnivores, who will eat
virtually anything they come across. They have a
reputation for taking poultry, but more often eat such
undesirables as rats and slugs, along with fruit,
berries, roots, carrion, and, in cities, discarded chips
and pizzas. Instead of chicken thieves, they are more
frequently nature's dustmen. |
LIFESTYLE
Foxes often only live for one or two years, although they
have been known to survive up to nine years. They are
territorial, and for most of the year they form small family
groups. Mating occurs in January, so this is the chief time
for traveling. In March the cubs are often born after a
fifty-three day gestation period. Care of the young is often
delegated to females related to the mother. The cubs soon
grow and, through play, learn to fend for themselves.
Consequently the adults often leave them alone for long
periods. It is important not to interfere with "abandoned"
cubs, as the vixens will return for them. Between August and
November the cubs leave the family group to find new
territories, often taking over from old and weak adults.
These territories can they occupy. Territories range from
two square miles in urban areas to forty square miles in
hill country.
FOX SPOTTING
Foxes are active nocturnally, so the best time to watch for
them is at dawn or dusk. They do not hibernate, so are often
seen all year round, but in the summer you may have the
added bonus of seeing the cubs playing. Foxes are very
distinctive, although people are often surprised at how
small they are, just a foot high to the shoulder. They are
not necessarily very red either, they can be many shades of
brown.
THREAT OR THREATENED?
When a fox and cat meet, they will either ignore each other,
or the fox will come off worst. As long as small pets such
as guinea pigs and rabbits are securely locked up they will
not be taken. However, tamed foxes that are released are a
problem for poultry farmers and other stock- keepers as
their lack of fear enables them to take stock during
daytime, near to human activity. Most diseases that affect
foxes are not transmittable to humans, or their pets, and if
rabies is introduced, foxes will be no more dangerous than
domestic cats and dogs. People pose far more danger to foxes
than vice versa. Cars are the primary cause of casualties,
killing foxes feeding on carrion and foxes on the move.
Foxes who are injured often recover, hidden away, and should
not be moved, although supplying food may improve their
survival chances. Likewise, cubs who are "rescued" when
thought to be abandoned do not usually prosper, and truly
orphaned cubs are often cared for by other family members.
"Pest control" generally has a small impact on the fox
population as a whole. The more important point is that
gassing, snaring, shooting, poisoning, digging out and
hunting with the pack is cruel to the individuals. These are
not illegal, however, provided they conform to certain
national standards, and restrictions on their use are
generally down to the landowner involved. If you have
unwanted fox visitors, the only easy and legal way to deter
them is disturbance, moving objects around the garden, for
instance. .
See also Foxes and Urban Foxes by S. Harris, published by
Anthony Nelson
And Running with the Fox by D. MacDonald, published by Unwin
Hyman
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