Red Fox FAQ

For answers to those fox worries and behaviour questions

Why will foxes kill more than one chicken at a time?

For the same reason that most of us buy more than one slice of bread when we go to the supermarket - it is, quite simply, forward planning, and while it can be distressing to see, it is only an instinctive response to finding a plentiful source of food.

Unlike, say, horses, foxes' access to their various food supplies is erratic, and their survival instincts dictate that they should make maximum use of whatever opportunities come their way. Anything that they cannot eat at once will eventually be taken away and buried for future use. Of course, from the chicken keeper's perspective, this is another reason to keep them humanely and securely out of the chicken coop (please see a list of useful links here).

Surplus killing is rare under natural conditions because wild prey is generally good at defending itself. For example, if a predator takes a woodpigeon, the rest of the flock will fly away, something that chickens in a hutch are unable to do.

Do foxes need to be controlled?

Foxes, like all wild members of the dog family, are controlled by their own social structure; it is not in the interest of dominant group members to allow subordinates to breed. In any given year, many foxes in the population will not reproduce. Killing foxes in "control" actions simply opens up gaps in their breeding hierarchy that otherwise non-breeding foxes will exploit.

In theory, they are also limited by availability of food, but their population rarely reaches densities high enough for this to kick in. The only British wild animal which has a strong impact on their numbers is the badger; fox numbers tend to sharply rise where badgers are culled. This is probably through competition for some natural resource, but the mechanics of the fox-badger relationship are not yet fully understood.

Some people argue that the extinction of the wolf in the UK means that foxes should be hunted by humans. However, wolves do not kill foxes except on rare occasions. The relationship between the two species has been studied in North America, and foxes actually benefit from the presence of wolves because they scavenge on wolf-killed deer.

Are foxes vermin?

Foxes are a native British species that is not, and has never been, classed as vermin by DEFRA. Their predation upon lambs and chickens is very low compared to the total of pre-abattoir livestock mortality, and by preying upon crop-eating rabbits and voles, they can actually financially benefit agriculture.

Does the ban on hunting with hounds mean that foxes will be poisoned?

Gassing and poisoning foxes is illegal, and carries the risk of a £5000 fine. The police will investigate allegations of these activities with a view to prosecuting those responsible. Foxes are given some protection under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and the The Wild Mammal (Protection) Act 1996.

Are foxes getting bigger?

While stories of "giant" foxes occasionally appear in the tabloids, there is absolutely no scientific evidence to suggest that foxes are growing larger, or indeed that urban foxes are any bigger than their rural counterparts.

I'm a big fan of foxes. How do I get one as a pet?

While foxes are engaging, beautiful and highly intelligent animals, they are not suitable as pets. Dogs have been bred for 10,000 years to fit in with human society, but foxes are still intensely imbued with wild instincts. There are several fictional children's stories in circulation where the kids have foxes as pets and, unfortunately, none give a remotely realistic impression of what handling foxes is actually like.

The best way to demonstrate affection for foxes is to help protect them where they belong: in the wild. Please consider joining a wildlife protection group or donating to your local wild animal rescue centre.

 

 

 

All photos, text and other content © Adele Brand (www.thesittingfox.co.uk) 2006 - 2011. Inspired by stuff found at www.webcodingtech.com.