Foxes

[northepaul]

I imagine everyone read the, in my opinion, ludicous, news report of the fox that apparently removed a baby from a cot and bit its finger off.

I know foxes arent the most popular critters on here, especially if anyone keeps chickens.

However is this simply another attempt by the powers that be, to discredit foxes and a dack door way of gaining support to reintroduce fox hunting, or do you believe the story as merit?


What are you opinions in general?

(I think you can guess mine from the tone of the question! )

[Aberdeenplotter]

This was a story about an urban fox. Now is it anything to do with trying to re-introduce foxhunting? They don't rampage through urban areas chasing foxes do they?

The baby's hand needed surgery. I don't think reporting that is ludicrous.

Having said that a lot of the problem is caused by people feeding them. If there was no ready source of food for them, they would vacate the urban areas.

Not often we are on different sides of a debate.

[kathycam]

I don't think most people would differentiate between urban and country foxes, so its likely to have damaged their reputation. I doubt it was intentional, but could mean people become more in favour of fox hunting.

[Glutton4...]

It doesn't matter what side of the fence you are on regarding Fox-hunting; the rural Fox has long been a menace, just like Rats and Pigeons. The reason for the rise in 'urban' Foxes, is that they are no longer controlled, so their territory spreads into more densely populated areas. It's all very well banning a control method, but another needs to be implemented. No one would accept packs of stray Dogs roaming the place, would they?

I agree that they are beautiful creatures, and can understand why people may choose to 'lure' them into their gardens with feed, especially if they wish to study and photograph them. However, the rise in their population means that food is that much more scarce, and they will, inevitably, take more risks to obtain food for their young.

Personally, I have no problem believing the 'Fox attacked baby' story. Sadly, it will take incidents like this before something is done to control their population. I hope the little chap is recovering well.

[Potstubsdustbins]

G4 puts it very well. I am not for hunting with dogs per se and I abhor the use of poison. But the fox has no natural preditor and therefore needs to be controlled by some means otherwise we will see more of these attacks on very young vunerable babies.

Colin

[PyreneesPlot]

Maybe if a third of all food didn't end up in dustbins and then landfill the urban fox population might be less likely to grow?

[Madasafish]

We have foxes behind us.

We trap and shoot them..Which is all they are good for in an environment with chickens (not mine)..

Furry animals are not lovey dovey when they need to feed..

As for human food waste feeding them.. well round here the alternative diet of foxes is garden worms...

There are people who feed foxes.. It's rather like feeding larger rats.

[northepaul]

Amidst controversy - interesting.

I am sorry but I just dont buy that the fox would come into someones house, walk through the kitchen (and presumably pass the bin) right past the mother watching TV in the next room, take the baby out of its cot and bite its finger, and the woman had to kick it to get it off......doesnt sound like any urban foxes I know...

All the ones round here wont come anywhere near people, and certainly not hang around after being seen. Definately more likely to go through a bin than creep around attacking babies.

I dont think they are lovely sweet cuddly things, but at the same time I dont think they deserve to be hunted with dogs for sport.

[Feral007]

I'm not a dog's for sport or bait person either. But I do know that wild animals can get out of control in numbers these days.
Here in the old days, when there was no food the roo's died out, or the population held until there was rain and food. But nowadays when there's no food growing, we buy it in.

There's no getting around that human beings upset the balance that often exists when we are not around.

As for the fox walking thru a house.....I don't believe everything I read or see on the news. There's usually a grain of truth, the fox and the baby, but the story of how it happened is probably wildly exaggerated.

Edited to add: and was the fox handreared by someone as a pup? We have a wombat that won't stop excavating under our house. He was a rescued baby by the former owners and he won't go away. Even if the dogs get after him, he still comes back.

[Potstubsdustbins]

The main problem as I see it is not the scavanging although that is bad enough, it is the deliberate feeding of these so called wild creatures.

I remember a documentary a while back where someone was feeding foxes so that they could film them. Part of the film showed the vixen bringing her cubs for the nightly feast. Those cubs will grow up with less concern about man than their parents. Just a few generations will see their offspring without any fear of man.
AND THAT IS WHEN THEY GET DANGEROUS. Remember they are equiped much the same as a dog but with better survival instincts.

It is man interfering once again that disrupts nature, after all it was man that took away the foxes natural preditor's. Mind you it could be worse we could have wolves and bears roaming the countryside, that would make life very interesting.

Colin

[VirginVegGrower]

It doesn't matter what side of the fence you are on regarding Fox-hunting; the rural Fox has long been a menace, just like Rats and Pigeons. The reason for the rise in 'urban' Foxes, is that they are no longer controlled, so their territory spreads into more densely populated areas. It's all very well banning a control method, but another needs to be implemented. No one would accept packs of stray Dogs roaming the place, would they?

I agree that they are beautiful creatures, and can understand why people may choose to 'lure' them into their gardens with feed, especially if they wish to study and photograph them. However, the rise in their population means that food is that much more scarce, and they will, inevitably, take more risks to obtain food for their young.

Personally, I have no problem believing the 'Fox attacked baby' story. Sadly, it will take incidents like this before something is done to control their population. I hope the little chap is recovering well.

My mother is a feeder as she loves wildlife. She and I clash on this, but it's our only clash. They stroll through my garden with gay abandon. We have to lock up any and every bit of rubbish. One ripped apart my neighbours' elderly cat last year and I mean ripped it apart too. That's the reality!

[VirginVegGrower]

G4 puts it very well. I am not for hunting with dogs per se and I abhor the use of poison. But the fox has no natural preditor and therefore needs to be controlled by some means otherwise we will see more of these attacks on very young vunerable babies.

Colin

I don't know...my foxy terrier tries hard

[Glutton4...]

... One ripped apart my neighbours' elderly cat last year and I mean ripped it apart too. That's the reality!

No offence to anyone, but that IS the reality, and anyone who thinks it can't or won't happen to a child, needs a reality check. Sorry.

[Newton]

They do not have a reputation for being cunning for nothing......they will cleverly seek out a vulnerable prey and if this means bypassing a stupid human who thinks they are cuddly then it IS possible the story is true.

I really hope the poor victim is recovering well.

[Potstubsdustbins]

No offence to anyone, but that IS the reality, and anyone who thinks it can't or won't happen to a child, needs a reality check. Sorry.

Thanks G4, guess I am getting soft in my old age, but that is exactly what I wanted to say, but didn't want the controversy.

Potty