Fox Myths — Dispelled
They thrive under the hush of the night sky. Agile, wily, handsome; most of us have encountered one. After being voted the third most popular British mammal in a recent BBC Wildlife survey, the elusive red fox has, over the centuries, become an iconic British species. Despite favour gained from many in the UK, this small dog faces animosity and maltreatment from a minor, but impactful number in the country. Protecting this elegant creature begins with a deeper understanding, through educating ourselves on their intriguing ecology and behaviour. Now is as good a time as any to dispel a few fox myths…
Myth: Foxes are vermin
The fox is, despite what some believe, not classified as vermin. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) is the only organisation with the ability to place any wild species in the vermin category. This is why your local council is under no obligation to remove foxes from your area.
Myth: Foxes kill cats
If a cat has been hit by a car and a fox is seen scavenging the remains, then it’s often assumed that the fox is responsible for the animal’s death. In March/ April time it also isn’t uncommon to see foxes chasing cats. When this happens they’re usually chasing the animal away from a den full of cubs, as given the opportunity the cat will play with and kill the young. There have also been reported instances of packs of foxes following cats. These are usually recorded in July when the cubs are big enough to be confused for adults. If a cat is noticed by one of the plodding family’s cubs and it investigates, the others will most likely follow. Usually, once the cat has swiped at one of them, the foxes’ curiosities have been satisfied and they move on.
Myth: Foxes kill more chickens than they can eat — they kill for fun.
It’s more efficient to do a large grocery shop once a week than smaller ones every day, right? Foxes rationalise in a very similar way. If one has been wily enough to make it into your chicken coop it will kill as many birds as possible before being disturbed. It’ll eat what it needs and, if given the opportunity, will return to the coop for the other birds, take them away and bury them for later. This isn’t a savage or unique behaviour; many predators kill more prey than they need — it’s a self preservation technique. Your dog buries bones, and your cat hunts, despite being fed enough at home — their psychology is the same.
The only way to undoubtedly prevent a fox from attacking your chickens is to ensure your coop is fox-proofed. The internet is filled with great resources on how to do this — check them out.
Myth: Fox numbers are too high hence why we have to control populations through extermination.
Extermination is not a viable solution to reducing fox numbers, it’s close to pointless in fact! The UK contains more foxes than breeding territories, and so killing one will simply leave room for another to take its place within a few days. The most cost effective, long-term way to deter foxes from an area are with safe mammal repellants (available in garden centres and hardware shops), with ultrasonic devices, adequate fencing, security lights, and even peeing outside (it’s most effective if the biggest, baddest guy in your house does this)!
Myth: Foxes cause problems for farmers and landowners
Rabbits are the fox’s staple food. £7–9 million of British crop farmers’ money is saved each year from having foxes actively hunting on their land. Over the course of one fox’s life it can save an arable farmer up to £900! Forests also benefit from having foxes living on the land. Rabbit and field vole numbers are controlled by the predators, which is invaluable as they cause extensive damage to young plantations. As a result of this, economic losses to forestry are dramatically reduced. Many farmers blame foxes for livestock losses, but according to Defra 95% of lamb losses are due to poor farming practices, with confirmed losses to foxes less than 1%. The organisational body advises that farmers invest more resources in protection of stock rather than fox extermination, or other repellant means. Killing them, especially in areas where they are plentiful, costs a lot of money and doesn’t achieve much.
Myth: Foxes cause damage to gardens
The UK has just under 35,000 urban foxes; a small number of homeowners get a little frustrated at having them in their gardens. In going about their nightly adventures they can dig holes for storing food in, and leave noticeable scent marks. These are largely avoidable if you take a few simple measures: avoid using bone, blood and fish meal in your compost (as this attracts them), and swiftly fill in holes that they dig so that they don’t establish a den in your space.
Whether you’re an avid lover of our fiery fox, or keen to keep some distance between you, I hope that this has shed a little more light into the lives and habits of this beloved British animal. If there are any other myths about foxes you’d like dispelled then just let me know in the comments, and I’ll do some research into it for you!
Thanks to the folks at SaveMe.org and RHS.org for providing much of this fantastic, foxy information!
