Conservation & Ecology
The fox is an opportunist; more than
capable of catching its own dinner, but equally happy to decimate the contents of a chicken shed; and it is this latter behaviour that rankles. In truth, the fox is not killing indiscriminately, but rather for its store or larder. Given the opportunity - which it rarely gets - it will return to take away all its prey to store for consumption at a later date. A bit like a shopping trip to Tesco, if you will. To fully appreciate the fox, one needs to
understand its lifestyle. Foxes are canines, closely related to domestic dogs. They are generally nocturnal but, if left undisturbed, will happily forage for food during the day. Their diet is diverse and includes small mammals, birds and their eggs, fruit and insects. They will also take carrion, so can be regarded as cleaning up the countryside. In
urban areas they will scavenge from dustbins, bird tables and compost heaps. This is regarded as verminous behaviour but, in truth, it is we humans who are providing the opportunity and the fox is not to blame. Equally, they will take cats, guinea pigs,
rabbits etc. but, again, we are asking them to make the distinction between domestic and wild on a human level! One study of a fox’s stomach recorded
thirty-four different mammal species, fourteen species of bird, fifteen insects and twenty-one species of plants. Worldwide, there are twelve true species
of fox, with the Red Fox being the most common. The males are known as reynards (that word again) or dogs, whilst the females are called vixens; a term often used, along with foxy, in reference to a sexy woman!
The average litter size is around four to six and the success rate to adulthood will be dependent on the available food source. The vixen generally rears the cubs on her own although, in some cases, the dog fox will stay close to the den to help out. The breeding season in the UK is December through to the end of February. The vixen will take up occupancy of a breeding earth in February, staying there until mid June, when the cubs will appear above ground after being weaned. During the mating season, dog foxes will
travel great distances to finds a receptive vixen, stopping during his travels to make his unmistakable high pitched bark, then waiting to hear the banshee like three screams made by a vixen - both calls can be blood curdling if you are of a nervous disposition!
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