I was sorely tempted to write about another thrush today as another species appeared in my garden today, but I thought two in two days is a bit much; best save it for a rainy day. So today’s species is one that I encountered on the way home from work in the early hours of the morning and subsequently kept me awake earlier with its barking. Plus I have my own photo rather than having to go down the Wiki Commons route!
What: (Red) Fox Vuples vulpes (Linnaeus, 1758)
When: 19th January 2020
Where: Poynton, Cheshire, UK
Who saw it? Me
Is it bigger than a blackbird? Yes, obviously, it’s a fox!
What is it? It’s a fox. Red/orange coloured fur with a white belly and a bushy tail. They can be found throughout the entire northern hemisphere and, rather stupidly, been introduced to Australia for some reason; stupid colonialists! They are related to domestic dogs, both being in the Canidae or Canine family. For centuries in the UK they were hunted and ripped apart in the name of sport, a practice now illegal and on the wain although illegal hunting still takes place. They can still be legally shot as ‘vermin,’ as they do hunt chickens, although they will scavenge for just about anything.
A fact I have learned about this species: Foxes had almost become extinct in the 18th century in England and subsequently vast numbers were imported from elsewhere in Europe during the 19th century in order for them to be hunted. (Ref: Stephens, R. (2003) The Boom of the Bitterbump: The Folk-history of Cheshire’s Wildlife Gordon Emery, Chester)
Is it charismatic in my opinion? Yes. No doubt. Far to clever and wily to be anything other than charismatic. Another one of those species that bothers us so much that some people like to exterminate it.
A Species a Day 