Why It Is Important To Have Access To Data on the 1994/1995 Mange Outbreak

 People ask why it is important to find out whether Bristol University Mammal Study Group under Prof. Stephen Harris released mange into the Bristol fox population. 

Throughout the 1970s and 1980s I never came across a fox with mange. It was not unknown but fox watchers treated as they could. Suddenly 1994/1995 and foxes are dropping all over the City with mange. Only 6% of the urban population was left.

There are problems here.  

1.  I cannot track down of widespread mange in foxes outside the City.  

2.  It was stated that a fox the Uni team were tracking "suddenly" left Bristol "for no apparent reason". A couple weeks later it returned as mysteriously with mange.

3.  One tracked fox with mange would return to its former territory so you might expect a mange outbreak in one area and slowly spread out. This outbreak of mange hit the entire fox population and this is extraordinary and I can find no literature citing similar examples.

I wrote to Prof. Harris. I emailed him and even tried phoning him between 1997-2002 and never got a response to simple and polite questions. Over the phone I was told my message would be passed on. Nothing. In 2013 I again wrote a polite letter to Prof. Harris and...nothing.

Based on geographical and other obstacles as well as territorial behaviour I estimate that mange would need to hit north, south, west and eastern parts of the City to cause such an outbreak.

I wondered whether the weather might be a factor; weather in South-west England and the wider UK during 1994/1995 was notable for a transition from a very wet, stormy winter into one of the hottest and driest summers on record. The 12-month period from November 1994 to October 1995 was the warmest recorded in the Central England Temperature (CET) series, dating back to 1659.

Could that have been a factor? No idea since any records on the outbreak are not open to the public or naturalists.

There are too many unanswered questions and the truth -based on what is recorded- is that no one involved in Bristol University's fox study noted or mapped the spread of the outbreak but simply counted dead foxes.

All these questions SHOULD raise concerns amongst animal lovers or naturalists but it seems I am the only person who would like facts. Incidentally the Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food (MAFF) and its successor Department for Environment and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) who SHOULD have had an interest in such an outbreak both told me that they had "nothing in the records" about the 1994/1995 outbreak.

Maybe I am just paranoid?

Did A University Release A Mange Fox Into Bristol?

  To start with; this is not an accusation but notes on rumours Bristol University will not respond to.

(c)2026 respective copyright owner

I have repeatedly asked Bristol University for access to its now defunct mammal group (led by Prof. Stephen Harris) papers on foxes. I either get silence or am told that I do not qualify for such access. The British Fox Study started in 1976 and continues today which, obviously, is far longer than the Bristol Uni study.

Most of the old Uni study data featured in books by Prof. Harris but a great deal remains archived (IF we believe what has been written).

Who funds Bristol University ?

• UK Government & Research Councils: Funding for research and infrastructure comes through bodies like the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), Medical Research Council (MRC), and Research England.
• Tuition Fees: Income from UK and international student fees, managed through student finance systems.
• Endowments & Donations: The university holds numerous endowment funds established by benefactors, which are invested ethically to support research and scholarships. Approximately £70m held in endowments.
• Alumni & Philanthropy: Support for research and entrepreneurship is provided by donations from alumni and friends.
• Industry Partners: Research grants and collaborations with external commercial organizations. 

My interest lies in the fact that over a period of 10 years I have received emails/messages from

 people who worked at or were connected with Bristol University. Each one notes that "it was

claimed" that the mammal study introduced mange (which killed approximately 95% of the Bristol

urban fox population.

The Mammal Group noted that for an "unknown reason" one of their radio collared study foxes 

suddenly left the City.  And "suddenly" it re-appeared and had mange which was studied as it 

spread throughout the fox population.  Each of the people who contacted me stated that this was work 

funded by a UK government office to see how fast a disease/virus *such as rabies) could spread

throughout urban fox populations.

I asked Bristol University to refute the claim and release any data gathered on such a major

outbreak that almost wiped out foxes in the City. They have refused on every occasion which, 

obviously, means that the rumours and suspicions continue. 

WHY the silence?

NARF or Red?

 Back in the 1950s the "big money earner" was going to be fox fur farms. In fact they were being set up back in the 19th century as commercial ventures.

Not very sanitary, often cruel 'entrepreneurs' found things were not as promised. Throughout the early to mid 1950s the fur farms folded. Was there massive blood letting as the unprofitable foxes were all killed? 

The easiest way of getting rid of "stock" you did not want anymore was to just release them. No legislative control over releasing foxes and some land owners probably saw the extra foxes as more 'sporting fun'.

Did these North American Red Foxes (NARF) interbreed with new native Red foxes? Probably. I have shown before photos of over large foxes from parts of the UK that had traits of the NARF. Now of course we have the breeding and escaping Silver fox interbreeding with the Red fox.

What is the size difference between a bred for sale NARF and Red fox? I think the photo below demonstrates that. This image goes back 6 or 7 years and I believe is from a keeper.

(c)2026 respective copyright owner

Foxes With No Tails

 

 I was  once asked "how did the poor thing lose its tail?" when I posted this image.

The thing is that the fox had a perfectly fine tail but like many foxes was in the habit of curling its tail around one side. To prove the point here is the fox above about one minute later.  Incidentally, the colouration indicates that it has melanism in its make up and this is becoming more common with grey and black coloured foxes being reported.

A few years back (2020/2021?) I was sent a clip and some photos of a fox with no tail. With foxes you expect a quarter or half a tail missing occasionally as they are not fast enough to avoid a car tyre. However, in this particular case the tail was gone.  We call the bones that connect a fox's tail to its body are the caudal vertebrae; these vertebrae are the  direct extensions of the spine, starting from the sacrum (the base of the spine near the hips) and extending down to the tip of the tail. 

Above (c)2026 respective copyright owner. A completely tail-less fox.

Foxes can lose parts of tails from cars driving over them, having them caught in something resulting in tail loss or even by having tails caught in a snare and amputating it.

Above (c)2026 respective copyright owner; a slight stump can be seen

Above (c)2026 respective copyright owner

When I was shown the photographs of the tail-less fox my first thought was that, being that close to the back and so cleanly done that it may have been removed by a veterinary surgeon. There were problems in that vets rarely want to treat a fox let alone amputate a tail and keep it confined until healed.  I could find no vets who had operated on a fox nor any fox released by a wildlife rescue that had had its tail removed.

Above (c)2026 respective copyright owner; a fox with a more prominent stub from its missing tail.

Of course, the photographer then noted the fox had always been like this so it had not had a tail -so why ask me if I could explain why its tail was gone?- and had not disappeared for any length of time as per it being trapped, operated on, recovering and then being released. Even now there are people stating "their" fox needs help as it has no tail and want it trapped and treated.

Looking at the photographs available (and we have a large photo image catalogue) it becomes clear that there is a very simple explanation -over-grooming by the mother when the fox was a cub.  A friend of my grand mothers had a dog with no tail and I asked when it had been removed? I was told "the mother did it" and it was explained that the bitch had over-groomed her pups so much the tails came off. I have found similar with domestic cats 

"Excessive maternal behaviour" or "Mismothering" is well known in cats and dogs. That the foxes in question are all fit and healthy and the caudal vertebrae so clean and hair covered seems to indicate the tail loss occurred during its pup stage.

After decades you find that the 'experts' tend to ignore the basics.

"Aunt"/Helper Vixens

 (c)2026 respective copyright owner

I've mentioned "Aunt" foxes before and how foxes living in a leash (a family group) help vixens out with cubs. Here is an explanation of one way they do that.

Vixens (female red foxes) acting as wet nurses is a phenomenon known as alloparenting or "helper" behavior—often occur in social groups where young females (typically daughters from the previous year) stay with the breeding pair to help raise the new litter. The hormonal mechanisms driving this behavior involve the same hormones responsible for biological motherhood, primarily prolactin and oxytocin, often stimulated by the presence of cubs and social factors.

Here is the breakdown of the hormonal role:

• Prolactin (The "Mothering" Hormone): High levels of prolactin are essential for initiating and maintaining lactation in mammals. In sub-dominant helper vixens, the presence of kits and the social structure of the den can trigger increased prolactin production, enabling them to produce milk even if they have not given birth themselves.

• Oxytocin (The "Let-Down" Hormone): This hormone triggers the contraction of mammary glands, ensuring the expulsion of milk during nursing. It is released in response to the tactile stimulus of nursing (suckling).

• Alloparental Lactation Stimulation: The "helper" vixen may be induced to lactate by the high levels of progestin (progesterone) and estradiol during the breeding season, coupled with the stimulation of seeing or caring for the cubs.

• Behavioral & Hormonal Bonding: The act of grooming, hugging, and sitting with the cubs is crucial for bonding and potentially triggers the necessary hormonal responses, including a decrease in the stress hormone cortisol, which helps the vixen feel comfortable nursing, even if they aren't the primary mother.

When The Badger Trust Becomes The Big Bully

 

Apparently the Badger Trust is still pushing for a badger group in Bristol.

I am now taking it that after all the communications Badger Trust is ignoring Bristol Badger Group (f 1994) BECAUSE it is not Bristol Badger TRUST.

I have tried over and over to be pleasant with the Trust which insists it cannot find BBG in an internet search and seem to have the attitude that the work of the last 30+ years is not important because we are not the Badger Trust.

My diplomacy is at an end.

One Image Can Change What Happened

 

Last night I got clear footage of a cat-fox confrontation.

Over the years I have rescued 3-4 different foxes all cornered by different cats. Last night's little skirmish was my fault.

I put dry cat food out for hedgehogs or the odd stray cat. Only a small amount but it helps. I also put out two digestive biscuits and these allow me to see any fox up close and see whether there are any issues -injuries, mange etc.

After the semi feral black cat that lived in the garden and then next door for 11 years died there was an imbalance in the norm. She had kept fox visits to a minimum when she was out and about. Once she passed away more foxes visited/passed through. Then the unneutered tom cat from the house in front took over. The other cats were very casual and only here to hunt rats/mice. The tom cat decided that he was taking over.

Measuring him he is around 3 feet long (with tail) and certainly as big as any fox -when I opened the door to the postie one day he looked to his left and said "That is a very big one" -I checked and it was the tom cat. He now considers the doorstep his when he can be bothered to show up.

Last night the fox tried to get its biscuit but the cat was all hiss and claws and the fox snapped back from a safe distance; it had obviously been involved with a cat before!

After the "confrontation" the cat went about its business and the fox returned later to claim its biscuit.

So why am I not posting the video clips or photos? The answer is quite simple. Any still or the video clips could be used by anti fox people out of context: "Cat fights off attacking fox" or "Fox attacks pet cat". Excellent propaganda.

We are at that time of the year when the anti fox/ pro hunt people start posting about the infamous "ginger and white" pet cat carried off by a fox. That ginger and white one has been carried off more than the black and white cat in the last ten years. It's all to make fox hunting seem like control and the attempts to get fox cubs for hunts go unhindered.

First class video clips and stills would attract a lot of views but I am not interested in views. I am certainly not interested in being the person to supply images to be used to demonise any animal (especially when I know "the cat started it").

But it was my fault because the biscuits SHOULD have been placed away from the cat food. I just completely forgot. One thing I did learn was that a fox is NEVER going to try to attack a cat (even while the cat was hissing the fox was nosing around for food).