The Fox Study and NARF Implications

 

Above: The North American Red Fox

 If you have not read The Red Paper: Canids then it is very unlikely that you know the true story of British foxes. What we see today can easily be categorised as New Foxes as opposed to Old Fox types. The Red Paper: Canids was described as "explosive" and "totally rewrites the history of the fox in the UK".

The follow up will certainly carry on that tradition. Bit-by-bit I have pieced together that really should shake natural history in the UK to the core. 

We have irrefutable evidence that coyotes, wolves and jackals were released by British fox hunts.  This along with the importation of foxes from Europe as well as breeding foxes for future hunts is something it has taken a good few years to unearth and the information comes directly from the hunts.

I have clearly identified two fox types that seem typical of those found around the country. One of these is quite obviously of North American Red Fox (NARF) or Vulpes fulvus. 

In recent years wehave seen an extraordinary number of cases of escapes of Silver foxes as well as other exotic pet foxes. In fact the evidence leads to the suspicion that hunt groups are releasing NARF as something larger and more spectacular to hunt. It is also possible that the intention in some areas (such as Wales) is to breed something bigger with a "better fur" that can be caught in snares for the hiome grown British fur trade. The evidence speaks for itself.

Hayley de Ronde notes that in some areas the NARF has hybridised with or overtaken the number of British Red foxes.  This raises the concern that they will eventually replace the current British fox. She believes that the NARF were released following WW 2 and the eventual end of fur farming.

The Fox Study which I began in 1977 was able to make significant breakthroughs in tracing the history of UK foxes. The current work is designed to try to identify fox types in the UK and note how far and wide certain types are.

There are important points to make.

1. This work is not going to be completed quickly. There is absolutely no funding so things can take a while as everything comes out of my pocket.

2. This is a private research project aimed at giving us a better understanding of UK foxes. There is no governmental involvement, funding and there is no private access to core data given to any government department or agency working with one. People deal with me and no one else. 

3. From 1977-2013 I was an exotic animals advisor to UK police forces and it that time absolutely no witness identification or location data was ever given out. Confidential is confidential and protection of the animals involved is paramount.

4. What I ask for from people who want to help out is simple; 

(a)how long have the foxes been coming to your garden/area? 

(b)Have the foxes always looked the same -no stranger colourations to coats? 

(c)Basic location info.  In Bristol I simply ask for the post code area such as BS2 or BS 11. Outside of the City & County of Bristol I simply ask for the town, city or village. This is to help me see what types are in what areas.

(d) Photographs. People may love their foxy visitors but they take them to be "just foxes". With a photograph or series of photos I can see a lot more and that information helps greatly.

(e) If you have a name for the fox(es) that visit please note that with photos because if there is something unique spotted at least I can say which fox I'm talking about.  All photos/videoes are logged with the photographers Name and Town or area. I do not claim any rights to the photographs or video clips received so please do not be concerned that these will be used widely or without your permission.

From all of this I can hopefully produce something useful to people interested in foxes.

If you can help then please email me at:  blacktowercg@hotmail.com

If you see a black fox it may well be an escaped pet and those have been killed in road accidents, shot and even snared in the past as they are domesticated pets and not capable of living in the wild. The best people to contact (if you can get a photo it helps) are Black Foxes UK and their contact info can be found here: 

https://www.blackfoxes.co.uk/contact-us.php

THANK YOU