Did A University Oversee A Planned Mange Outbreak?

  Sadly, I have to state that the outbreak of mange that decimate all but 6% of Briostol foxes between 1994-1995 was part of an experiment by University of Bristol.

The reason I have to come to this conclusion I have stated previously but from 1998-2025 the University refused to answer emails and letters about the work of Prof Stephen Harris's Mammal Study Groupwhich was part of Bristol Uni. In total 20+ requests for information.

In September, 2026 I made a Freedom of Information request for the data.

First the Uni did not understand a plain request so I had to define it for them. Then they wanted it defined again. Sounds like stalling. Then it claimed that it had absolutely no records or papers relating to the Mammal Group or its very widely publicised fox study -which spawned data for several books by Harris and Harris as an "expert" from Bristol Uni was publicised as giving eviodence in cases. Money spent by the group or gear such as radio collars, etc -no information.

Surely in their files the project funding had to have monies declare to HMRC? Nope.

THEN, showing that it was obviously either incompetent or stalling it asked ME when the Mammal Group was set up and when it shut down and when the Uni fox project started and ended!!

For records that were claimed to have been kept at the Uni it is odd that they are almost denying the existence of the Group and fox project.

I have waited since the beginning of October for the "internal review" to try to find information but nothing.

I think University of Bristol has a secret to hide. I believe that mange (unknown in Bristol up to 1994)was deliberately released and involved more than one fox that "left the City and returned with mange" -they had a radio collar on that fox but cannot explain where it "vanished" to or where it returned from OR how a single fox with mange spread it across the City to an entire population

Absolutely no record what-so-ever.

You judge.

[Former Mammal Study Group Data on the 1994/1995 fox mange outbreak in Bristol - a Freedom of Information request to University of Bristol - WhatDoTheyKnow]

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/former_mammal_study_group_data_o