65,000+ Badgers and 65,000+ Foxes Killed Each Year -Is Anyone Bothered?

We are NOT a "Nation of animal lovers" 

One online source states that: 

"Badgers are also killed by being involved in road traffic accidents. It is thought that up to 50,000 badgers are killed every year by traffic on Britain's roads and railways."

Firstly I believe that to be an under estimate. Back in 2000 when I was writing some technical papers I had to look up badger deaths. At that time it was estimated that up to 65,000 were killed each year on UK roads. Road traffic has increased since 2000 and roads have been built over over wildlife corridors. The resulting deaths of badgers, foxes and deer is evidence of how bad the death rate is.

Above: Otters protected in the UK are also killed on roads as well as in illegal shrimp nets. According to the Cardiff University study Road traffic accidents cause a significant number of casualties. We typically receive around 200 otters per year, of which 80-90% have been killed as a result of road traffic accidents.

https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/otter-project/conservation-and-education/mitigation#:~:text=Road%20traffic%20accidents,result%20of%20road%20traffic%20accidents.

As with badgers up to 65,000 foxes (actually it seems that this is also an under estimate) are killed by cars each year.

Now if we look at the number of badgers (a supposed 'protected species' since the 1970s) culled over the very bad 'science' on bovine TB (it is widely recognised even amongst naturalists that the badger was just a convenient scapegoat for bad animal husbandry on the part of farmers) we have around 250,000 -one quarter of a million- so far so adding in the 65,000+ =315, 000 and that makes sustaining a population near impossible in England (the only culling country in the UK). The number of badgers shot on private and royal estates and land as well as snaring and poisoning we have no figures for as they can be hidden easily. A sensible total for badger deaths would be around 400,000.

The British government and all of those involved are succeeding where from historical times up to the 1970s an ongoing campaign of melecide failed. They are wiping out a 'protected species' and making sure that6 it becomes extinct in England. It almost seems that this is a deliberate plan to totally wipe out badgers in England and what animal will be scapegoated once they are gone -the dormouse?

Above:Deer of various species are also killed on roads each year

Bad animal husbandry we have a very good example of and the results are still remembered today. To quote Wikipedia: 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom_BSE_outbreak#:~:text=The%20United%20Kingdom%20was%20afflicted,in%20the%201980s%20and%201990s.

"The United Kingdom was afflicted with an outbreak of Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE, also known as "mad cow disease"), and its human equivalent variant Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease (vCJD), in the 1980s and 1990s. Over four million head of cattle were slaughtered in an effort to contain the outbreak, and 178 people died after contracting vCJD through eating infected beef. A political and public health crisis resulted, and British beef was banned from export to numerous countries around the world, with some bans remaining in place until as late as 2019."

"The outbreak is believed to have originated in the practice of supplementing protein in cattle feed by meat-and-bone meal (MBM), which used the remains of other animals. BSE is a disease involving infectious misfolded proteins known as prions in the nervous system; the remains of an infected animal could spread the disease to animals fed on such a diet."

At that time I was a UK police forces advisor and I spoke to many people in the country and that included farmers. We know that certain farmers were moving cattle at night to beat the various zones set up to prevent the spread of the disease. I was aware that one farmer was "cautioned" after assaulting another who had endangered his cattle by moving cattle out of an isolation zone at night.  The matter went no further as neither wanted to press charges and the farmer at fault should have been prosecuted but simply had to move his cattle back into the isolation zone.

At the same time hunts were reported breaching the BSE areas to continue their 'sport' and they still do similar in BTB areas. Warnings and cautions but that was it.  Any horse or hound infected in some way was easy to dispose of "out of sight".

I mentioned deer so a good statistic comers from the RSPCA:

https://www.rspca.org.uk/documents/1494939/7712578/Road+traffic+accidents+and+deer+-+2022+update.pdf/8c38ccbd-6220-0547-a114-9326bd76f32e?t=1673451012014#:~:text=Recent%20research%20indicates%20that%20up,population%20of%20over%20a%20million.

"Recent research indicates that up to 74,000 deer may be involved in vehicle collisions each year in Britain. Six species of deer live in the wild in Britain with a combined population of over a million."

And our Spikey red-listed garden friend the hedgehog is far from "recovering" and they pay a heavy price. According to Wildlife Online:

https://www.wildlifeonline.me.uk/questions/answer/what-impacts-do-roads-have-on-hedgehogs#:~:text=Summary,Britain's%20road%20network%20each%20year.

"Summary. The most obvious impact of roads on hedgehogs is direct mortality. Hedgehogs, like many animals, are susceptible to being runover and a recent estimate suggests as many as 335,000 are killed on Britain's road network each year.

The public are never distracted by any of this as it is always a case of "someone else will deal with it" or "nothing to do with me". The bleating starts when it does affect them and I would not be surprised to find badgers in England extinct by 2035.

Foxes, as we are learning with each new case submitted for post mortem examination, have a number of health issues that affect them from canine pneumonia which seems fairly common, babesia, worms -heart worm being the "silent killer" and much more. In a city such as Bristol hundreds are killed on the roads each year -we have the data to prove that.

 Nationally the figure probably exceeds the 2000 estimated total of 55-65,000. We see foxes killed singly or in pairs or even threes as they try to cross traditional wildlife corridors. As of 22nd  September, 2023 Bristol has had 200 fox deaths (these are only the ones reported) and the actual figure is likely around the 300+ mark. 

To this we can add snaring -and that has happened in two local cases and although banned now in Wales (seen as the "national capitol of snaring") it is still cliami9ng many foxes and although fairly secretive just going by the photographs shared by these people they account for hundreds of foxes each year.

Officially, foxes can be "humanely" taken out by farmers if their livestock is threatened. Again, if you keep chickens then you need to know what you are doing. Foxes will gladly pass up chicken for a rabbit any day (and the whole chicken stealing fox was proved false a long time ago -by huntsmen themselves). But what threat is a fox (the size of a domestic cat) to even a lamb? None and, again, this was proven by the fox hunting fraternity who did field work and found that foxes were ignoring lambs and eating the nutrient rich afterbirth and sheep droppings. A still born lamb was still a free meal but foxes tended to avoid them as the ewes were still very protective.   A fox a threat to cows and horses? Hardly.

So why is it that there are many people with high powered rifles and the latest night gear going out killing hundreds of foxes a month?  They even share photos of themselves proudly displaying all the foxes they kill in one night in shooting publications, online and in Face Book groups were they are cited as "a credit to the sport'.  Yes, they admit this is all sport shooting but under law that is illegal as you are killing a wild animal with no just cause or reason other than that it gives you "pleasure". 

The police in the UK can easily find all of this evidence online -from the shooter posing with rifle and dead animals and even open discussions about how many foxes they have killed. It is an open and shut case. Why is this not being stopped? If you know any RSPCA inspectors ask them and they will tell you the same they told me; shooters include some serving police officers among them. 

We have seen the fox population drop drastically and adding all the ways that foxes die in the UK (including poisoning and illegal lethal traps) then you can see the reasons why.

The first thing that needs to be done is the protect established wildlife corridors and that involves following the example of European and countries further afield; build wildlife over or under passes and that would save thousands of animals each year from badgers, foxes, deer and others. Simple solution but it would cost money and those in power would sooner have species go extinct than fork out money to save it (and upset some rich donators).

Begin protecting foxes by prosecuting illegal shooting especially when it involves the killing of a high number of adult and cub foxes. This hunting with no concern or ramification is how the Old British fox types became extinct in the 1860s. So long as these people have their 'fun' they do not care.

Rather like Chris Packham I think that I long ago gave up the idea that protesting will make changes. I have studied wildlife history as well as the wildlife itself for 50 years now and all I have seen is the legislastio0n to protect the environment and wildlife in it flouted or disregarded and even driven over when money is involved. Even now Bristol City Council, despite promises, are trying to find ways to get developments on green sites of importance -and, no, they do not like me.

Just the figures given in this post total 874, 200 in a year.

Why is no one organising large protests to stop the killing of wildlife and calling for wildlife corridors to be made safe with over and underpasses? Is that too much of a bother to save species and the environment? Is watching Eastenders or Coronation Street on TV while guzzling down a pizza far more important?

Apparently the answer is yes. 

Next Year It's 30!

 

Pigeon Culls, Badger and Fox Dens and Environmental Destruction.

 Not our usual subject but worth noting. Someone in North Bristol Rescue posted this:

"Hello, can anyone help please. There is pigeon with an injured wing BS3 area. I was unable to stop at the time as had 3 dogs in the car. But did give bird food and water and pigeon ate this straight away. It looks as if a mass cull of pigeons has taken place as there are lots of dead pigeons on the road side (It is beneath an underbridge which is usually full of roosting pigeons but is now empty). I am happy to go back to the location, but unable to keep the poor soul at mine due to the dogs. Thank you so very much"

My response:

"Unfortunately every year I get reports of this. These are Bristol City Council contracted shooters and they always operate on a Sunday because they do not want people interfering with their shooting spree. Last year a man reported how he, his wife and two children had to step through 'culled' pigeons with a shooter laughing and telling them "They won't bite". In 2021 people reported shooters acting like they were grouse hunting and not caring who was going by.

"Bristol City Council is not the 'environmental' champion it claims and if you feel mass culls of nesting birds is wrong (young are also killed) then make a complaint to the Mayor's office. There are no pigeon rescues in Bristol so handed to a vet the pigeon in question will be put to sleep."

I have witnessed the destruction of bird nests and other wildlife inhabited areas by Bristol City Council and on intervening been told to "**** off!" Reported to the Council I get the response that their contractors have strict guidelines on behaviour and will always consider any habitat under threat. Basically: "We don't care"

Even a flock of former racing pigeons I had treated for injuries and ailments were killed by the Council and they admitted it (their contractors even knocked over the makeshift dovecote (leaning over the fence to do so) They actually waited until I went out to do this and a neighbour gave me the council van number and when I phoned the council I was told they had been reported as a nuisance but when I said racing pigeons suddenly the admission was followed by denial 🙄🙄🙄

There is even consideration for bringing back yearly culls of seagulls.

This is why I do not register any badger locations with Avon Wildlife, Bristol Environmental Records or any body with Council connections. If you think the City Council would protect Bristol badgers if a cull was organised you need a reality kick.

Every year wildlife groups have "photographers" suddenly start asking to join and asking where they can film or photograph badgers and foxes. Someone on one group said this was odd and it is. Why is a photographer in Glasgow, London or Norfolk interested in knowing where they can find badgers and fox dens to photograph _London has more foxes than Bristol. Glasgow has foxes as does Norfolk. Badgers also.

Odd that none of these photographers post the results of their filming or photo shoots. I ought to note that I am always suspicious as running the Exotic Animals Register (EAR) since 1977 I was often asked by 'photographers' where the best areas were for a chance to film a certain animal. Luckily, police wildlife officers back then were more about wildlife and on two occasions the photographer was found to be an employee of MAFF/DEFRA and were mapping sightings.

Until we get a City Council that is strong on wildlife and environment protection we will continue to see them turn a blind eye and contract out bird culls and use of rodenticides.

With an increasing number of hawks and buzzards in and around Bristol the damage to the food chain for wildlife is clear.

Apologies for the rant but it is a war out there to save wildlife as well as the environment and until people understand, complain or start challenging the local authority it will be a losing battle.

So What Recognition Or Reward Do I Get? Well....

 

I should not laugh really but at times I think people have great expectations beyond reality.

Someone asked whether I get recognition in some way (officially) for the work I have done regarding British wildlife?  Okay, so here is my serious response and please wait for the punchline at the end.

I got interested in foxes in 1974 but only decided to study them in 1976 when I set up the British Fox Study. From accepting dogma that the "little red dog" we see today I decided as an historian to look at all of the historical research I could. I found none. I then started studying newspaper archives and the old newspapers and journals. A brief mention led me in one direction where I found an item referring to something else I had never heard of. I questioned what I read and found a true history of foxes in the UK and Ireland and how we really did have three old types of fox. 

What I uncovered was described by the late David Bellamy (sadly he passed away before he could write a foreword for The Red Paper (2010)  which was described a "explosive" in how it tore apart what we have been told about foxes and the actual facts. In 2022 The Red Paper 2022 Vol. I: Canids was published and pushed our knowledge of foxes and other canids in the UK far beyond what the 2010 book did. 

I have also looked at fox welfare issues, the treatments available to foxes as well as mange in the UK. Educating people interested in foxes has at least turned some around to taking a more serious approach to fox watching and feeding as well as treatment of injuries, etc.

It was a very long and hard fight but I eventually got the approval to officially have post mortems carried out on certain foxes and what we have found out has been eye opening at times. The Bristol Fox Deaths Project is drawing to a conclusion after two years and was the first and only project in the UK.

I also maintain the Bristol Fox Deaths Register which contains reports of every fox found deceased within the City and County of Bristol so that we can assess the actual death toll along with cause of death.

The historical research is still not concluded and my colleague and Linnaen Society member, ML, has also contributed a great deal to this work by getting her hands on actual Old fox specimens. This study will continue as will my ongoing study of other canids world wide.

There is a lot more obviously including corresponding with naturalists/zoologists and museums in and outside  the UK - I have even discovered that Western Europe had its own Old fox type before the Red fox arrived. 

Since 1980s I also researched and studied wild cats not just in the UK but beyond and several of my hypothesese on certain island cats made in 2000 have recently been scientifically verified.

Again, the history of the wild cat in the UK and Ireland is complex. I found that what we are told today are Felis silvestris are not the original wild cats but imports and imports that were also released by 'sportsmen' in England. By the 1860s the true wild cat was gone in Scotland and that has been proven from decades of research and a declaration by Scottish zoologists in 1897. 

Museums, newspaper archives and much much were consulted and, again, my colleague ML managed to find some Old wild cat taxidermy. Much of this work is in my other 2022 book The Rede Paper 2022 Vol. II: Felids.

When the old Bristol Badger Group became defunct in the 1990s I took over and although Health and Safety in the UK will not allow post mortems of badgers I set up The Bristol Badger Death Register to record all deaths. Documenting badgers in Bristol as well as educating many both in the City and nationally on badger welfare and history has been a hard task. How badgers survived when foxes and wild cats did not because of persecution is another discovery that took years of work to find out.

I regularly post, often quite long and windy, items on foxes, badgers, wild cats and British wildlife and try to educate and push aside the dogma taught. 

Apart from this in 1976 I was, as a young naturalist, almost pushed into looking at reports of "British Big Cats" and in 1977 I set up the Exotic Animals Register (EAR) and became an exotic wildlife advisor to UK police forces and became a  member of PAWS (partners against wildlife crime). The EAR is still consulted today both by the public and press and police.

I now need to add that none of this was paid work. All expense4s were from my own pocket and often left me "financially embarrassed". 1976-2023 is a long time and, no, you do not get recognition for the work -I was once warned by an old naturalist that "being a naturalist will never make you financially well off" and he was right. I have carried out the field work and more research on wildlife than most zoologists and I do often wonder what a "normal" day would be like -perhaps get 6 hours sleep a day!

Here is where I show how little regard true naturalists are held in. Some 50 years of no-stop research and wildlife work and not even a pat on the head (but plenty of battles). Lavatory attendants (still an important job) have been awarded MBEs for 20 years work. That I think puts things into perspective 😂😂

Badger Extinction In The UK Is Very Likely

 

The following article from The Economist is very well worth reading

For those unaware in this 'nation of animal lovers' (hopefully the sarcasm can be detected there) good old Brits enjoyed several past times and also earned money for having 'fun'.

Felidide -the killinbg of any and every wild cat that could be found whether adult or kitten. By the 1860s that had wiped out the Old (true) wild cat across the UK.

Lucipide -same thing but here wiping out every and any wolf whether adult or cub. By the 17th/18th century wolves were wiped out.

Vulpicide -a term also used by widely: the killing of every and any fox whether adult or cub and as with lucipide and felicide this included pregnant females. The hunts knew and the famous hunters of the time wrote that the Old British foxes were headed for were headed for extinction and took action -by hunting them into extinction by the 1850s/1860s.

Red Squirrels were hunted to extinction by the 1860s but more were imported and released to continue the fun. Since that time they have faced several near extinction threats and the grey squirrel has become the scape goat for that.

Then we have (leaving aside all of the other species this 'nation of animal lovers' wiped out) there was melecide: any and every badger from male, female and cubs were killed and in a lot of the North of England badgers were wiped out and everyone commended the "good work" done. Why badgers -which 'sportsmen' hunters all declared to be harmless- survived is something I have researched and found the reason for and it is almost unbelievable. It is why, today, no one is calling for badgers to be "re-introduced".

Wildlife is still being wiped out in various ways in the UK -England is the only country practicing badger culling in the UK- from the greatest killer cars (well, humans are driving those so let's not blame the car ). 

Snaring  which is still going on and despite the Welsh Government banning it no one appears to be going out looking for snares and finding the culprits because no snarer making a lot of money is going to say "Oh well, it was fun while it lasted" and destroy his/her snares. Snares are inhumane and indiscriminate and kill foxes, badgers, hedgehogs, domestic pets as well as cause serious injuries to larger animals that can break free (lost feet, legs etc).

Above: A Bristol fox that probably lost its lower leg to a snare (it did survive)

Below;despite media alerts that a pet silver fox was in Barry, Wales (the snaring capitol of the UK) and that rescuers were attempting to trap it -someone laid out snares and this puet lost its leg.

Shooting. Despite there being supposed strict gun control in the UK every night there are many 'sportsmen' who simply go out to enjoy killing things because they like to. Foxes and even domestic pets such as cats have been shot (by 'mistake' of course) -"I got a big fox last night disguised as a pet cat!" (lots of chuckles from his mates). 

Above: the work of one 'sportsman' -so why are fox populations declining?

Even sheep and other animals are shot and injured or killed but in the countryside you can hide a lot of things.  Badgers are being "illegally" killed and shooters/'sport' sites online show this clearly. Incidentally, foxes can only be "taken care of" if they are a threat to livestock and as they are not in the habit of taking down cows or calves or horses there is no threat so hundreds (by shooters own statistics) are killed across the UK every week.  

Above: So proud

Below:in a war zone people fire back so dress for the part and go out to shoot a domestic cat sized fox.

And as for badgers -I make no apologies if this upsets anyone because people who do not sign petitions, complain to their MPs or harass DEFRA over things like badgers culls are actually allowing this to continue.

There is no doubt that badgers are killed by shooters as I have spoken to farmers (poultry not dairy so where is the BTB angle) over the years who know "a chap locally will take care of foxes and badgers" and, yes, I did report these conversations to Police Wildlife Crime Officers and nothing happened. I also know that private estates "get rid of nuisances" like badgers, foxes and red squirrels. Nothing happens.

https://theecologist.org/2016/oct/11/fate-badger-great-badger-scapegoating-conspiracy

Leaving aside the (natural) emotive language:

This is why people at Wildlife trusts will tell you to keep badger locations "to yourself":

quote

ALMOST 7,500 BADGERS MURDERED IN AVON OVER FOUR YEARS

Despite substantial efforts by activists trying to prevent the cull, Avon’s badger population has suffered terribly since the cull began in the region in 2019. The number of badgers culled in Avon so far are:

2022: 1,521

2021: 2,095

2020: 2,751

2019: 1,084

AVON TOTAL: 7,451

This figure will, no doubt, increase substantially, as Avon’s first zone will enter its supplementary licence phase, and its second zone will enter its fourth year of intensive culling in September 2023.

Protect The Wild spoke to Avon Against The Badger Cull (AABC), a group which works year-round to try to prevent the murder of badgers in its area. It surveys setts to locate where badgers have survived, and then puts huge effort into trying to protect them during the cull itself. The group said:

“Well over half of England’s badgers have been killed now, although the number of badgers in England is a guesstimate, so the figure might even be much greater. The government says that the object of the cull is to reduce the spread of bovine TB. But after ten years of killing badgers, there has been very little impact on the number of cows having to be killed each year, which is still in the region of 9,500. Killing badgers is a depressing waste of money and anybody can see that it’s a failure.”

EXPANDING ONE OF AVON’S ZONES BY 136KM²

AABC’s hard work has been severely hampered by Natural England, which works on behalf of Defra to issue cull licences and decide upon the parameters of each cull zone. Natural England recently admitted in FOI responses that it had expanded one Avon zone by a massive 136km² in 2021. The decision was made covertly, with no public consultation. Environmental journalist Tracy Keeling argued that expanded cull zones this huge “are clearly large enough to qualify as cull zones in their own right.”

Keeling went on to say:

“This indicates that larger extension areas are operating in some respects as if they are separate badger culls. This includes apparently aiming to kill badgers more intensely than the cull areas they are attached to, due to the reduced number of years of operation.”

Natural England, on behalf of the government, has made a concerted effort – seemingly more so than in other areas of the country – to wipe out Avon’s badgers. 7,500 means that the old Avon (it has been the City and County of Bristol for a long time now) badger population is seriously at risk of getting to the point of being unable to sustain a population.

Many badgers die yearly on roads in and around Bristol (I only accept reports where someone has stopped and can clearly state the animal seen was a badger) and to date 2023 has seen 43 killed.  We have no idea how many are killed by shooters at night or via snares and there is a brisk trade with taxidermists who take the word of the supplier that "the badger was killed by a car". 

I was actually kicked off of one Face Book taxidermy group after asking too many questions. One member stated that he took photos of all his badgers on the roadside (to 'prove' that they were killed by a car) and there were up to 4-6 on a small stretch of country road every week and he could sell them on if anyone was interested. I asked what stretch of road as that was a high weekly number and I could contact the Badger Watch people and alert them so they could look into it to stop badgers being killed. That got me kicked off.

According to Badger watch over 210,000 -half of Britain's badger population (in fact estimates go as high as 230,000) has been wiped out and it has not made the slightest difference when it comes to bovine TB. In fact:

To Stamp Out “So Terrible a Malady”: Bovine Tuberculosis and Tuberculin Testing in Britain, 1890–1939

KEIR WADDINGTON, PhD*

"Local and national attempts to limit infection from bovine tuberculosis were fuelled by fears about the prevalence of the disease in cattle. A transition in the nature of agriculture, with a shift from arable to livestock and dairy farming, combined with farmers' apparent unwillingness to stamp out bovine tuberculosis, ensured that levels of infection remained high until the 1950s."

Bad animal husbandry is nothing new in the UK. I knew two German farmers who came to the UK to see how British farmers worked and were shocked "Do they know nothing about taking care of livestock?" one asked me.  While foxes were blamed for lamb and sheep deaths work carried out by hunts (of all people) found that bad animal husbandry was to blame and the fox was the scapegoat. No one seems to see just how weird that sounds.

People are actively going out and searching for badger traps and smashing them. I cannot really condemn them for this because they are carrying on a fight to try to save a species from extinction. A species that was simply chosen as a scapegoat and based on non-science. In twenty years time it is possible that urban badgers are all we will have left if we are lucky. Centuries of melecide was endured and badgers survived. Now, Natural England is "legally" succeeding in what past generations failed to do.

If you really care about badgers or wildlife then get off your asses and start complaining to your MP, to DEFRA and the Natural England and if needed spam them with as many emails and phone calls as you can.

EXTINCTION IS FOREVER

https://protectthewild.org.uk/news/government-sanctions-killing-7500-badgers-avon-2019/#:~:text=Avon%20has%20two%20'cull%20zones,badgers%20actually%20killed%20was%20345.

Leptospirosis More "Endemic" in British Foxes Than Adenovirus?

 

Secret World Wildlife Rescue were sent out to a dying Fox in Portishead (Bristol BS20) this morning (16th August, 2023) . "Secret World Wildlife Rescue were sent out to a dying Fox this morning. The Fox was found to be breathing heavily and drooling in someone's front garden and it was taken straight to Vale Vets where it has been prepared to PTS. they had drawn up meds to euthanise and were injecting into heart, the draw back blood was cloudy, pale and creamy, rather than blood coloured. But the fox actually passed before they administered the drugs.

My response was "WE WANT THAT ONE!!"

So it was gasping for air (agonal breathing) which in humans is a sign of cardiac arrest and stroke although organ failure/organs shutting down also cause this. For some reason I had it in my head to look for discolouration of blood and I cannot remember why.  The pathologist will sort this one out.

We have so far sen no evidence, following post mortems, of the claim that "adenovirus is endemic in British foxes" -in fact our pathologist is somewhat surprised that he has not found adenovirus. We have had five cases of babesia and so far four cases of leptospirosis so the Project is making inroads there and the final report (if I don't have a nervous breakdown compiling it) should stir up a lot of interest amongst anyone interested in foxes.

What concerns me is that if (as I suspect and I am postulating here since I never state anything for a fact until the post mortems are completed and we have hard evidence) the current two heavily jaundiced foxes and today’s discoloured blood fox submitted for post mortem examination turn out to be leptospirosis it would take the total number of cases to 7. We have lost, because this is a voluntary project and with no freezing or chill storage capability, a lot of dead or collapsed foxes whose described symptoms included sudden collapse and jaundice. In fact, if memory serves me around four such foxes were lost to the Project. These cannot be counted as anything but anecdotal evidence simply because we do not have the post mortems to back up such a conclusion just experience. But if (if) they were leptospirosis that would take the total to eleven (11). That would indicate from the Bristol sampling, that leptospirosis is far more common than adenovirus.

The following is an interesting abstract from a paper which, unfortunately not being a “professional” (fifty years a mammalogist / natural doesn’t count) I cannot access the full paper but here we go:

Acute lethal leptospirosis in a red fox (Vulpesvulpes)

Abstract

Doroteja Huber  ,  Josipa Habuš ,  Nenad Turk ,  Krunoslav Vinicki ,  Ivan-Conrado Šoštarić-Zuckermann 

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36739678/

“Leptospirosis, caused by pathogenic spirochaetes belonging to the genus Leptospira, is a globally distributed zoonosis that can affect many species of domestic and wild animals, and humans. The red fox (Vulpes vulpes) is a native species in Croatia and, due to constant food availability and lack of interspecies competition, is becoming more abundant in urban and suburban areas. 

“Although antibodies for Leptospira spp have been detected in red foxes, lethal disease has not been reported. We necropsied a young, male red fox that had jaundice, multifocal haemorrhages in the heart, lungs and urinary bladder, hepatomegaly, non-congestive splenomegaly and slight yellow discolouration of the renal cortex and medulla. Histology revealed multifocal haemorrhages in parenchymal organs, thrombi within lung septal capillaries and other blood vessels, interstitial lymphocytic and plasmacytic nephritis and erosions of the gastric mucosa. 

“A microscopic agglutination test on the post-mortem cardiac blood clot revealed a high titre to Leptospira interrogans serovar Icterohaemorrhagiae, which implies contact with rats, which are natural reservoirs of this serovar in Croatia. The gross and histological findings in this fox were similar to those in dogs with leptospirosis, indicating that fatal leptospirosis can occur in foxes and suggesting that this species can act as a source of infection for other animals and humans.”

We know that Bristol is also a City with a huge rat population. We also know that rodenticides are not that effective and that the local authority (Bristol City Council) has not carried out any study on the effectiveness of rodenticides it uses -this is a standard thing most authorities are supposed to do. As soon as rodenticide was mentioned all of the cheery promises of cooperation from Bristol City Council vanished and there was a very obstructive attitude taken. In fact, we have submitted over 50 foxes for post mortem examination and only one died due to rodenticide and that was secondary poisoning having probably eaten a poisoned rat. Therefore, based on these cases the local authority attitude is puzzling as it does not show widespread rodenticide poisoning. Also, the local authority dismissed cooperating with the Project as “all fox deaths are car related” -which they are proven wrong on -though cars are one of the biggest killers of wildlife in the area -deer, otters, foxes, badgers, hedgehogs and so on.

Cats rarely tackle rats these days as other than feral cats they are too well fed. That written I do know local cats have taken a good few rats and mice over the years. Foxes are excellent at dealing with rats and I have first had experience of that from a few years ago. Two main prey items feature in the fox diet (no, not chickens) and those are rats and rabbits. We know foxes have killed wild rabbits in and around Bristol and we certainly know that foxes have taken rats. Despite the ill educated statements in 50 years I have never had evidence of foxes preying on hedgehogs and they certainly do not prey on pet cats -the latter is mainly pro hunt rhetoric. This is where we get a major problem.

I have spoken with many people who feed foxes on a supplementary basis so not over-feeding. In some cases this is to study local foxes or keep an eye on the health of the local fox population -in other countries studying jackals, coyotes et al and their health is standard but Vulpes vulpes is largely ignored. Again,in some cases food is used to provide mange treatment and it has to be remembered that in the 1994/1995 mange outbreak in Bristol (which I am still investigating for a very serious reason) during which the old fox watchers found themselves unable to do a great deal only approximately 6% of Bristol foxes survived so 94% of the population died off. Monitoring local fox health has therefore been a priority and luckily I know of fox watchers who have kept records of their local foxes for up to three decades and can even identify who the mother or father was of each generation.

The problem is that massive over-feeding is taking place. Not just massive over-feeding but foods which no wild animal let alone a canid should eat are put out. I have seen the photographs and video clips of huge amounts of chicken, sausages and other foods, both cooked and uncooked (cooked bones are a danger to foxes) , along with sandwiches, baked beans and even “last night’s left over pizzas” and other processed foods. In an economic crisis when families are struggling to buy food the basic items reduced in price for that reason such as chicken are grabbed daily by fox feeders. There are feeders who put out ‘breakfast’, ‘dinner’ and ‘supper’ for ‘their’ foxes and foxes and their cubs then learn to arrive outside the house ready for the feeding time. This is habituation of foxes and should really be a wildlife crime -as should enticing foxes (and badgers) into kitchens and homes with food. Someone shares a photograph of a fox in thei8r garden and there are a half dozen immediate comments such as “Oh, poor thing looks starving -feed it!” or “It is so thin -it needs food!” or even “Put food out – chicken - and they will keep visiting!”

All of this adds up to abuse of wildlife. My old dog, Sooty, was fed on scraps and once or twice a week a can of dog food. She would flatly refuse to eat food on one or two days because she was regulating her input and she lived to be 17 years of age. Every year there are funny posts on local groups where someone has been ready to repot a plant or dig around a shrubbery and “Weird. I found an egg in my pot” and in 2022 I counted 10 confused gardeners who found eggs in various parts of their garden. Some told that foxes bury extra food had it suddenly dawn on them that they did see foxes so that must have been what was “planting” eggs.

That may cause a few chuckles but here is the problem. Again and again I read people commenting that ‘their’ fox (a fox is a wild canid not a garden pet) took “5-6 chicken legs/wings and after a few minutes was back so it must have young!” And why “must” the fox have young? “It looks so thin so it is not eating the chicken!” People do nopt even know how to tell a dog fox from a vixen or that the taxonomic name is Vulpes vulpes and the number of requests for advice on “what to feed a fox” is a weekly thing. My advice these days is “Go and buy a book on foxes and learn about them” but it seems that is considered both unfriendly and negative advice!

A fox, like many other wild animals, will stash food away in case no new food becomes available and that is something built into foxes to survive. Rabbits is the top food item. There are historical accounts of foxes living on farms or within yards of easy picking chickens who avoid them and go out to hunt rabbits and we know when the rabbit population hit rock bottom in the 1950s foxes started starving and dying off. In Bristol and any other town I would always advise to never put pet rabbits in a run or any other type of easily entered enclosure; buy a “fox proof” cage/run -they are easily found online. Hawks, badgers, foxes etc see a bunny running about a garden it is a food source. The same applies to any poultry or fowl and it is no good blaming a fox when you have not even considered all the predators that might take your birds or purchased adequate housing/protection. It is bad animal husbandry.

A few people take delight in the fact that they have “wildlife in the garden” and these turn out to be rats and mice all given names of course. Advice is given to get rats moved on without resorting to poisons or inhumane traps and the responses are always the same; “No one asked for your opinion!” and even “I shall not do anything to deter rats and my garden is meant for wildlife” (the latter person was the only one who complained to the moderator of the Bristol Naturalist Society page and had it deleted despite it having positive feedback). It is interesting how a year later some of these people are desperate for non-lethal ways to get rats out of their gardens as “there are so many now” or “they are all over the garden”.

We do see rats getting caught by foxes but the problem is that when excess amounts of food are put out of course rats will grab it. Buried chick and eggs – yes, rats will have that as well. Bad fox feeders are causing a boom in rats populations and in some cases trying to prevent foxes getting at their natural prey. One person was very antagonistic over something I posted about foxes visiting their area taking care of rats “I would sooner have rats than foxes ‘leaving messages’ outside the house!”

Here is where I see how leptospirosis may be so rampant in Bristol foxes (and this would seem to be nationwide); over-feeding and the wrong foods. The reason so much food is buried is because it is too much for a fox to eat and, naturally, if you feed it even more food to stash it will keep coming back for more: it is not starving. If it looks thin it is because that is how a wild canid looks -slim and healthy and that keeps them on their paws for natural hunting of prey.

It cannot be over-stressed just how bad over-feeding of foxes or any wildlife is. In some countries it is considered a wildlife crime to feed animals like foxes. It disrupts the natural prey-predator balance that keeps our eco system itself in balance.

We have seen with dead foxes how, very quickly, even in a city a rat will move in to have a gnaw or corvids (crows, ravens, jackdaws, magpies) will descend to peck at the corpse. That is the way nature works. If a rescuer called out to a deer hit by a car finds it dead then they move the carcass off of the road and under hedges or grass verges because there is nothing else that can be done and it will provide a meal for a lot of wildlife from foxes, badgers, hawks and buzzards, etc. It’s other fate ois for the local authority to pick it up (IF they do that) and incinerate it. In the UK we do not examine all wildlife whether road-kill or not like some countries do so letting nature take its course will help other animals survive.

Really, we need to educate the public and foxes feeders especially on not to overfeed foxes (and badgers) and when it might be acceptable to feed supplementary food. I know that to many who are basically addicted to social media “Likes” denying them the ‘right’ to fill social media with videos and photos of foxes and badgers (and rats and mice) gorging themselves on huge plates of food is seen as something that they need to whip up the support of their ‘fans’ over I have faced that backlash more than a few times. I have been called “anti- fox” and many other things. I have seen the response “I will NEVER stop feeding my foxies!” so many times and even when you try to explain things simply there can be a backlash. Even explaining that a certain food should not be given to foxes has resulted in: “I feed that to my dog are you accusing me of animal cruelty?!”

The big problem arises when you read “I’ve fed the foxes here twice a day for five years now I am moving (new home, job or abroad) what can I do?” The basic response which is somewhat moronic from people is “Get your neighbours to continue feeding them!” or “Explain to the neighbours that the foxes need to be fed regularly!” If you call out to a neighbour that your grass needs cutting so they should get to work on it I wonder what the reply might be? The feeder created the problem so they have to sort it out. Less feeding over time until the move. Whatever but it is not for neighbours to take over their “garden pets”. And the people luring foxes and badgers into homes should face prosecution over a wildlife crime. That fox or badger may walk into a neighbours kitchen or home expecting to get food and they become (if the person is terrified of either or anti fox) “problem animals” and then the pest controllers are called in. Dead foxes (whether the one in question or not).

We (bad fox feeders) are causing a generation to generation dependence in foxes to human feeding. That in itself is horrific. It may well be that the over feeding of foxes is partly the cause for the drop in national population. Cars, pneumonia, babesia, lung and heart worm and more natural cause are killing foxes in numbers and the last thing we need is deaths caused by human feeding and if the number of leptospirosis cases can be tied to excess food sources it may be that even urban foxes will be decreasing in large numbers...I would hate to see another extinction of the fox population (read The Red Paper 2022 Volume 1: Canids if you need the history).

Incidentally, our Fox Deaths Register has a reporting system that has improved since 2022 (but not a lot comes via wildlife groups) andas of today the number of reported fox deaths in Bristol is at 177 and if we consider that lactating dead vixens resulted in hungry young cubs dying then based on the lowest number of cubs that can be born we have exceeded well beyond 200 fox deaths in 2023 and it is only August.

As we are unfunded the Bristol Fox Deaths Project is due to end at the end of August, 2023. That will give us a two year sampling of dead foxes from start of Project to end. The pathologist has exceeded all of our expectations and Bristoil University Post Mortem Services as well as Animal Plant Health Agency and Natural England (though funding for tests has been tight) have all been very cooperative and, of course, get a picture of what is going on in the fox population. Zoe Webber, who I dragged into this, and in the last year Sarah Mills have had the task of collecting sick or dead foxes, rushing to veterinary surgeries and then transporting dead foxes to the study centre all on a voluntary basis. Before anyone asks neither are reimbursed for time or (importantly) the amount of fuel used in driving around and they have a rather unpleasant task. I simply sit around and coordinate (unfunded .

Sweden's Solution To Animal Road Deaths and The UK's

 

And the UK's answer.....

Oh. That's right. The UK does not give a shit. "Let 'em die, so what?"