Foxes and Mange -You CAN Help

 In case anyone needs this in future as mange has been reported in a fox from St Werburgh's...

If you contact the Nationsal Fox Welfare Society they offer free mange meds (drops that go in food) and I've used it and it seems to work, If you contact them just tell them I gave you the contact details.

https://www.national-fox-welfare.com/homeopathic-potion-request

The Red Paper: Canids

 

202 Pages

 A4

maps, illustrations and photographs

Price: £20.00 (excl. VAT)

Prints in 3-5 business days

http://www.lulu.com/shop/terry-hooper-scharf/the-red-paper-canids/paperback/product-23742681.html

The Red Paper: Canids Up-dated  edition includes section on sarcoptic mange in foxes and treatment plus a list of wildlife sanctuaries and rescue centres in the UK.

By the 1700s the British fox was on the verge of extinction and about to follow the bear and wolf having been hunted for sport for centuries. The answer was to import thousands of foxes per year for sport. But foxes kept dying out so jackals were tried. Some were caught, some escaped. Even wolves and coyote were released for hunting.

The summation of over 30 years research reveals the damnable lie of "pest control" hunting but also reveals the cruelty the animals were subject to and how private menageries as well as travelling shows helped provide the British and Irish countryside with some incredible events.

Foxes in Bristol and Nationally

  It appears that a newer survey of foxes in the Bristol area is needed. As I noted in The Red Paper: Canids I began my fox project in the 1970s and that was after observing a huge tom cat chasing a fox along Pennywell Road early one morning. 

Since that time I have had first hand experience in observing interactions between foxes and cats, hedgehogs and even magpies and seagulls. The fox is never the aggressor and never comes out of the situations well.

I have seen a pair of adult foxes kept at bay by a large hedgehog taking its fill of food. I have seen hedgehogs "allowing" a fox to eat next to it. I have seen the semi wild cat that covers the few gardens near me chase after foxes and even jump onto the back of one -and attempting a nape of neck bite! Several times I have had to intervene as a fox has been cornered by a cat and attacked. Not exactly the cunning, devious killer some of us were told the species was.

From the 1970s on I found that no one was really interested in foxes and books on them were rare (I have a neart little collection) though there are hundreds on how to hunt and kill foxes and on the great "fox sports hunters" of the 18th-20th century. Come TV and a few more get involved though, sadly most leave the subject through boredom or frustration at the lack of financial reward or funding (I have spent a good few thousand since the 1970s!).

What I want to do is take a look at foxes in Bristol now -people contributing information, etc may do so and request anonymity (but to stop fakers or hoaxers I need to know who they are). This is not a survey for hunting or pointless 'pest control'; this is part of a long term study because foxes are still not fully understood and there is the need to educate the public on foxes.

How can you help? Whether a wildlife group or just someone interested here is what you can help with (and as this is an ongoing project those from outside Bristol can still add to our knowledge):

 Fox Study Project 

I am looking for:

(1) Photographs of foxes that people see in their gardens or while out walking.  This is so that I can see what colour coats and tail markings foxes have in different areas of the country.

(2) Information on whether foxes in your area have been hit by mange at any point and what happened to the fox (if known)

(3) If you have foxes in your area and whether local people are feeding them.

Again: Please note that when you do get in touch I will need to know at least the street and town you live in. This is due to hoaxing in the past.

That is how simple it is to help broaden our knowledge of foxes in Bristol (and the UK) so if you can contribute please do.

THANK YOU

A Sinister Sound Heard During Daylight then Night Time....Hedgehogs?!

 Back in 2016, during day time, there were strange noise and at first I thought a cat had gotten itself caught in something. I went out and looked about. Nothing.

As I turned to go back into the house I heard the sound again but still saw nothing.

At night it was so loud that I had to find out what was causing the noise.

And then I found 'em!

Face Book Groups

 

The Curious Case of the Meat-Eating Wasps (Ye, I am sure they were wasps not zombies)

 It is not the greatest footage but I had several people who would not believe me when I told them that I had meat-eating wasps.

I first noticed how food left by hedgehogs in a dish was gradually vanishing during the day. I observed flies on the left-overs and then I saw a wasp kill a fly on the food. What I saw next I had not witnessed before.  The wasp took a piece of the left-over cat food that was almost the equal of its own size and flew off (badly) with the morsel.

I saw other wasps cut away pieces of chicken slices and fly off with said morsels. Some 2-3 (I assume there might have been others but as none carried identification numbers I have no idea) wasp finished off quite a bit of meat and at times I had to chase them off (or tried to as they were rather big bullies) for a cat to get the food.

Of course, the wasps needed the meat as it wa a good source of protein that they would need. Hopefully, if we get a good summer in 2021 I can get better footage.

2021 -time for garden surveys?

 Just a selection of photos but I think I will take advantage of 2021 to launch a full survey of my garden.

Should be fun.

Juvenile fm rat caught and killed in garden by neighbours cat. Apart from rats (there are so many cats coming into this garden I have no idea why rodents are still here) there were shrews and the mice are still here but sonic devices appear to be keeping them out of the house.

These black ants are extremely territorial. This last summer I placed my hand on a branch of the oak tree and it took 5 seconds for a group to start appearing and swarm my hand -I removed my hand because these little buggers really bite!

Foxes -got really hit by mange between 1995-2016 but I keep my eye on them (as does the bulloy cat next door).

Rather large hedgehog stool. There were around 3 young this year and two adults stiull come to feed and chase off foxes.

Those ants get everywhere. This was by the back door and I do not like, use or even consider ant killer sprays or powders.  Strong white vinegar wiped along the door step kept them out of the house but these particular ant do appear to have become the dominant species -replacing the red ants and other maller species.

If you are interested in what can be found in YOUR garden check out my previous posts as they give you some idea of what you might find -and photograph!