When did foxes colonise our cities?

Foxes have probably been present in our cities in very small numbers for some time, and there are even reports of foxes living in Victorian London. But the main colonisation occurred in the inter-war years, when our cities rapidly expanded to produce large leafy suburbs of owner-occupied semi-detached housing. This period of expansion produced an ideal habitat for foxes, which they quickly occupied.

Where should I look for urban foxes?

Foxes are still most abundant in the areas of cities they first colonised – the 1930s owner-occupied residential suburbs. They are less common in industrial or commercial areas, those old Victorian parts of cities that have small gardens, and modern housing estates that are open-plan or that offer little cover for foxes. As a general rule, foxes are much rarer or even absent in the industrial cities of northern England, much of Wales and parts of the Midlands, and most abundant in the commuter towns of South-east England.

You are most likely to see foxes at dawn or dusk as they are often more active then. They spend their days in a sheltered, secluded spot either above or below ground. Male foxes, called dog foxes, are not much larger than cats weighing about 6.5kf (14lb) and standing 35cm (14") at the shoulder. Female foxes, called vixens, are slightly smaller. Their colours may vary slightly and during the spring and summer months they may look extremely scruffy as they moult.

Are urban foxes found in any other country?

Yes, but no country has as many as Britain, nor are they as widely distributed. On the Continent, they are found in relatively few cities, and when they do occur, they are not as numerous as in many English cities. In Australia (where foxes were introduced in the late 1800s for hunting), foxes are widespread and abundant in a number of cities. In North American cities, it is racoons that live in suburban gardens, and it may be that they out-compete the foxes.

Where do foxes breed?

Almost anywhere. The commonest site is under a garden shed. Adult foxes are very small (males average around 6kg, females around 5kg, with occasional animals up to 8.5kg) and can squeeze through very small holes. Thus it is easy for them to get under a garden shed that is raised off the ground on a brick. The foxes do not have any bedding and the cubs are born on the bare soil. If necessary, foxes are very good diggers, and will excavate extensive earths.

Are urban fox numbers increasing?

No, though this is a common myth. For most cities, maximum densities were reached a long time ago, and numbers are maintained at a constant level by the foxes themselves.

Should urban foxes be controlled?

No. Most urban fox populations regulate their own numbers, by limiting the number of cubs they produce each year. This they do remarkably successfully, and the cubs that survive to adulthood almost exactly replace the number of adult foxes that die each year. If you try to cull them, the foxes respond by producing more cubs to replace the foxes that have been killed. So you do not achieve anything. Furthermore, foxes in urban areas do not cause a big enough problem that they need to be culled; the vast majority of people in cities are either indifferent to the presence of foxes or welcome them.

Have urban foxes ever been controlled?

Yes. In the 1950s the Ministry of Agriculture and Food (as it was then) started to kill foxes in London boroughs. But control operations have now mainly been abandoned as a waste of time and money. While the commonest techniques were trapping or shooting, in Plymouth, a local pack of foxhounds was called in to kill foxes living in the city. Fortunately, riding to hounds in our cities never caught on as a modern-day field sport.

Why shouldn’t foxes be released in the country?

There are a number of misconceptions here. The first is that foxes do not belong in cities; they do – they are there by choice because it is an ideal place for them to live. The other is that they can all be caught and returned to the countryside, where they will "live happily ever after". There are no large areas of fox-free territory in which to release all these foxes, and being dumped in an area which they do not know will mean that their life expectancy will be very short. So you would not be doing any kindness to the foxes. Nor would you be popular with the local farmers: foxes dumped in a strange area are likely to cause more problems than the resident ones.

Are urban foxes being dumped in the countryside?

No; this is yet another myth. These tales invariably refer to a lorry specially equipped with a large number of holding cages having been seen dumping foxes all over Wales, the Lake District and elsewhere. If even a fraction of these reports were true, there would now be a great dearth of foxes in our cities.

What do I do about an injured fox?

The main cause of death for urban foxes is the motor car, but not every animal hit by a car is killed, and injuries are common. In London, about a third of foxes have healed fractures received from road-traffic accidents. If you find an injured fox, contact the local police station or The National Fox Welfare Society for help. Otherwise, call out the local veterinary surgeon. Though many are reluctant to take on wildlife work, they are meant to offer a 24-hour service and not to charge for wild animal work. For more advice, it’s worth contacting The National Fox Welfare Society.

What do I do about orphaned fox cubs?

Foxes normally leave their cubs unattended and only return briefly to feed them. So do not automatically assume that the cubs you find are orphaned just because there is no sign of the parents; if the cubs are lying quietly, they are undoubtedly being cared for; when they are hungry they will start making plaintive barking noises. If you think the cubs are deserted, do not touch them. If the whole litter is together and hungry, then it is quite likely that the mother has been killed. But if it is just a single cub that is found, it is much more likely that it has strayed and cannot find its way home. The plaintive barking is a contact call; don’t touch the cub, keep an eye on it to ensure that it is not attacked by a cat or a dog, and soon after dark the vixen will recover it.