Species - Fox (Vulpes vulpes)
Location - Various
Grid Ref - Various
The Red Fox is the UK’s resident fox species, and is one of 12 different species of fox around the world. They are found in most parts of the UK including many city centres, and I am lucky enough to have some living in the field at the back of my house, although my neighbours that keep chickens may disagree. Although I can regularly hear them at night, it has taken me years before I eventually saw one during the day. One recent sunny Spring day, I saw one sun bathing in the middle of the field, and ignoring the many cats that were coming to check it out. It looked quite healthy and I am reliably informed that it’s a male fox looking for a partner.
A fox’s den is normally a burrow underground, also known as an ‘earth’. They can also live above ground in a cosy hollow, and they can produce 28 different sounds to communicate with each other. You can often hear their mating calls, which is a sharp, high-pitched shrieking/screaming noise, which can sound quite terrifying and has been the cause of many a Police response.
The Red Fox can be seen all year round, the females are called vixens, and young cubs are known as kits. In Australia they are classed as an invasive species and have made it onto the list of the ‘worlds 100 worst invasive species’ list.
