Fox removal

[gray1720]

Someone on our allotments has complained on the group mailing list that we have a fox.

This is hardly a surprise - we are on the edge of a city, set in 380-odd acres of common grazing - but he's not a happy bunny. I'm rabbit control officer (a sinecure thus far, as floods since the last outbreak of Lagomorphs of Unusual Size have kept Peter away), so I can see me being asked  about it!

So... what would you do? My suspicions are that anything serious (eg trapping, which I believe in law must be followed by acute lead poisoning) would cause uproar amongst certain parties on the plots, so I'd welcome serious suggestions - but what about fun ones as well? Might as well have a giraffe at Reynard's expense.

Awaiting with interest!

Adrian
 

[gray1720]

[Bonsai Si]

They sell those costumes for dogs right?  A Fox should fit in one...

Get the little Shark Costume and see what Emails you get about Great White Shark sightings on the plot and then share them with us?  ;)

[ACE]

The fox should keep the vermin down a bit. Do your rabbit job properly and tell him to stop rabbiting on.

[cornykev]

We have Fox's on our site, at work and wandering around neighbouring roads
We just live with ours, although at work I think they have inquired to have them trapped
I understance why you were asked do you not have the contacts. 
Foxes also kill rats, I know which one I would prefere
That Ace has some Bunny.   

[gray1720]

I'm sure I can round up contacts, but trying to shift him would be a mugs game - we're on common land with public access all round, our landlords are controlled by the local Greens, which even if anyone was serious about getting rid all pretty much rule out trapping, shooting or snaring and there's enough of the beggars about that another would just move in if this one bit the dust. Hence why I figured I wouldn't take it very seriously! After much spluttering, the mailing list seems to have settled down to "We know, we tolerate it"... though I'm sure there's fun yet to come.

Somehow I doubt we'll be able to erect a fox proof fence:
More WTF by gray1720, on Flickr

*goes off looking online for shark costumes*

Adrian

[cornykev]

Your right, I forgot to add that another Fox would move in.   

[Bonsai Si]

*goes off looking online for shark costumes*

Adrian

[ancellsfarmer]

Many years ago, I had an aquaintance who was employed by a London Borough to catch and release foxes outside of the London area as his Members were "bunny huggers" and would not vote to "control" these mangy specimens. With the traffic conditions in the suburbs, this made for an interesting but long winded excursion. He maintained that the foxes were back before him!, and he was never short of work.

[squeezyjohn]

I'm delighted that a fox has moved in to our site!  The reduction in rabbits, rats and partridges it's getting through is more than compensation for the occasional bit of damage and strawberry theft that may occur.

I think there are some allotmenters out there who would prefer to raise their plants in a sterile, bleached laboratory given the way they moan about the slightest hint of nature on the site!

[Silverleaf]

I hear foxes are brilliant for killing rats.

I'm sure some would call me a "bunny hugger" but I understand that predators are really important and keeping the numbers of rats/rabbits/whatever down is essential to keep their populations healthy.

Trying to eradicate something that is endemic to a place altogether just means that the balance is lost and then you get trouble. Population explosions in prey that don't have predators means they die of starvation and disease and overcrowding, and that's far worse than a quick death by becoming fox food. Foxes are pretty efficient killers.

So yeah. Balance in all things, and the fox will do more good than harm. And as other have pointed out, you can't stop another fox moving in to take its place anyway.

[Silverleaf]

I think there are some allotmenters out there who would prefer to raise their plants in a sterile, bleached laboratory given the way they moan about the slightest hint of nature on the site!

I think you're right.

Me, I like to get the wildlife to work for me. I encourage beneficial insects, feed the birds so they stick around and eat most of the aphids, and let patches of the garden grow wild. I may lose a few things here and there but I think I gain more than I lose.