Fox at Trimley Marshes
Suffolk: Rise of the brazen urban fox
BY RICHARD CORNWELL
Friday, February 3, 2012
3:00 PM
One is the symbol of the countryside; fit and fed on plump rabbits, voles and mice.
Suffolk Wildlife Trust site manager Mick Wright .The second is an altogether more devious character – skulking, fleet-of-paw and scavenging for food in our street bins.
That is the difference between the country fox and town fox.
For some, both are a joy to see – and while town foxes are becoming more common, and more brazen as they patrol our streets and gardens, the sight of its bushy-tailed country cousin is rarer and often fleeting when it happens.
The fabulous photo here of Mr Fox emerging from the reeds on Trimley marshes alongside the River Orwell was captured by Michael Lingley, and uploaded onto our new iwitness24 website.
"They are a beautiful and wonderful animal and we love to see them."
Mick Wright, manager of the 250-acre Trimley Marshes nature reserve, said there were foxes regularly roaming the Suffolk Wildlife Trust site and evidence could be found of them scavenging all year round.
“My volunteers often see foxes coming out of the reed bed – they are a beautiful and wonderful animal and we love to see them,” he said.
“We also see them stalking the geese but they don’t catch them. They go round the geese and the geese walk with them and shield them away.
“There is plenty of scavenging though. At this time of the year, birds will die and there are dead birds which the foxes will pick up and take and eat.
“They scavenge earthworms, frogs, and come right across the reserve to get to the shoreline..”
Mr Wright said foxes were persecuted in the countryside and seen as the bad boys.
“The only time we might have a problem with foxes is if we get a colony of ground-nesting birds in the spring, but even then you cannot really interfere too much.”
Colonies of ring plover, common terns and oystercatchers used to breed along the county’s coast from Felixstowe to Lowestoft but not any more – and not because of predators like foxes, but because of disturbance by people, walkers with dogs off leads.
Mr Wright said urban foxes were very different in character to the rural animals – highly-skilled and professional at secreting themselves in gardens and knowing where to find food.
Just this week a fox was seen wandering in Ipswich, trotting down Felixstowe Road. Others have been seen in the town centre and on our beautiful waterfront.
Latest News See all
- Ipswich: Former Ipswich Town and England footballer Kevin Beattie admits £8k benefit charge
- Update: Stab victim in stable condition after attack near Ipswich Crown Court
- Video: Freerunners have two weeks to raise cash for American dream
- Ipswich/Fexlistowe: Teen speaks of her horror as bus ploughs into sign at Ipswich Hospital
- Ipswich/Felixstowe: My bus smash horror - teen tells of miracle escape as double-decker hits A&E department
More news
- Ipswich: Former Ipswich Town and England footballer Kevin Beattie admits £8k benefit charge
- Update: Stab victim in stable condition after attack near Ipswich Crown Court
- Video: Freerunners have two weeks to raise cash for American dream
- Ipswich/Fexlistowe: Teen speaks of her horror as bus ploughs into sign at Ipswich Hospital
- Ipswich/Felixstowe: My bus smash horror - teen tells of miracle escape as double-decker hits A&E department
- Ipswich: New interim hospital chief is ready to listen
- Ipswich: Dad claimed £16k in disability cash for footballer son
- Ipswich: Historic buildings at risk
- Poll: Tickets for Olympic torch party in Ipswich available tomorrow morning
- Ipswich: Growth of town puts MPs at loggerheads
7 comments
Ecoli, listeria, streptococcal, fox, the world is a better place with less of them.......!
Report this comment
charles stennett
Sunday, February 5, 2012
The ones that trot up and down foxhall road at night give me as a cat owner cause for concern as their arrival seems to be followed by another cat disapperance.
Report this comment
crispy62
Saturday, February 4, 2012
I enjoyed this article and agree with Mr. Wright. Foxes are not a pest and anyone who says otherwise does not have the full facts. The bad rap comes merely from hunters seeking to justify their own blood lust. Whenever I see an urban fox, I feel priviledged. Maybe they are scavengers, but humans also enter our gardens, not only to root through our bins for food. Humans are vicious. The fox is cowardly. I wouldn't dare confront a stranger, yet, if I so much as clear my thoat, the fox runs. Who then is the problem? The fox, urban or otherwise, has as much right to be here as we do. We should leave these glorious creatures to live their lives the best they can.
Report this comment
dejosta
Saturday, February 4, 2012
These animals are important with regard to the ecology of our countryside. The only pests are the human variety.
Report this comment
Robin
Saturday, February 4, 2012
@Sam Who do you think you are to say what animal deserves to live or die? They have just as much right to live as we do whether they are "pests" or not. You comment just goes to show how ignorant you are. Humans have no more right to exist or decide who or what lives or dies than any other creature.
Report this comment
Goose
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Foxes have killed 6 of my chickens in the last month. Bring back fox hunting.
Report this comment
KJH
Friday, February 3, 2012
These animals are nothing but pests both in the countryside and in towns. There are several around in the town and into the countryside. Bang Bang
Report this comment
Sam Nunn
Friday, February 3, 2012