"fox lovers" need to hang their heads in shame.

 

This will be my last post on this subject and here are my reasons why.

That there is wide spread infiltration of fox groups on Face Book is well known it seems to everyone but the genuine people on those groups.  Infiltration also occurs at the local level -local wildlife groups.

On one a member posted a photo of a fox with mange and asked whether there was anything she could do to help it?

"Shoot it" was the only response that even moderators did not respond to. I di and my polite response was deleted ?)

On another group I gave information of mange treatments and immediately receive an "angry face" from one member who I asked why that response? Took him two weeks but he stated that homeopathic medication was "just watered down water". I gave him facts and personal experience of foxes with mange covering 40 years. He came back with a link to an anti-homeopathic meds site that did not even seem to known that a lot of todays chemically manufactured medicines originated with homeopathy or "natural medicines" -whichever you prefer. So I explained and gave links.

No response.

I am on another group where someone asked about mange treatment and...up pops the same man. It appears his sole contribution to wuildlife groups is to attack any mention of homeopathy.

Another kept popping up (and he had an hanger on) who told people NOT to use homeopathy but to take the fox to a vet or a wildlife rescue centre. Sure, just grab a fox during lockdown and take it to a vet, most of whom are not fox friendly, and pay a huge bill that they cannot afford. RSPCA will catch and put down a manged fox as they comply with legislation to put down some sick and injured wildlife -remember that when you think of donating to them. Wildlife centres are crammed full of sick and injured foxes as well as orphaned fox cubs. Buy online meds and administer with no idea what you are doing?

Here is the funny part; matey and his hanger on warned of the dangers of overdosing foxes with the "heavily watered down water" solution.  The science and sense behind that does not exist.  This person then asks to talk to me by messenger on my fox work. I told him to buy The Red Paper and nothing after that....until someone mentioned homeopathic mange treatment again and then came the same attack.

So, what they were all suggesting was letting the fox die from organ failure once the mange took hold -the only option they gave. Oh, and to "shoot it" of course.

Why are these people on fox groups if their main contribution seems to be tpo cause trouble or attack members offering advice?

At the beginning of this year I heard the first reports of mange in Bristol and was able to track it in several areas. This was a great opportunity to see what we could learn about mange outbreaks (in the 1990s it left Bristol with only 6% of its fox population) and Bristol has the largest urban fox population outside of London. All was going well until: "What evidence do you have that there is mange in BS3?" So I explained and pointed out two members had reported foxes with mange and I included a photo of a local fox with mange. Apparently, despite two fox rescue centres and several long term fox watchers identifying it clearly as a manged fox this was not good enough. "Looks like moulting" said a friend of the main pain in the arse. Someone suggested the fox was pulling out its fgur to line a den. It went on.

The same people kept popping up with what seemed to be a main aim of destroying any study of mange. Other members took their cues from group admins who...did and said nothing (except in one case where my response was a "bit harsh" and got deleted.).

Therefore a study that might have helped put a future experiment to treat mange with the help of feeders and watchers into action (I believe that put into action within 5 years we might see mange cases in the city drop to 5% which would have been a first) was scuppered. 

This type of persistent saboutaging seems to go unchallenged by admins on groups and the moderators.  Why?

The Fox Study was explained to groups at the beginning of the year and linbks to the work also given out. This is ongoing work since 1976 but, again, the biggest stumbling block comes from so called "fox lovers".

I make sure I tell people to NOT give exact locations and they know why. The information I have requested is simple:

1. A head and body length photo of the fox -so that fur colouration and physical features can be checked.

2. How long have foxes visited them and have they all been of the same appearance?

3. For mapping a rough location -"Derby", "Manchester" etc are good enough for the study and do not give away an exact location.

How is this a study that foxers should NOT cooperate with? Should ignore my request and block me? Why are people instructed NOT to message me privately ?  WHY are members of these groups privately messaging others to ignore and not cooperate with me? 

At the moment I am still being subjected to similar and am not allowed to have my response (polite) published yet everyone else can comment.

Rather like badger baiters supply, ahem, 'roadkill' badgers to taxidermy groups on Face Book -"the trick is you put the badger on the roadside and take a photo of yourself with it to 'prove' a car killed it" and when I challenged one such member after he said that every week he passed at least six 'roadkill' badgers on a small stretch of road alarm bells rang. "Every week?" got the response "Yeah" So I asked what stretch of road it was as I would let the local badger watch as well as wildlife crimes officer know....I was no longer a member.

Look on Ebay at the number of badger and fox skulls for sale -"100 in stock" or "60 in stock -popular" and this is from multiple sellers (probably some involved in snaring foxes for fur). Add to that the many thousands -cubs and adults- killed on roads every year and many hundreds dying from mangenot to mention foxes wantonly killed by a deranged few and these "fox lovers" do not think foxes need protection? "There are enough out there" -seriously? 

The Fox Study will continue due less public than it has. Many discoveries have been made through research and all I can say is that group moderators as well as so called "fox lovers" need to hang their heads in shame.