More Discussion and Questions Needed

 

I have to say that looking at the stats I had expected there to be far more in the way of discussion or question asking -after all everyone is here because of an intertest in foxes, right?

So why is no one responding to posts? This is a discussion friendly site and if you have an opposing opinion on the research, so long as you can back up any argument with references, you are welcome. The posting on babesia has had a tremendous number of views but no thoughts or questions? Is it worth posting further test results that have produced some interesting results re. fox deaths?

Engage.

Do you know of cases where dead foxes have been found to heavily jaundiced -do you have photos of that or an actual veterinarian statement re. Jaundice? Babesia?

The Fox Deaths Project was set up by the British Fox Study to look at how foxes, looking healthy enough externally, died suddenly -collapsing in a garden or on a pavement- and initially "fox poisoners" were blamed. The Project is unique in the UK and using the City of Bristol as a petri dish it may well show what is going on nationally where every dead or collapsed, dying fox is labelled as either "Road Traffic Accident" or "poisoned" by vets and rescues.

How successful has the project been? Well, successful enough and yielding results that have interested the pathologist involved for him to want to continue into 2023. My colleague, Zoe Webber, who does the leg work is game to continue into 2023 and that will give us two years worth of data to compare. Baring in mind that the pathologist trains other vets the work could have far reaching consequences in the future for wildlife (fox) treatment and rescues. No more repeating some dogma passed around about fox health but facts based on the work of a highly respected pathologist.

Bristol City Council may be hindering the work (for reasons we have no idea on) but even though we have lost a number of dead foxes (with no ability to chill bodies during summer we have to ignore anything reported from Friday to Sunday as the pathology lab is closed Fri-Sun. Having said that we have submitted 29 foxes so far and the major problem is people not reporting seeing dead foxes until days later at which point they are no good for post mortem examination.

I am hoping to have a general (public) report out by early 2023 on PMs so far and I am sure that the pathologist will be producing his own technical paper at some point.

Incidentally, if you have any old fox taxidermy pre 1900 that is just gathering dust and you would care to donate please get in touch as taxidermy is helping us learn much more about Old fox types and if we can get a lab interested then DNA sampling is the next step.

The Red Paper 2022 Vol. 1 Canids has been completed but, unfortunately, there is little publisher interest so that research may not see the light of day.