Avian Influenza Virus in Foxes

As if to emphasise what I have been trying to warn people about, and one reason why we carry out the post mortems on dead foxes, it is confirmed that Avian Influenza Virus (AIV) is now being isolated from some foxes.  So the University involved is reviewing its health and safety routine regarding fox PMs re zoonotic risks (as it has re. Badger Pms and Bovine TB).  Some post mortems may still be possible with some mitigations

Dead birds are a free meal to foxes and it was only a matter of time before this happened; the risk is bird to fox to humans.

The other crossing over we have been waiting to find (thankfully not yet) is covid in foxes. Again, the risk is fox to human through close contact.

This is serious advice: feed any fox at a distance and DO NOT hand feed or try to coax a fox into your home. This is not a joke. If you use a bowl to feed a fox (or badger) clean it out every day with a disinfectant. If you feed on one spot regularly -do not. Move where you place food nightly.

Foxes are best fed and watched from a distance, as are badgers. If you are a feeder you now have a serious responsibility to make changes to how you interact with foxes and badgers. Keeping AIV isolated to wildlife and not crossing over to humans is extremely important. If AIV spreads throughout UK fox populations that could lead to a cull. We do NOT want that.

Keep any AIV in foxes isolated and do not help to spread it.

Terry Hooper-Scharf

British Fox Study