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Monday, 6 January 2025

Total 2024 Fox and Badger Road Casualties and Wildlife Treatment Successes

 


The total number of badgers reported dead due to suspected car strike in Bristol during 2024 stands at 68.

The total number of foxes reported dead, injured and died, etc. in the City of Bristol stands at 268.

These were the ones reported and in a number of cases we would not have known about the deaths other than third parties casually mentioning seeing these animals as having been reported dead (which we then had to confirm) or people complaining that they wanted a dead fox moved as they were "filthy" or "a nuisance".

Based on the usual standards for estimating such things we believe that the actual fox death figure stands at over 300.  For the badgers we estimate a true figure would be more like 100. It seems that the public as well as members of local wildlife groups have no interest in badgers, foxes, otters or deer fatalities in and around the City but we ARE very grateful for those who do forward information.  Oddly, pet and vegan group members are the best reportees.

Since the 31st of December we have had one dead fox reported each day with the 5th being the exception.

After five years of constantly reporting/posting on groups in the City and around it we are still not getting through to those members of wildlife groups and other than photo opportunities badgers and foxes appear to be barely of interest or tolerated.

In the past two years Sarah Mills, "The Bristol Fox Lady" has led the way in treating facial and other injuries as well as mange in foxes in situ without the need to trap and confine.  Just how successful this work is can be seen in the fact that well over 500 foxes have been treated and survived and even vets are beginning to be more open to helping out -sadly not all vets as there is still an attitude of "We won't touch wildlife" even when a seriously injured animal needs to be put out of its suffering.  It is nice when you hear vets and others mentioning that they see fewer cases of mange and that is down to Sarah's all weather work.

The success of in situ treatment is a glimmer of hope in an otherwise depressing year of recording constant wildlife death on the roads where speeding still contributes to the death toll.

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Total 2024 Fox and Badger Road Casualties and Wildlife Treatment Successes

  The total number of badgers reported dead due to suspected car strike in Bristol during 2024 stands at 68 . The total number of foxes repo...