More Suspected Fox Poisonings

 If you are feeding foxes in Bristol be cautious. It is reported that foxes were found dead (suspected poisoning again) in the Montpelier area and placed in prominent place.

Makes about a dozen (reported) since June and no one has made a wildlife crime report. And NO ONE wants to examine the carcasses officially.

Actually, if everyone on fox groups reported concerns over the numbers of fox snarings, poisonings (London, Kent, Bristol etc) to DEFRA and made it uncomfortable for them something might be done. You can contact them on 0300 0200 301 or by email at ruralpayments@defra.gov.uk.

Why Action Needs To Be Taken

 In the United States if dead wildlife is found under odd circumstances (not road-kill) whether fox, coyote, raccoons -the Department of Natural Resources pick them up and transport them for post mortem examination.

At the moment we know of POSSIBLE killers of young foxes:

1. Vixen or both parents killed before cubs are old enough and dehydration etc. causes weakness and collapse and unless found early they die.
2. Fly-strike which is not just something you find on rabbits. Thios leads to weakness and eventual death unless the fox is trapped and treated correctly.
3. Possibility of heart worm
4. Mange
5. Poisoning
6. Snaring, trapping, shooting
7. Top of the list really -car strike

Mange and road0kill are obvious to spot and if you get close enough fly-strike you can see. However, DEFRA, the APHA and WIIS will flounce about making excuses and whether the death fits their criteria (knowing full well that foxes dead and in the open will be eaten or become pointless to examine if they delay long enough).

Supposedly, DEFRA and its various agencies are on the alert for the rise of any new animal originating viruses. Sitting on their backsides and doing nothing when 10 cubs and a vixen have died under unusual circumstances is not really being "alert".

As a matter of course any suspicious fox death, especially if deliberate poisoning is suspected (an illegal act), should be reported to DEFRA and then DEFRA should contact a local vet able to carry out sample taking and a post mortem to pass findings along.

There is absolutely no reason why this should not be possible. Once I have gathered enough information I will present this to DEFRA as well as to UK Chief Constables because to say the local Police Wildlife Crimes Officers are in many cases doing nothing of any substance to track down poisoners of animals is fact.

Local people having to confront the person poisoning in one case after the police did nothing (West Midlands force so that does not surprise me) or after three generations of foxes are poisoned in one London street (danger to pets then being high) to state "poisoning by persons unknown" or even a downright refusal to carry out post mortems on the foxes to see what poison was used (sales of a specific poison to a person in the street etc).

This has to stop. People are helping foxes by treating mange or other injuries but that they have to confront someone or go out each night to pick up the poison bait is ludicrous.

Appeal For Old Fox Specimens for Historical Research

 

The Fox Study (f. 1976) is currently looking at Old British fox types such as the Scottish and Northern Hill/Greyhound/Mastiff  foxes and the smaller Cur, Terrier and stub-bred foxes.

 

Most museums no longer have mounted whole or mask specimens of these and this is why the study is appealing to people who have fox specimens labelled and dated as such to send in photographs and any information on the fox.

 

This can be used to visually assess what each looked like and this would be the first study of this type in the UK or Europe.

 

If anyone can help then I can be contacted by email at: blacktowercgh@hotmail,com or Face Book Messenger https://www.facebook.com/terry.hooper.31

Thank You

Terry Hooper-Scharf

Coordinator The Fox Study

Dead Foxes, Poisonings and the Need To Take It SERIOUSLY

 

For two months I have been trying to get DEFRA, the Animal & Plant Health Advisory, Wildlife Incident Investigation Service and recently the RSPCA to get involved in the collection of foxes/cubs that appear to be suspected deliberate poisoning victims and carry out post mortems to ascertain cause of death.

 

I have managed to get Bristol City Council interested in the deaths as it could be something they need to look into as a local authority but they do not carry out post mortems.  Bristol’s Street Cleaning Team which has the responsibility to pick up carcasses has even offered to transport dead foxes to a place within the city for post mortem. Unfortunately despite a fox being reported on Thursday, 16^th July no one has shown any interest in carrying out a post mortem examination.

 

At the moment, obviously, everyone is on the look out for potential virus outbreaks and foxes are a fairly good guide to the ecology and environmental issues in a local area but they are “just foxes”,

 

If you find a dead fox that is not obviously road kill –in your garden or woodland where there are no roads then please photograph the carcass in situ if you can and report it to me. If the animal is still alive even if it looks like it may not last long call the RSPCA but DO NOT state that it looks like it is almost dead as that would put it on a very low priority just explain that it looks in a bad way.  The RSPCA emergency number is:

 

0300 1234 999

 

In the recent BS3 cases it has been reported that the nearby stream is clean and contains aquatic life and also that cattle drink from it which shows there to be no contamination present.

 

Even if –if- accidental poisoning then there is a risk to domestic pets such as dogs and cats (dogs will grab and eat something without thinking about it) as well as badgers and hedgehogs especially if (deliberate) a substance is placed in sausage meat.

 

It is very important that, even if we cannot get an official body to carry out post mortems, these deaths are noted.  The Fox Study was set up in 1976 and is not funded so the possibility of transporting and paying for post mortems is not something it can undertake.

 

We know fox mortality is high due to mange or motor vehicles but mange these days tends to be treated by fox watchers/feeders so the mortality rate from this is significantly lower than it was in the 1990s. Cars we can do nothing about. What we do not know about is how many deaths occur from various natural causes –heart worm, etc.- because these are “just foxes” and no one has really undertaken a study of cubs or adults and causes of death (we do know about snaring, shooting for no reason and so on).  It may be that poisoning is a common practice; at least three generations of foxes in one London street have fallen victim to poisoning by “persons unknown” and recently fox cubs were poisoned in a Kent beauty spot where people walk their dogs and the sudden spate of healthy looking cub deaths in Bristol could be seen as quite suspicious.

 

I am only one person but without feedback the work is near impossible to do.  Other ways you can help is contact DEFRA and say you are concerned about suspicious fox deaths and no one looking into it. Contact your MP for the same thing. Unless someone further up the political chain decides to take things more seriously we are just going to see more unexplained fox deaths.

Thank You

WIIS Guidance for Bagging Samples

 

Staying Silent Is Costing Animal Lives

 

If anyone can pass this along to other fox or wildlife groups please do because we need to break the silence and find out who is killing foxes and other animals.

 

If you find a bird of prey dead or parts of a bird of prey then please report it and the location to the police wildlife crimes officer. If you find a snare or traces of a snare then do likewise after making sure nothing can be caught in the snare before police can check it.

 

Please do not be silent if a cub or fully grown cub suddenly dies or appears to be seriously ill and dies. Mange and road-kills are obvious accidents/disease. If you find a dead fox in your garden or away from a road and if it appears to be unmarked with no signs of injury then if you can photograph it in report it. The same applies to badgers found in unusual circumstances or showing no signs of outward injury.

 

If you are aware of possible fox poisonings then contact me so that I can log the incident and then contact your wildlife crimes officer. If you hear of pet dogs or cats falling ill or dying around the same time then it could be that someone is putting out poison bait and that requires investigation.

 

There have been fox cub poisonings in Kent, London and Bristol as well as other areas and it is not known whether this is organised or just down to sick individuals working alone. Conversations with fox feeders around the country this is nothing new but many stay silent and this is allowing those involved to get away with it.  This may not be a new thing but may have been going on for a number of years and we have no exact figures for how many foxes have died.

 

DO NOT STAY SILENT.

Thank You

  40+ years ago I was told that working in wildlife meant you were in a war. Over the years I have been threatened with shooting and worse by people involved in wildlife crimes including with exotics.

You take every victory you can get but always prepare for the losses and this year that is hitting home.

Fox cubs poisoned at Milton Creek Country Park, Sittingbourne

 John Nurden

jnurden@thekmgroup.co.uk

https://www.kentonline.co.uk/sittingbourne/news/three-fox-cubs-found-poisoned-in-beauty-spot-228589/?fbclid=IwAR2eJPRbWQln0ympmQIjMvRXblS4rCziC3_eE8ejCcg7lt4IRAtXHbi8zOk

Dogs could be in danger after three fox cubs were found poisoned at a beauty spot.

The animals were discovered at Milton Creek Country Park near Sittingbourne and all have since died.

Wildlife pond Milton Creek Country Park, Sittingbourne

Lorraine St John who runs the Sheppey-based Kent Wildlife Rescue Service said: "We were called out on two occasions. Both cubs were found to be poisoned. Despite our best efforts and emergency treatment both succumbed."

She said a third cub had been found dead and warned: "Please keep an eye on the safety of your dogs as well as other wildlife."

Friends of Milton Creek Country Park issued a warning on social media calling for users to report anything suspicious to Kent's rural police unit on 101 or the RSPCA.

The second cub was reported by dog owner Claire North who contacted Kent Wildlife Rescue.

She said: "I’m heartbroken and so angry at how anyone can do this to a beautiful animal."

Claire North reported finding the second fox cub which died at Milton Creek Country Park, Sittingbourne

Her step son Louie, 18, stumbled on the creature while riding his bike in the park on Sunday afternoon.

Claire, 46, who has two dogs, recalled: "He said it was on its own in the long grass and having seizures. When I heard that I jumped in my car and went to find it.

"I found the poor little thing in the long grass by the wooden jetty near the wildlife pond. It was still alive but not very well. So I wrapped it in a towel. It didn't fight or struggle.

"I had already called Kent Wildlife Rescue and Lorraine met me at the park with a net and cat box and took the cub away."

Claire added: "We take our own dogs for walks in that park every day and often see foxes. It is a massive concern to know poison is out there. I can't get my head round why anyone would do such a thing."

Lorraine St John of Kent Wildlife Rescue Service with her former pet fox Elfie Picture: Chris Davey

Lorraine said: "Both cubs were between 14 to 16 weeks old and were poisoned, possibly with slug or rat poison. We don't know if it was deliberately put there to kill the foxes.

"The first cub died within an hour but the second lasted eight hours as we fed it activated charcoal and fluids to clean its stomach. At one stage it was sitting up and we thought it might survive.

"It is a horrible way to die. The poison destroys an animal's insides. It can take up to 12 hours before it starts having an effect.

"Animals begin to stagger, vomit and have fits before collapsing."

The 128-acre park off Groveshurst Road is owned by Swale council and is between Milton Regis and Kemsley alongside Milton Creek. It was once called Church Marshes Country Park.

One of the fox cubs which died after being found poisoned at Milton Creek Country Park, Sittingbourne. Picture: Kent Wildlife Rescue Service

A council spokesman said: “We are aware of reports of foxes being poisoned at Milton Creek Country Park and are working with police and the RSPCA to find out where the poison is coming from.