Our gardens may be asleep for the season but that doesn’t stop the local wildlife from trespassing, frolicking and going about business as usual. Besides the ever-present white-tailed deer we also have raccoons, skunks, opossums, feral cats and foxes parading through. After a recent snowfall, their tracks gave them away even if I didn’t see them.
The foxes are my favorite, though, and it’s clear from these photos why.
North America’s native red fox, Vulpes vulpes, isn’t just a rural farmyard raider. Foxes live everywhere now, frequenting suburban vegetable plots, city streets, orchards and backyards all over the country. Low-density neighborhoods with large lots and plenty of cover are ideal for them.
Foxes generally do not bother humans and successfully coexist in well populated areas for years, often without many local people realizing it. But they can be a nuisance if they get into unsecured garbage or pet food, not to mention flimsy backyard chicken coops.
These two were observed just as the sun was coming up in the retention swale next to my yard on January 23. Revelling in an all-out romp, they chased and play-sparred for nearly twenty minutes. Late January into early February is breeding season, so it’s likely this was a mated pair reaffirming social bonds.
Foxes are especially fun to watch in snow. With their striking red fur they really stand out, making them easier to spot than other times of year. There’s nothing so captivating as a pair playing in bright moonlight on a snowy landscape. I’ve seen this only once at my previous home, but the scene was simply magical. So wild, yet so utterly relatable!
We’re fortunate to have a fairly stable fox population in our neighborhood, which has ample cover as well as a creek nearby. While “our” fox population does get mange from time to time, the disease doesn’t continuously afflict them; healthy adults soon replace the sick. (Mange is caused by mites; if you own dogs, make sure their shots are up to date; sarcoptic mange is highly transmissible to unvaccinated canines. Although rare, foxes are also a vector species for rabies transmission.) For the most part, healthy foxes mind their own business. They’ve never become a problem here as far as I know.
In fact, a side benefit of having resident foxes is the excellent rodent control they provide, especially when they are feeding kits. Their presence ensures voles and mice are kept in check. Squirrel and chipmunk populations remain balanced and healthy too.
On the down side, foxes will eat most anything, including cultivated berries and grapes; in fact they love grapes and other fruits and will readily raid garden plots. One has to be careful what one grows or be prepared to erect formidable barriers around prized produce. I don’t mind if they eat berries off my shrubs, but I wouldn’t try growing grapes or raspberries here. No sense in courting disaster!
If you see foxes flirting in winter, there will probably be kits born sometime in early spring. Young adults from last year’s litter often stick around to help their parents feed the newest kits, a remarkable family strategy. These clever animals are ingenious at survival despite the long odds of traffic, dogs, humans and habitat degradation.
The best time to observe foxes (who are usually nocturnal) is typically dawn and dusk, as well as early morning. In areas where they feel safe they may be active at other times as well. We almost always see these guys in early morning.
Making A Garden Wildlife Friendly
If you want to attract foxes there are a few things you can do. Make sure there are patches of dense undergrowth in out-of-the-way places, tree snags are left undisturbed, and boulders or stumps with large crevices or other suitabe sites are available. Plant fruit- and berry-producing trees, shrubs and vines. Avoid using rodent poisons, keep your dogs indoors at dusk and dawn, and discourage local trapping if you’re in a rural or semi-wooded landscape.
On the other hand, if a fox family moves in under your deck or shed, that can be too close for comfort. If possible, leave them alone until the kits are weaned. Sometimes the mother will move the kits on her own if she senses danger.
To discourage denning in undesired spots, proactively erect a physical barrier such as chicken wire or try treating the spot with commercial organic repellents, mothballs or ammonia. These techniques may also work with pesky raccoons and skunks. Providing a choice of natural den sites in the first place though, is the best solution.
In the wild, foxes rarely live longer than five years with most averaging just two years. Despite this, they can self-regulate their populations, producing larger litters when mortality rates are high. (This is why eradication programs rarely work for long; juveniles simply adapt to fill adjacent territories when an area becomes vacant, similar to coyotes.)
Fox lives may be brief but they are fascinating creatures all the same. When they’re around, they’re truly a joy to watch. And so cute!
I wish you at least one glimpse of a red fox this winter; it will make your day, I guarantee it. Seeing these guys certainly made mine.
