Foxes on nature reserves are controversial. There is no doubt that they eat some birds. And despite the fact that we tried to discourage foxes from setting up home in the bund near Saltholme Hide earlier this year, one vixen did anyway, and I’m sure most of you will have seen, or will see, the little furry things that she’s produced.
Foxes have a wider impact than eating a few birds though. The photograph below was taken on the path by the dragonfly ponds. I disturbed the vixen on my way down to Saltholme Hide, and when I came back, the food stash had gone.
Foxes are very adept at catching small mammals, and use the paths to pounce into the grass. Catching small mammals has benefits for anywhere that suffers a rat problem. And any wetland where food is put out for birds will have a rat problem. When Limpy the tame fox died in August 2015, we immediately suffered from heavy rat infestations. But now, things have stabilised, and I suspect it is because other foxes have moved in to take her place.
It’s also worth noting that this fox is fond of Canada geese, which really shouldn’t be here, as they no doubt have an effect on the habitats where they live, even if it is just vegetation management by day and adding nutrients to the places where they roost at night.
So don’t just think of foxes as bird eaters, think of ecosystem components.