Parents in fear over increase in city foxes.. (Media story).

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AN increase in Dublin's fox population is worrying families, say experts.

However, the same experts are urging people to stay calm, as there are few, if any, reports of the fox population attacking household pets or humans.

Maurice Eakin, a conservation officer with Fingal County Council, told the Herald: "Anecdotally, I'd say there's been an increase over the last few years.

"We get complaints from people who are concerned about the foxes. People just don't want them. They are concerned they might bite them or their children.

"They're right to be concerned. You would have concerns about any wild animal, but I've never heard any complaints about foxes attacking pets or people anywhere in the city."

He said most complaints made to the county council were about female foxes giving birth in back gardens, but that a lot of people enjoyed spotting foxes.

"A lot of people would be absolutely delighted to see foxes in the city. It's a bit of wildlife, a bit of the countryside."

Joanne Pender from the Irish Wildlife Trust said the new foxes pose no threat to people.

"They generally don't confront humans. They're really a lovely animal, they're rarely vicious," she said.

"The reason we're seeing more foxes in the urban areas is because they're losing their natural habitat."


Surgery

This became evident only last month when five fox cubs were born at a location just 2km away from Dublin city centre.

Attacks on household pets by Ireland's 150, 000 foxes are very rare, said Ms Pender.

"They might attack very small animals, like they might break into a chicken coop, but it's rare. I've never heard any examples of that. They're really no harm."

Last year, two nine-month- old twins in London required plastic surgery after they were attacked by a fox while they slept in their cots.

Their parents, Nick and Pauline Koupparis, reported that the fox came in through open patio doors.

SOURCE.

Are we?.

I'm certainly not.

In fact I love to see foxes around the city.

Birdnuts

There are many valid reasons to control numbers of foxes, but the idea that they are a threat to humans/children is simply silly season journalism:rolleyes:

RedXIV

Theres a fox that wanders around my estate every night, little fella now. Never seen him during the day so that ends my worries.

He has been in our backgarden alright but that was when we left a bag of rubbish out. Learnt our lesson there. Like seeing them though

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

..They're right to be concerned. .

That Council official is either badly informed or was badly misquoted. I hope, for his sake, it is the latter. What a nonsense comment.

As for the story itself: You'd swear Urban Foxes were something new. There has been a better chance of seeing a Fox in Dublin City than anywhere in the countryside for decades now. Why are they trying to make this seem like something new?

Anyway, the entire piece is nonsense. A slow news day in the silly season.

Half-cocked

Tara Beautiful Shinbone wrote: »

A slow news day in the silly season.

That about sums it all up. Silly season used to be August, it gets earlier every year. I wonder if it is affected by climate change too?;)

Riskymove

Tara Beautiful Shinbone wrote: »

That Council official is either badly informed or was badly misquoted. I hope, for his sake, it is the latter. What a nonsense comment.

read the whole quote

if you do, I read it as him suggesting that parents should be concerned at the idea of their children encountering wild animals and are right to ask if there is a danger (i.e. as oppossed to not caring if their kids are encountering wild animals)

he goes on to say he has never heard of any attacks so I do not think he means that parents should be concerned that foxes will attack...indeed I think he is trying to reassure them

the article does not read well

Kess73

Tabloid style scare mongering.


Using that couple from London who claim their child was bitten by a fox as some kind of an example is a joke too. That couple changed their story a few times and in one version they saw a fox and in another version they saw no fox but are sure a fox bit the child despite the fact that a small dog, think it was a Jack Russell, was in the house at the same time. The idea of the small dog biting the child was dismissed out of hand.


There is no serious threat from foxes, and then being in towns and cities is certainly nothiong new.


It is almost as laughable an article as the one in Limerick some time back when local "experts" and local councillors went to the media about the very "real" threat to humans and horses from mink in the Limerick area. They tried to paint a picture of mink stalking people and horses to the point where I think they were mixing up the mink with a tiger.

Mainstream Ireland's knowledge and tolerance to animals can be quite pathetic at times. The knee jerk reaction to animals seems to be to get a gun or poison. Badgers, foxes, raptors, you name it and there are groups who want to kill them and usually armed with the loosest of facts.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Riskymove wrote: »

read the whole quote

if you do, I read it as him suggesting that parents should be concerned at the idea of their children encountering wild animals and are right to ask if there is a danger (i.e. as oppossed to not caring if their kids are encountering wild animals)

he goes on to say he has never heard of any attacks so I do not think he means that parents should be concerned that foxes will attack...indeed I think he is trying to reassure them

the article does not read well

I certainlty did read the whole quote - several times. I stand by what I said. Even suggesting that parents be concerned about children (in this country) encountering wild animals is absurd.

Riskymove

Tara Beautiful Shinbone wrote: »

I certainlty did read the whole quote - several times. I stand by what I said. Even suggesting that parents be concerned about children (in this country) encountering wild animals is absurd.

??

so, if you didn't know anything about wildlife and discovered your small child was encountering a fox (or a pine marten or a badger or whatever) in the garden...you would have no concerns whatsoever?? be it from attack or disease or anything else??

and would not seek info from wildlife officers?

Tabloid style scare mongering.

absolutely

mcmoustache

I've seen plenty of foxes in my time and they're more shy than wild cats. Unless their behaviour has changed drastically in recent times, foxes scarper when people get too close.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Riskymove wrote: »

??

so, if you didn't know anything about wildlife and discovered your small child was encountering a fox (or a pine marten or a badger or whatever) in the garden...you would have no concerns whatsoever?? be it from attack or disease or anything else??

True/Not at all.

The only concern I would have is close contact with rats. Fox, Badger, Pine Marten? If only children could see them that easily. These animals are very shy and no risk to kids. You are indirectly perpetuating the nonsense in the newspaper article.

Kess73

Riskymove wrote: »

??

so, if you didn't know anything about wildlife and discovered your small child was encountering a fox (or a pine marten or a badger or whatever) in the garden...you would have no concerns whatsoever?? be it from attack or disease or anything else??
and would not seek info from wildlife officers?




absolutely

The same concerns exist with domesticated dogs and cats, as well as a range of other pets. A child is far more likely to be harmed in this country by a domestic dog than by pretty much all the different species of wildlife combined.

But a paper headline about dogs, especially the more ordinary breeds, is going to be less of a draw than some muck that has "Parents in fear over increase in city foxes" as it's headline.

Pretty sure that there has never even been a recorded case in Ireland of a fox attacking a person, yet the Hearld is happy to say people are in fear of an animal that has never attacked a child or adult in this country.


The only way a badger, fox, Pine Marten or whatever is a threat to a child or adult is if that animal is provoked into attacking and has no route to escape.

Riskymove

Tara Beautiful Shinbone wrote: »

True/Not at all.

The only concern I would have is close contact with rats. Fox, Badger, Pine Marten? If only children could see them that easily.

no, you dont seem to be seeing my point

you see you have that insight about these animals...many people dont...thats why I underlined the important bit

If someone knows nothing about a pine marten then obviously they might have concerns with their children interacting with one etc etc. I think that is perfectly understandable

These animals are very shy and no risk to kids. You are indirectly perpetuating the nonsense in the newspaper article.

er...no I am not.....I am saying that if people dont understand wildlife and have concerns then they should seek the info and they can learn that there is little risk

Riskymove

Kess73 wrote: »

The same concerns exist with domesticated dogs and cats, as well as a range of other pets. A child is far more likely to be harmed in this country by a domestic dog than by pretty much all the different species of wildlife combined.

absolutely but people KNOW cats and dogs and can make their own judgements without needing to seek advice form wildlife experts... I am sure many people would not want small children interacting with certain dogs etc.

The only way a badger, fox, Pine Marten or whatever is a threat to a child or adult is if that animal is provoked into attacking and has no route to escape.

again...not everybody would know that

the_syco

mcmoustache wrote: »

I've seen plenty of foxes in my time and they're more shy than wild cats. Unless their behaviour has changed drastically in recent times, foxes scarper when people get too close.

Depends on where they live. The fox outside my work strolls around, ignores the humans 2 feet away in the smoking area.

Have seen a few foxes in Dublin, and although they keep their distance, they will walk near humans if they have to.

Most wild dogs were at one time pets. Foxes were always wild, and thus IMO have a better chance at staying hidden. Because of their colour (not white) they are usually harder to spot, and can jump through a lot of the fences in Dublin.

Kess73

Riskymove wrote: »

absolutely but people KNOW cats and dogs and can make their own judgements without needing to seek advice form wildlife experts... I am sure many people would not want small children interacting with certain dogs etc.




again...not everybody would know that

Does a person have to know exactly what an animal is in order to know not to attack or try to grab at that animal which in turn forces the animal to defend itself?

Surely parents should be expected to have the common sense not to allow their children to grab at animals and to teach their children to be careful around any animal they do not know, domestic or wild? Why should people need a wildlife expert to tell them something that is common sense?

Riskymove

Kess73 wrote: »

Does a person have to know exactly what an animal is in order to know not to attack or try to grab at that animal which in turn forces the animal to defend itself?

Surely parents should be expected to have the common sense not to allow their children to grab at animals and to teach their children to be careful around any animal they do not know, domestic or wild? Why should people need a wildlife expert to tell them something that is common sense?

this is getting worse than after hours with every comment twisted around so I'll just leave it here

Hobbitfeet

I have lived in the country side all my life and you would be one very lucky person to get close enough to a fox for it to bite you. I never heard anything so crazy in all my life foxes biting people!!!crazy!!

Kess73

Riskymove wrote: »

this is getting worse than after hours with every comment twisted around so I'll just leave it here

Not trying to twist what you say and I am sorry if it seemed that way, but people have to take some responsibility as well and not rely on a wildlife expert or what not to tell them what to do. For me the common sense thing to do with any animal you are unsure of or do not know is to let it be, and teach their children the same to the best of their abilities.

I appreciate where you were going with your last few posts on it, and there will always be people who get too close , get hurt and then blame the animal, but common sense goes a long way to avoiding problems with animals in the first place.

Riskymove

Kess73 wrote: »

I appreciate where you were going with your last few posts on it, and there will always be people who get too close , get hurt and then blame the animal, but common sense goes a long way to avoiding problems with animals in the first place.

of course I agree that children or people should not try and grab wild animals, I did not suggest anything like that

I simply think that the conservation guy is being quoted in a certain way to make him look like he is saying something he is not

I dont think he is saying that people should be concerned that foxes will attack their children or pets, in fact he clealry says they shouldn't be

John_Rambo

Riskymove is saying that there are people out there that haven't a clue about wildlife and actually do think that foxes, bats and badgers are dangerous.

And he's right. You lot aren't the problem, you all know they are safe.

Read his first post properly. It's down to ignorance, people are panicked by what they don't know or understand... Some yoke is standing outside in her pyjamis half pissed having a fag and a fox walks by with a nappy in it's mouth and it's pandemonium.

Birdnuts

John_Rambo wrote: »

Riskymove is saying that there are people out there that haven't a clue about wildlife and actually do think that foxes, bats and badgers are dangerous.

And he's right. You lot aren't the problem, you all know they are safe.

Read his first post properly. It's down to ignorance, people are panicked by what they don't know or understand... Some yoke is standing outside in her pyjamis half pissed having a fag and a fox walks by with a nappy in it's mouth and it's pandemonium.

After reading a certain other thread - I'm now terrified of Irish, rabid, vampire bats myself:(:P;):D

seamus

Kess73 wrote: »

The same concerns exist with domesticated dogs and cats, as well as a range of other pets. A child is far more likely to be harmed in this country by a domestic dog than by pretty much all the different species of wildlife combined.

And to put it in further context, a child is far more likely to be harmed by a human family member than their pet cat or dog.

We live in one of the safest countries in the world when it comes to wildlife. The only warning we need give children is "don't touch it" and they'll be fine.

There's a fox which comes into my in-laws' garden on a nightly basis. It's great during the summer, as we're sitting there at around 9pm after dinner and he goes running right by the window, down the garden. There are also a family of foxes living just off a field near me, the residents beside it leave out scraps and such for them. Great to see five or six them go sprinting across the field when I go up for a walk.

There is a minor risk from foxes towards infirm cats and dogs, but it's still a huge risk for the fox to take. The fox would want to be really starving. Which they usually aren't in the city.