Red Fox
Vulpes vulpes
moderate risk
other
Overview
Adaptable canid that has become a pest in urban and suburban areas where it preys on poultry, small pets, and wildlife.
60-90cm body, distinctive bushy tail with white tip. Red-orange coat, white undersides, black legs. Variable coloration.
Prevention Strategies
- •Secure poultry in fox-proof housing (hardware cloth not chicken wire)
- •Remove attractants: garbage, fallen fruit, pet food
- •Motion-activated lights and sprinklers
- •Fence vegetable gardens with buried wire mesh
Control Methods
- •Exclusion most effective for poultry
- •Habitat modification to reduce attractiveness
- •Professional wildlife removal for denning under structures
- •Lethal control in certain jurisdictions with proper permits
Interesting Facts
- •Has adapted remarkably well to urban life and is now found in city centers worldwide
- •Can carry rabies - avoid contact with unusually bold or daytime-active foxes
- •Urban foxes have learned to open bins and food packaging
- •In Australia, introduced red fox is a major threat to native wildlife and causes billions in agricultural losses