Research
- Jan 26, 2018
- 2 min read
Foxes in London
10,000 urban foxes live with us in London. They tend to roam around the city at night or early morning; a time where there is not a lot of humans around. Foxes tend to live in the earth: under sheds, tree roots, bushes, wallows and dips. Foxes live in parent/cub family network, even a couple of non-breeding vixens. The group uses sound and scent to communicate and contact each other. They mark their territory using urine (usually where there is the most food) to communicate to other foxes that the land is taken.
In urban areas cubs don’t usually live to maturity; not many living past a year and the average lifespan of a London fox is typically 18 months. In some areas foxes are even killed deliberately for ruining back gardens or going through rubbish.The loud screech heard at night is another reason they are seen as a nuisance to humans however these noises are only a few of many vocalisations that they have in their complex language.
Even thought they are seen as scavenger animals, they are marvellous predators and have a wise, unfussy diet; eating anything from pigeon to small rodents. They eat anything that is left for them and can scavenge for food like worms and larvae. London foxes only scavenge around 35% of their food unlike Bristol, where 64% of their diet is made up by scavenged food.
The species which localise London where introduced after word war 2, in the late 1950s. There are many theories as to why they came but one theory is that after the war, their was more gardens and sheds which provide an easy shelter for the creatures.
Foxes in the Wild
When cubs open their eyes at 14 days their eyes are slate-blue. As they grow their pupils change colour to amber. Foxes live in social groups- 3 to 4 adults, equal amounts of male and females. Normally only one female breeds however up to three do.
They also eat everything just like the ones that live in urban places.
I want my character to have fox characteristics such as hiding from humans or making noises so will try and make enemies that you can't fight and you must only go around or hide until they leave.
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