Are foxes native to Ireland ?
Perhaps. We only have evidence of foxes from the past 5000 years, but they may have been here since the end of the Ice Age, 10,000 years ago. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, more foxes were bought to Ireland to increase the numbers for the fur trade.
Where do foxes live?
Everywhere! They can survive in all land habitats, including cities. Foxes are found throughout the whole of Ireland .
Do foxes live in groups?
Foxes live in family groups, each group with its own territory. The male is called a dog, the female a vixen, and the young are cubs. They sleep in a den called an earth. The earth may be a burrow, perhaps a disused badger sett, or may be a simple hide-away under a shed or in a drain or some such. The family group usually consists of one dog and several related vixens. Only the dominant vixen produces cubs, and the other vixens help to mind them.
When do foxes breed?
Foxes mate between late December and early February. They can be quite noisy during the mating season as the pair communicate. The dog may utter a triple bark, and the vixen a long wailing scream.
Between late February and the end of April, the cubs are born. Usually there is 4 or 5 cubs in the litter. They are blind and deaf, and the female stays in the den with them for the first three weeks. The dog fox will deliver food to her during this period. If disturbed, the vixen will carry her litter one by one to a new den.
When the cubs are four weeks old, they start to venture out. The cubs will remain with the family group for seven months. By November the young dogs will leave to find their own territories. Some of the young vixens will stay with the family; others will wander to new areas.
What do foxes eat?
Foxes are carnivores, eating mainly rabbits, hares, rats and mice, but they are also very adaptable and will eat many things including bugs and worms, and even fruit. At the coast they will eat crabs and fish, and in cities they will raid bins. They have a bad name with farmers because they will kill poultry and very young lambs. They will also scavenge the carcasses of dead deer and sheep, etc. Foxes will also cache food for later use.
What kills foxes?
Foxes are regarded as vermin and 30,000 are believed to be killed by hunters and farmers each year. Fox hunting with horse and hounds is also legal in Ireland . In urban areas, sarcoptic mange can be a problem and some foxes die from severe mange infestations.
How long do foxes live?
Many cubs die before their first birthday, and few wild foxes live above four years. Occasionally foxes can live for ten years.
Are foxes protected?
No. Foxes are commoner than is sometimes realised, and are regarded by some people as vermin. They may be hunted or shot, but certain traps are illegal.
Do foxes hibernate?
No, they are very adaptable and can find food all year round.
Are foxes nocturnal?
Foxes are active mainly at night, but if they are in a safe area with little disturbance they will also be active during the day. Vixens with a litter may also need to hunt by day as well as by night.
Can I feed the foxes in my garden?
Yes. Many people, especially in suburbia, feed their local foxes. Table scraps or canned dog food are appreciated. Such ‘pet’ foxes may become very tame, so that it is possible to sit and watch them feed.