Peter Hayward trained in zoology and evolutionary biology before becoming editor of a medical journal. He started his Animal Of The Week blog back in 2004 after stumbling across a cuban solenodon, the world’s second poisonous mammal (after the attention-grabbing duck-billed platypus). Having left south London last year for Dartmouth Park, he’s now well placed to teach us a bit about the other living things we share the manor with. @animaloftheweek
#1 The Fox
Signs of long-awaited spring are all around. The snowdrops are out, crocuses too, and daffodil buds are swelling with the yellow of the trumpets shining through their thin green jackets. And our native animals are starting to embrace the coming season with the return of reproductive zeal. Male coots with swollen white crests scrap over females, robins sing loudly in defense of their territories, and one of the most unwelcome sounds has also been heard of late in NW5: that of randy foxes.
The barks and yelps the noisy blighters make in our parks and gardens as dogs and vixens court can be quite alarming. Blood-curdling screams can have you dialling the emergency services; and then there’s the bizarre staccato whirring sound like a slowed down football rattle — known as, I kid you not, gekkering.
Alongside grey squirrels, foxes are perhaps the most familiar wild mammals in London, and they’ve had a bit of bad press of late. The recent attack by a fox in which a baby’s finger was bitten off, whilst a rare incident, is a reminder that no matter how familiar these animals become and how close to us they live, they are still wild creatures.
If you are kept awake by Kentish Town’s hundreds of foxes, just remember that they should stop soon; if you’re lucky enough, from April you might get to see the delightful cubs playing in the streets and gardens, so the sleepless nights have their upside. But remember to enjoy them at a distance, don’t try to interact with them too much, as it’s when foxes lose their fear of humans that negative interactions are likely to become more common.
Illustration by Russell Loughlan
Next time: a tube mouse (ahhh)
1 thought on “Urban Animal Of The Week: #1, The Fox”
I hate to say it but foxes ruin every nights sleep I have – and this is from someone that keeps all windows in the flat closed and wears ear plugs. I live on Islip street and there is a very over familiar mangy fox that is always on the prowl. One of my neighbours feeds a huge family of them which keeps me and all my flat mates awake for up to 3 hours most nights. Rant rant I know but I can’t stand them.