Dead Fox with Egg

[BloomingMarvellous]

Found this shot Fox yesterday whilst in Bedgebury Forest. Why would someone kill a fit healthy Fox for taking an egg. My Boyfriend believed the scene had been tampered with, I'm sort of thinking that way too now.

[valleyforge]

This has the look of a crime scene, Bloomingmarvelous

The jaw appears to be broken and the blood spatter on the tree trunk might suggest it was swung against it, perhaps after consuming a poisoned egg.

Contact your local police ... all UK police forces now have a Wildlife Crime/Liaison Officer ... there's no harm in doing so, or in presenting them with a copy of your photo for their records.

[BloomingMarvellous]

I'll get straight onto that tomorrow morning valleyforge, Police Stations in small towns close by 1pm. Does this sort of thing happen very often then?

[eeyore]

as the egg's not broken , i would assume that its there coincidentally - if the fox had consumed it and been poisoned by it the shell would be in pieces

if thats the case then the fox has probably been shot - the blood splatter could result from an exit wound, and chances are good that it has been done legally by the landowner or his agents.

that said by all means report it to the WLO as he will be well placed to check if legal control is being carried out over the land.

[Jason Green]

Evening BM,

I'm with VF on this, certainly - no sign of a gunshot wound, a broken jaw with what looks like the loose part below the neck and the egg might not but could be relevant. It doesn't look like 'control' to me - aren't the bodies disposed of afterwards?

Going down the local Police route would be the best advice, please let us know the outcome.

Take care,

Jason

[eeyore]

Originally Posted by Jason Green

. It doesn't look like 'control' to me - aren't the bodies disposed of afterwards?

mostly but not always particularly as there isnt much you can do with fox - its not like rabbits etc that can become food for either the keeper or his dogs

by the same token one would think that if you were going to illicitly poison an animal you wouldnt then leave the body lying arround to be found

two other possibilities are a) that it was caught in a cage trap or snare then killed by being swung against the tree - that would be right on the edge of legality because although a bludgeon is acceptable dispatch for a snared etc fox, swinging it against a tree might be deemed cruelty (it certainly isnt good practice and not something i'd condone) - this doesnt seem likely to me tho as i wouldnt fancy getting hold of a live fox by the back legs - you'd be asking to get bitten

b) that it has been hit by a car and fled to later die from its injuries - in this scenario the blood on the tree would come from its broken jaw and such wounds shortly before it died.

Like i said take the issue to the local WLO (tho beware that they arent based in every small police station) but dont be suprised if it isnt viewed as a priority.

this link may help you find the appropriate officer http://www.kent.police.uk/Your%2...try.html#allen

[BloomingMarvellous]

I'm going to have another look at other photo's I took of this scene, but I do believe that this Fox was shot rather than poisoned. The Blood splatter and matter on the tree, sort of indicates this.

[Jason Green]

Originally Posted by eeyore

mostly but not always particularly as there isnt much you can do with fox - its not like rabbits etc that can become food for either the keeper or his dogs

Not always? Then what about those that may feed on the decaying body - surely this would be attracting/encouraging more 'pest' species to the area?!

The only logical action in-line with the purpose of the original intention would be to remove them.

[eeyore]

Originally Posted by Jason Green

Not always? Then what about those that may feed on the decaying body - surely this would be attracting/encouraging more 'pest' species to the area?!

The only logical action in-line with the purpose of the original intention would be to remove them.

although on the other hand while they are eating the dead fox they arent preying on anything else - normaly keepers etc dont leave dead foxes etc lying arround , basically to stop members of the public getting in uproar , but the carcase is usually disposed of in a ditch, bottom of hedge etc.

course some game estates still operate a gibbet where the keeper displays his kills as proof of his diligence.

anyway we are getting off topic and in danger of turning into one of 'those threads.'

bottom line is that BM believes that this fox was shot , and therefore it is likely that no crime has been commited - but it would be worth checking with the landowner or asking the police to do so to be sure that it wasnt people shooting over the land without permission.

[Dutchess]

The first thing I noticed was the broken jaw. This made me think of badger baiting, where the jaw of the badger is sometimes broken to "give the dogs a better chance" Is there such a thing as fox baiting? It would not surprise me.

Either way, this doesn't look like a natural death and it is one I would report.

D.