Urban fox attacks two babies while they sleep!

[salukiwhippet]

Firstly of course, our thoughts should be with the children and their family, however these injuries were sustained.

Urban foxes are increasingly bold, and this is the time of year when fox populations and therefore their food requirements are at their peak.

There have been several reports of attacks on people in recent years, two on children and one on a woman in glasgow who was putting out milk for her cat.

BBC NEWS | UK | England | Baby 'attacked by fox'

Pensioner attacked by fox in her back garden - Scotsman.com News

If foxes lose their fear of humans, as is the case in many towns and cities, why should they not regard babies as prey? A young baby isn't much bigger that a lamb or piglets. Add desperation due to overpopulation and who knows?

James

[werdnal]

I agree with your comments, and I'm sure no one here thinks foxes are cuddly little creatures who wouldn't hurt a fly, but going into a house, climbing the stairs and getting into the children's cots does seem a bit far fetched. I know foxes do get into buildings, and no doubt over-population and additional pressures of feeding cubs, must drive them to be more daring in their search for food, but I'm still not convinced.

I stand to be proved wrong, but we'll have to wait and see.

[captivebolt]

I really can't imagine urban foxes being controlled by traditional riding to hounds. Quorn hunt in full cry, Ol' Jug Ears tally-hoing and view hallooing at the head, flat out round Marble Arch at 9 in a Monday morning?

I think not!

CB

[GreenAdam]

Foxes are predators after all, no doubt they'd attack a child if they were hungry, as far as the fox is concerned its a viable meal. Seems odd to me the fox wouldn't have headed for the kitchen instead.

[Elevate29]

Sounds like its going to be discussed on Radio 2's Jeremy Vine show today.

Elevate

[Pigeon feather]

This is not the first time I have heard of very young children being attacked by a fox, the first was some years ago that made the news when a fox attempted to snatch a baby that was asleep on a sofa downstairs, luckily it was seen and chased away, it does not surprise me though and a fox in desperation especially with cubs to feed will try anything, indeed I have lived in a house in London where a fox on more than one occasion came in through the cat flap to eat the cats food, went upstairs and then defecated on the landing carpet luckily there were no babies about! just recently a fox tried to get my chickens overnight luckily they were all locked in so it wasn't successful.

[epops]

I feel sorry for the kids concerned,but a fox attack???????? I know they will bite or attempt to i cornered one in a bale hide once when i pigeon shooting and it did have a snap at me but it just legged it across the field

[Cutty Dyer]

Fox attacks are extremely rare - last reported attack I can think of was 2002 in Dartford.

Young inexperienced country foxes are certainly inquisitive enough to enter houses & raid unguarded cat/dog food bowls (trying to find a picy from 2008) but the adults have more sense & avoid humans.

I don't have any experience of urban foxes, are they losing their natural fear of their number one predator - man?

[Susie]

This attack, if it did happen, is a one in a million thing but I wouldn't put it past a fox to do it.

Urban foxes are very bold and a hungry or ill urban fox would do just about anything I reckon. Where I used to live we would see foxes on a regular basis and in large numbers, I rarely see any living in the countryside as country foxes are far more timid. A friend where I used to live had alsatians and had a special dog flap in the kitchen door for them. On more than one occasion she had to shoo out a fox which had come into her home and eaten the dogs' dinners. Goodness knows what would have happened if the dogs had got hold of it.

We used to have foxes in the neighbours' garden and they would sunbathe there all day during the summer and wouldn't budge even if we looked over the fence at them.

[werdnal]

A expert spokesman on some of the reports suggested foxes would bite if threatened or trapped, and his assumption is that it possibly jumped into the cot, then felt the children moving around, couldn't get out and bit them in fear.

Foxes also explore with their teeth - they don't have fingers like us. If something moved under a cover, it would "test" it with its teeth first.

If it did happen, and I am still sceptical, it was probably the actions of a frightened or inquisitive animal, rather than an outright attack.