'cargo cult' foxes

[nytecam]

I wonder if I'd doing our urban foxes any favours? They're been on wasteland behind our house for the decades we've been here. In the last couple of years I've been throwing out there meat and fish scraps rather than it into the Council food scraps bin for collection.

I thought the foxes were unaware of my 'deliveries' but not so. Since Christmas I've noticed they appear [mostly young fox and occasionally old vixen + year-old cub] within moments I lock our garden gate - see my videos on forum. More recently I've been putting out old bread in daytime which goes within 15 minutes. These foxes hang around their den area even at night and I'm unsure if they hunt on the street at night as normal urban foxes? What are your thoughts - only fox lovers need respond!

ps: named thread 'cargo cult' from the Polynesian islands in Pacific that still expect 'gifts from the gods' eg US food/material dropped from planes after WWII

[tcvarlh]

Personally I can't see anything inherently 'wrong' with giving them scraps. I realize there is a mountain of literature stating why people shouldn't subsidize urban Foxes. However, London has had city Foxes since before Dickens. Bristol, Norwich and other towns also had them. Any conurbation with people will bring them in for easy food. The scraps you feed are at least fresh food. Some other Foxes will have to make do with rubbish tips and contaminated edibles.
The trend is to observe and not interact I know, but we are also animals and have a bond with our furred cousins, a crucial connection. Seeing some animal enjoy a scrap of food left for it is a pleasure we should not deny ourselves. Watching a line of Ants make off with crumbs still makes me feel warmer inside. Nature doesn't like waste.
Assuming you stop the subsidy then the Foxes will wait for a while and subsequently realize nothing is forthcoming and find lunch somewhere else. They are most certainly not stupid.
If you gain pleasure from seeing 'your' Foxes and they get a snack in payment, who's to complain? (Apart from those who will anyway!)
Enjoy your Foxes.


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