Thoughts after a surreal incident
Family of foxes in columnist's neighborhood raises issue of how loss of habitat affects us all
Date published: 5/27/2008
By Rob Hedelt
IT WAS as surreal a moment as I've ever experienced in my suburban front yard.
Looking out the front door a little before midnight last week, noting the soft focus of a full moon through some thin clouds, I was struck by how the odd lighting made the yard come alive.
Only when it moved slightly did I notice the slight, stealthy gray fox in the middle of the yard.
It was fun to watch the wiry animal aglow in the moonlight.
Things quickly got more surreal.
Two blurs near the bushes became visible--babies.
The young, called kits, began suckling from the mother.
I'd seen this fox one time before, and had dealt with my concern that if it was hanging this close to humans, it might be rabid.
But I'd been relieved to see the fox scamper off quickly when we took note of her. And she looked clean, healthy and in control.
I was still cautious enough not to get close to the fox. But I also was concerned for the animal's welfare, knowing it--like many locally--was probably dealing with loss of habitat.
As I watched, the fox and her kits eventually ran off toward a neighbor's house, where a run-in with a dog sent the mom and young scooting in different directions.
I'm curious now about where the foxes live, and am concerned about whether they can coexist in a neighborhood where cars come and go, and where the opportunity exists for trouble between pets and the foxes.
As someone who grew up in the country, I feel a little guilty that these foxes and other animals like them are forced to live in suburbia.
As we tear down more and more natural areas to make room for subdivisions and shopping centers, animal habitat is shrinking.
I don't blame builders, governments or folks like me who simply need a place to live. But somehow, we're all responsible for doing what we can to help maintain habitat for wildlife.
In 20-plus years in our city subdivision, we've had amazing wildlife sightings.
Date published: 5/27/2008
Most recent reader comments:
Turkeys, Deer, Foxes...
(posted by
GaryShorts
, May 27, 2008 12:24 pm)
and of course squirrels and rabbits. I've seen them all inside the city limits of Fredericksburg.
I saw a big buck standing in the middle of the street in the College Heights neighborhood one night. I swear I wasn't hallucinating.
In many areas of the east foxes are increasingly living close to
humans because of the fear of coyotes. The booming and
spreading coyote population is killing off foxes, raccoons,
opossums, squirrels, you name it.
If Mr. Hedelt had done any research he would have found out that
foxes are very comfortable in suburban and even urban settings. He'd
probably be surprised at the other animals that do just fine in built up
areas, flourish, even. I live inside the Beltway and have seen foxes,
raccoons, deer, owls, hawks, opossums and many other animals.
Foxes are nocturnal so they aren't very threatened by traffic. Seeing
one at night is no surprise and shouldn't raise a concern of rabies,
unilke seeing one in daylight.
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