8 Myths About Urban Foxes

Urban foxes are the subject of many myths. Here are some of things that people erroneously believe about these animals and some surprising facts.

1. Foxes are dangerous to humans

Are urban foxes dangerous to humans? Not at all. These animals are not known to attack humans and are not aggressive. That being said, it’s probably a bad idea to approach or attempt to pet an urban fox.

2. Foxes do not benefit the city

Many people see these creatures as nothing more than a nuisance for humans. But believe it or not these animals actually have tremendous benefits for cities. The biggest benefit is that they help with pest control. For example, foxes are known to help with pigeon and rat control.

3. The fox population is growing rapidly

To many people it seems as if the urban fox population is growing out of control. This is mostly due to sensationalist newspaper stories. But according to experts, this simply isn’t the case. Instead, the reason why it seems that numbers are rising is simply because foxes are becoming accustomed to us. This means we see them more often.

4. Foxes are dangerous to cats

Urban foxes are not known to be particularly dangerous to cats. Because they are related to dogs, foxes will sometimes chase cats. Despite this, cats are more than able to defend themselves against foxes.

5. Urban and rural foxes are different

There are basically zero differences between rural and urban foxes. The only real differences between them are their diets. Rural foxes eat rodents, rabbits, birds, and frogs. Meanwhile, foxes which live in the city eat food from bins and other human sources.

6. Foxes mostly eat from rubbish bins

Believe it or not, foxes do not only eat human rubbish. These animals have a varied diet even when they live in urban areas. Basically, foxes aren’t picky. They are prepared to eat whatever they can find. This includes mostly animal protein, but they also eat earthworms, insects, fruit, and vegetables.

7. Foxes are being forcibly removed to the countryside

Many people are calling for foxes to be forcibly removed. This is mostly because these animals are perceived as being dangerous. Despite this, there are no actual plans to do this using DIY methods. In the past there have been attempted culls, but these were shut down by animal rights activists.

8. There are 27 foxes per square mile in London

Apparently, this is actually true. According to a large study, there are more than 40,000 foxes living in urban areas. This includes London, which has approximately 10,000 foxes which is why we offer 24 hour pest control.