Fox to feed or not to feed!

I am facing an interesting dilemma with a fox I have been photographing. This fox is very out going and seeks people out. Obviously it received hand outs along the way. I refuse to give the fox any hand outs but have my concerns with winter coming. I am debating weather or not to hide some road kill in his area of travel if he begins to look like he is starving over the winter. To date he looks very healthy and I have seen him with mice that he has caught for himself. This indicates to me that he is able and willing to hunt. But as pickings become tougher over the winter are his skills as sharp as they will need to be. If they are not shall I have nature take its course or intervene in an indirect manner?

I wouldn't feed him on a bet. I can only speak for our foxes up here and grays on the West Coast, but they're incredibly resourceful. They'll certainly take what you have to offer, but the fact that he's already catching his own mice sezz he'll do just fine without you.

If in February or March he looks thin and mangy and on his way out.. you can drop some roadkill his way then. This is a good looking fox and has a good spot staked out. I think he'll be fine... it's those Fox on the East End that seem to have so much trouble....

As a last resort if the winter turns really harsh, maybe. Make sure you wear rubber gloves so no human scent is associated with it.


Kent in SD

I say let nature take it's course. That might be the hardest thing to do, but I think it's the best overall.

Ditto what Bill Chambers said. Nature is a tough place, and it happens every day, whether we witness it or not.

Feeding wildlife is what gets animals into these types of situations in the first place. The situation being one we perceive and not one that the animal does. I would not feed the fox even if it looks thin toward the end of the winter. Getting hungry will force this fox to go back and do what it is supposed to do. Forage for its own food and not depend on hand outs.

I did manage to get the story on this guy yesterday from one of the Robert Moses maintenance people. His and 3 other kit's mother was hit by a car and killed. The park guys down at Robert Moses bought the young kits road kill and they grew up to adults. The 2 other kits are not s outgoing as this guy. He has learned to hunt for himself and catches and buries a variety of pray. He has also been seen interacting with the other fox in the park. I kind of think of him as an ambassador for the fox community. In the spring there are at least 6 active dens at Robert Moses. I asked about mange and no one has seen it yet in this population. Based on information I have gathered he is very capable of feeding himself. He has caught pray and eaten it in front of people. He should do fine this winter and hopefully he goes on to start a family!

While the park guys feeding the kits was probably not the right thing to do their mother's demise while not intentional was at the hand of man. Faced with the same situation myself I would have had to bring the kits road kill or had a local refuge trap them and provide accommodations. There is just a piece of human compassion that has to kick in! I don't find that any different than when one species raises the young of another species. Feed an adult never but these circumstances were unique!

Mike

Good account Mike, and it sounds like the situation is noteworthy. Through your photos and his willingness to be seen by people, he might well turn out to be Mr. Ambassador. Cool!