Understanding Fox Phobia: The Fear of Foxes and Fox Behaviour

Fennecaphobia, the irrational fear of foxes, is a relatively uncommon phobia that can, nevertheless, cause distress for those who experience it. This fear of foxes can often arise due to foxes being portrayed as sly or cunning, and sometimes dangerous animals. Understanding foxes and their behaviour can help alleviate fear and promote a peaceful coexistence.

Are foxes scared of humans?

Contrary to popular belief, foxes are generally more afraid of humans than we are of them. Their fear stems from a natural instinct as prey animals and their experiences from human encroachment onto their habitats and other wildlife. Foxes have learned over time that humans pose a threat, leading them to avoiding direct contact whenever reasonably possible.

Of course, we have all heard and read media stories about how foxes have entered our homes and caused danger to vulnerable adults, children and babies. Quite rightly, concerned parents have taken to social media, but a frenzied panic has spread due to just one or two hungry foxes wandering through an open door looking for food. The fox never had the idea of attacking a baby. It wasn’t rigorously planned with the fox knowing the backdoor would be left open and it could tiptoe through the house, hiding on hind legs behind standard lamps and lying with splayed legs pretending to be a rug until the coast was clear. Let’s leave cartoon and comedy behind and focus on what we know: from the fox point of view, it had made a perfectly rational mistake.

Our fear of foxes does not come through intimidation from a stronger, more predatory animal. We might have decided to view it from the point-of-view of it attempting to prey on our young, and suddenly, our fear of foxes requires them to be hunted out of town lest we all succumb to their thirst for human prey. Of course, fox numbers are way too high and we are only lucky this hasn’t happened many, many times before!

Indeed, so-called urban foxes are the scourge of the night. They eat food from our bins and terrorise our neighbourhoods; you don’t need a dead cat or scarred dog to prove it. Foxes are rabies-carrying animals and are clearly dangerous to us, our families, and our pets.

Yes, absolutely, as understandable as these comments and cries might well be, this fear of foxes is a little irrational and causing all sorts of unfounded and fanciful rumours. There were no dead pets. Yes, a couple of babies were bitten or harassed, and that’s to be taken seriously, as a father of a young child, there’s no doubt I’d be hysterical, too. However, the two reported and isolated attacks were over a decade ago, at the time of writing. Foxes do not target human infants and, although they are becoming a lot more visible in and around our towns and various London councils are calling for some sort of action – should we really be worried about foxes?

Why shouldn’t you be scared of foxes?

Despite their reputation, there are several reasons why you shouldn’t have a fear of foxes:

• Foxes are naturally shy and prefer to avoid confrontation, which is why they often slink around town and through our gardens under the cover of night.
• They play an important role in controlling our rodent populations. They prey on mice, rats, and pigeons and provide a clean-up service in our towns by eating discarded food. Rodents carry disease, and, similarly, are drawn to our discarded food waste; anything that can help control them should be welcomed.
• Foxes do not pose a significant threat to people, and attacks on humans are extremely rare. The media likes to paint an inflammatory scene, when does it not? Yes, there have been those reports of babies in London. However, the fox instinct is to run and, even if cornered, attacking is usually a last resort. Bar those two incidents can you recall any other story of a fox threatening any human, honestly, I can’t.
• Foxes are more likely to flee than to engage with humans. We pose far more of a threat to them than the other way around, and foxes interact with humans only by accident or when purposely instigated by us. Furthermore, as we have covered, foxes are nocturnal animals and do most of their hunting by night. They do not like being seen.

Foxes are often seen in our back gardens and, indeed, a vixen gave birth to three cubs in a neighbour’s garden a few doors away from my house earlier this year. You could hear her yowling and the neighbour’s dogs barking on more than a few nights when I’d have far preferred to be asleep. As I’ve mentioned, as a parent with a three-year-old, I was on the alert; the weather was dry and warm, and my daughter likes nothing more than to run about the garden. I don’t think the fox had any thought about coming after my daughter, even when they saw each other from opposite ends of the garden one evening. Nevertheless, any time I saw one of the foxes, cub or vixen, settling down to enjoy some sun in the late-afternoon sun-trap at the bottom of our garden, I ran out, arms waving like some intoxicated middle-aged banshee, to scare it off – and just for reference, it worked.

The fox was not going to get comfortable in my garden; my idea was that it would be undisturbed in some other garden, and my daughter would still run free.

Yet, this scenario is becoming more common across the UK, and I don’t mean the intoxicated middle-aged man, but then again…!

It is still worth remembering that a fox is far more likely to be using your garden as a cut-through to where it hunts or to get back to their family and set, and pose absolutely no threat or fear if you just leave them alone.

Understanding why a fox does what it does can help alleviate your fear of foxes and promote a more balanced perspective on these fascinating creatures.

When is the mating season for foxes?

Foxes mate from about Christmas through to early February, although they are most active during January. Surprisingly, vixens are only fertile for three days a year, with the gestation period being about 50 days for all sorts of fox, including: fennec, red, arctic and Tibetan, with the grey fox taking the longest at about 61 days.

Foxes are generally considered to be monogamous; however, large males have been known to alter this dynamic. Usually, it is only the highest-ranking vixen that will conceive and carry cubs to term. Lower-ranking vixens may conceive but either don’t carry to full-term or their offspring are killed by the highest-ranking vixen.

Survival of the species doesn’t seem to be a big thing in the fox world, very simply, it’s survival of the fittest.

Despite only being fertile for three days and not really encouraging mass reproduction, the fox population of the United Kingdom is estimated to be a little under 500,000, with numbers staying stable despite human destruction of woodland and general habitat, hence, perhaps why urban foxes seem to be on the increase, as they are forced off their hunting grounds and out of their areas they can call home.

Why do foxes scream at night?

It is usually during January when you are most likely to hear foxes screaming, when the females are in heat and an opportunist male is staring down another for the right to be her mate. That said, any time a fox crosses another’s territory, there’s likely to be a face-off.

Mating season isn’t simply awash with violent shrieking as foxes have what has been described as the terse triple bark when engaging with a mate – a Shakespearean sonnet is never going to emerge through the tight undergrowth where foxes breed.

Do dogs scare foxes away?

If a dog (or a cat) is encroaching onto fox territory, then the fox is likely to scream to deter them from entering any further or as a deterrent even when a fence is between them – as happened near my own house.

So, yes, dogs can scare foxes away, as foxes generally try to avoid larger predators, but depending upon the circumstances, e.g., when bearing cubs, it does not automatically mean the fox will up and leave.

The presence of a dog in a yard or garden will likely deter foxes from entering that area; however, foxes may still cut through at night or at the top of the garden when the dogs are inside the house or away from immediate threat.

As much as a dog can be an effective deterrent, relying too heavily on dogs as the sole method of fox control could be a bad idea. Dogs will not usually provide protection to a garden of chickens, and a fox will still attack a dog if cornered.

Will a fox fight a dog?

In most cases, foxes will avoid confrontations with dogs. The larger the dog breed, the more likely a fox is to flee or avoid that confrontation. However, if cornered or if they feel their young are in danger, a fox will defend itself.

It’s rare for a fox to initiate a fight with a dog, as they typically prefer flight over fight when faced with a potential threat, and a dog bite could be catastrophic for a fox and any cubs under its care.

On the flip side of that, your pet dog is likely to be regarded as a family member, and the thought of it getting bitten or hurt in a fight with a fox is not something it wants to risk. A medium-sized or bigger dog will more than likely come out best in a fox fight, but still, a dog getting their leg bitten by the points of a fox’s teeth could suffer irreversible damage.

Neither animal really wants the fight, so the likelihood is a whole lot of dog barking and the fox gently slipping away.

Will foxes attack cats?

Much like dogs, urban foxes will tend to avoid cats. However, as cats have large territories, it is possible that foxes may protect what they perceive to be their territory against a cat (especially if a vixen has recently given birth to cubs).

A hungry fox that cannot find food on its usual hunt may attack smaller or elderly cats. Again, this is rare, cat’s claws can leave a fox with a very bad injury and they are well aware of that danger.

What do foxes fear the most?

Foxes, like many wild animals, have several fears:

• Humans: Foxes are generally wary of human presence. We are, after all, bigger than them, and due to a fox’s roaming nature, it’s likely they have come into contact with humans before.
• Loud noises: Sudden, sharp sounds can startle and scare foxes. They are shy creatures and are easily startled. Perhaps, the best way of clearing a fox from your premises is to shout or whistle (spraying them with a water pistol works a treat, too).
• Large predators: This includes bears, and even larger birds of prey. When we think of these predators, we immediately think of the fox being caught, killed, and eaten. However, foxes can come into conflict with other similarly sized predators to fight over territory and remove them from the competitive food chain. These animals include coyotes and wolves.
• Bright lights: Sudden, intense illumination can frighten foxes, especially at night.

Understanding these fears can help in deterring foxes from urban areas if necessary.

Will foxes attack humans?

Foxes attacking humans is extremely rare. In fact, foxes are much more likely to run away from humans than to approach or attack them. Foxes are naturally cautious animals and prefer to avoid contact with humans whenever possible.

What to do if a fox approaches you

In the unlikely event that a fox approaches you, follow these steps:

1. Stay calm and avoid sudden movements.
2. Make yourself appear larger by spreading your arms or opening your jacket.
3. Make loud noises to scare the fox away.
4. Slowly back away while facing the fox.
5. Do not run, as this may trigger a chase response.

Are foxes in the UK dangerous?

Urban foxes in the UK are generally not considered dangerous. While they may be seen as a nuisance in urban areas, they pose very little threat to humans. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) states that foxes are not dangerous and that attacks on humans are extremely rare.

Are foxes dangerous around your house?

While foxes around your house are rarely dangerous to humans, it is important to remember that they are wild animals and should be treated as such:

• They may dig through garbage or compost bins: foxes are scavengers, and as much as we somewhat romantically think of foxes chasing rabbits around farms, it’s important to realise that a fox will happily kill your pet rabbit, too.
• Foxes are omnivores, which means they prey on small pets or livestock if they are left unprotected.
• They can damage gardens while foraging for food.

Do not feed foxes or leave food out for them. It’s OK for ducks or hedgehogs, but encouraging foxes to scavenge for food in your garden will only encourage them, reducing their fear of humans and potentially putting others at risk. Bear in mind that if young children live nearby, then you could be putting them at risk.

To prevent these issues, secure your rubbish bins, don’t leave your food waste outside in plastic bags, keep small pets indoors or in protected areas (especially through the evening and night), and consider using fox deterrents around your property. These could include simple things such as sprinkling scents around your home or by obvious fox routes:

• Chilli powder
• Garlic
• Capsaicin
• White Vinegar

Further, installing bright motion-sensitive lights can often be enough to scare off foxes. Of course, erecting fences or placing wall spikes can make it difficult for foxes to get around and so it makes it likely that they might avoid the area altogether. However, think about other wildlife that might be affected, too. In your haste to push a fox away, be careful you’re not harming other wildlife such as hedgehogs and birds.

Wild Foxes Becoming Tame: The Cute Factor

For many, foxes are considered a menace and an animal to be chased away, if not removed by whatever methods a pest controller might want to enact. Yet, for many others, it’s undeniable that foxes, especially cubs, are cute and endearing. Their russet coats, bushy tails, and pointed ears give them an appealing appearance that often elicits a positive emotional response from us. However, foxes are wild animals, not pets, and that should not be forgotten.

Some make the mistake of thinking they can ‘tame’ a wild fox by regularly leaving scraps of food in their garden or by trying to interact with it. This is a dangerous misconception that we would urge you not to do. While a fox may become accustomed to your presence and even seem friendly, it is still a wild animal with unpredictable behaviour. Worse, if a fox was to become comfortable around you but, then, had an encounter with someone who was not comfortable with foxes it could easily lead to a problematic situation.

Fox Hunting and Its Controversies

Fox hunting has been a contentious issue in the UK for many years. Traditionally, it involved horseback riders and hounds pursuing a fox across the countryside. The practice was banned in England and Wales in 2004 (with exceptions under the Hunting Act 2004) and in Scotland in 2002.

The controversial practice of throwing fox cubs to hunting dogs for ‘training’ has been reported and is illegal under current UK law. Such activities are widely condemned as cruel and unnecessary by animal welfare organisations.

However, the debate around fox hunting continues. Supporters argue it’s a traditional rural activity that helps control fox populations, while opponents view it as cruel and unnecessary. ‘Trail hunting’, where hounds follow an artificially laid scent, is still legal and practised by many former fox hunting groups.

Conclusion

Foxes divide the opinion now as much as ever, how they look as much as how they act and how those two basic factors affect our reactions to them. Understanding fox behaviour and debunking common myths can help alleviate fennecaphobia and promote a peaceful coexistence with the animals. By recognizing that foxes are generally more afraid of us than we are of them, we can appreciate their role in our ecosystems without undue fear. Remember, in most cases, foxes are simply trying to survive in a world increasingly dominated by human activity and encroaching evermore into their natural habit.

FAQ

How long do foxes live? A fox typically lives for just 3-4 years in the wild. However, in captivity, they can live up to 14 years.

Where do foxes live? Foxes live wherever they can find food and shelter and are just as likely to live on a sheltered beach as they are to be found in woodland. The question isn’t really where they are likely to live as opposed to where we are most likely to see their vivid russet coats against the backdrop of various environments. They’re highly adaptable and can thrive in urban, suburban, and rural areas.

Do foxes hunt in packs? As much as foxes live as families, they do not hunt in packs. They are solitary hunters and are free to roam across their territory as they see fit. You are most likely to see a fox resting or hunting alone, rather than in a group.

What do foxes eat? Foxes are omnivores with a varied diet. They eat small mammals like mice, rabbits and birds, whilst supplementing their diet with insects, fruits, and berries. In urban areas, they often scavenge for food in garbage bins and compost heaps and will, largely, take what they can find.

Are foxes nocturnal? Foxes are primarily nocturnal, meaning they are most active at night. However, it’s not uncommon to see them during the day, especially in urban areas where they may have adapted their behaviour to human activity patterns.

By understanding these aspects of fox behaviour and ecology, we can better appreciate these animals and coexist with them more harmoniously in our shared environments.