Well this is something different!
Woke up this morning in time to watch two very healthy looking urban foxes playing in the backyard. They were having a grand old time rolling around in the grass, tumbling over each other and leaping in and out of the foliage. Bit of a surprise to see how brave these critters have become and how “domesticated” they are in a large urban area. If they weren’t such pests I might be inclined to think cuteness but no! They leave their calling cards (yuk) and rummage in anything that they can find.
Foxes are classed as wild animals here, not pests, and the Councils have no statutory powers or legal rights to eradicate foxes. Doesn’t seem that there is much will to control the numbers either! The problem is too big! Public opinion here appears very divided about these nuisances. Some people seem happy to tolerate them while others would be very happy to shoot them I suspect if that were possible in an urban area. Fences don’t keep them out of the backyard and poisoning is regarded as too dangerous.
My children grew up on Roald Dahl’s story “Fantastic Mr. Fox” – my grandchildren in London won’t be!
Comments
Comment by Jon Dimock on 2013-09-11 16:51:30 -0700
Glad that you obviously got there all safe and sound. Weather here has been appalling – large storm Wellington Airport closed, flights cancelled etc etc. Are you keeping up with the America’s Cup racing? I think I have a somewhat romantic concept of those foxes – as you say Roald Dahl and that children’s song – can’t quite remember the name. Anyway the activity on the lawn sounded fun and definately something out of the ordinary for us NZers. But I guess they probably stink and carry disease. No real work news as yet. Will let you know when to go on to Lead to see TAP stuff. Ok, continue to have a great time. Jon
