February 11, 2013
UK not liking the Fox
Apparently, London has a problem with urban foxes, or at least the media thinks so...
An urban fox crept into a home in Lewisham on Wednesday and dragged a four-week-old baby from its cot, severing its finger in the process. The child's mother, alerted by the boy's screams, had to kick the fox to get it to release the boy's hand, which was lodged down the animal's throat.
First, ewwww. Second, while these attacks are sensationalized, dog attacks are much more likely in the UK. That doesn't stop them from being the British version of coyotes or GASP wolves. A menace that has very little impact on people but you keep hearing stories about it...
Yet despite being such an atypical event, it [fox attacks] is repeatedly referred to in the press. In comparison, the seven children and five adults killed by dogs since 2005, and the hundreds more disfigured, receive far less coverage. Nor are urban fox numbers increasing, despite claims made by yet another "expert" on the recent Channel 4 programme. In many cities fox numbers have declined due to sarcoptic mange, an extremely unpleasant and fatal disease.
So there you have it. FOXES: The Scourge of the UK.