While there is a plethora of wildlife in our surrounding national forests and wilderness areas, living so close to those areas brings critters very much into our immediate lives. As we are learning with the current spate of mountain lion activity.

One such example of this life is our fox population. Foxes are commonly found living in very close proximity to humans, likely due to an abundance of food, as well as the relative protection gained from the general presence of humans (and our many structures to hide in, on and under). While they can certainly be quite skittish around people, they are considered “weeks” away from domestication as they have always generally lived this close to humans and have become quite acclimated to our presence. That said, they are still quite wild, and demand our respect as such.

Some may even be inclined to approach humans, as we have seen in the viral video being passed around by Peak to Peak local Andy Thorn of Leftover Salmon and his friend Foxy who greatly enjoys his morning banjo sessions. This type of behavior, as cute as it certainly is, is not generally healthy for the animal, and is usually the result of an animal having been fed by a human (I know that Andy is not feeding Foxy, but it is quite likely that Foxy was fed by a former resident or possibly a current neighbor).

As the well known saying goes, fed wildlife is dead wildlife. Once fed, they come to depend on the food, and when that food supply stops for whatever reason, they often succumb to starvation. It’s very easy and understandable to want to feed them and “take care of them,” as they are adorable animals, and who wouldn’t want one as a “pet,” but this will likely end up as their ultimate demise.

As we get into spring and the births of the newest generations, mamas of all species will likely look fairly emaciated and “starved,” and the desire to feed them might be overwhelming because they look so very gaunt. It is very important to know that this look is completely natural, and the mamas will recover quite strongly without the aid of human feeding.

While I have seen this particular pair with everything from hot dogs to a whole chicken being brought back to a new litter, it is incredibly important to remember that this is incredibly bad for the animals, and could possibly even make them quite ill.

On top of the immediate dangers of feeding, a secondary negative aspect of this behavior is that they stop hunting, and while they may not forget how to hunt, they simply won’t (or at least hunt a lot less), and for all of you out there who enjoy gardening in the late spring and summer, this will likely mean an increase in voles and the demise of your own garden along with the foxes. Learn to live with their presence, but not with them, live being the most important part for both them and us.

For additional information about James Dewalt Photography, check out https://jamesdewaltphotography.com.