Other sources of information regarding protected species and foxes

The presence of a protected species is a material consideration when a planning authority is considering a development proposal that, if carried out, would be likely to result in harm to the species or its habitat.

Bats

Bats and their roosts are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended) and the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2010. Bats roost on a seasonal basis and therefore, are protected whether bats are in occupation or not.

Please note, you must not:

  • deliberately capture (or take), injure or kill a bat
  • intentionally or recklessly disturb a group of bats, where the disturbance is likely to (a) impair their ability to survive, breed, rear their young, hibernate or migrate, or (b) to significantly affect the local distribution or abundance of the species.
  • damage or destroy the breeding or resting place (roost) of a bat
  • possess a bat (alive or dead) or any part of a bat
  • intentionally or recklessly obstruct access to a bat roost
  • sell (or offer to sell) or exchange (alive or dead) bats.

When carrying out works to properties where bats nest, a special licence must be sought from Natural England. For more information, please visit:

Natural England

The Bat Conservation Trust

Surrey Bat Group

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Badgers

Badgers are a protected species. In addition to The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, The Countryside and Rights of Way (CRoW) Act 2000 and The Conservation (Natural Habitats, etc.) Regulations 1994, badgers are also covered by the provisions of:

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Foxes

Foxes have successfully adapted to towns and cities, taking full advantage of the opportunities that an urban area can present. Foxes are opportunists, they tend to scavenge and will eat practically anything. Their diet includes worms, beetles, berries, carrion, rodents, rabbits and birds. They also find food in rubbish bags, compost heaps and around bird tables given the opportunity to do so.

Foxes tend to live in small family groups, especially during the breeding season (December to January). A family will consist of a male fox (dog) and a female (vixen) producing one litter of approximately four cubs each year. Only pairs with an established territory will breed, so fox numbers are naturally limited by both availability of food and the amount of space in the territory.

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Foxes and people

Until recently, there has been no evidence to suggest that foxes pose a significant risk to people. An incident where two children were attacked in their bedroom in Hackney, East London, has been the first confirmed reported incident. However, fox attacks on humans are extremely rare and are usually the result of a fox being cornered. Foxes are most active at night and you are most likely to encounter them between dawn and dusk. It is very rare for foxes to venture indoors, but inexperienced juveniles will sometimes come in if they see an open door or a bowl of pet food - an easy meal.

Therefore, if you are concerned because you know that foxes are in your area, please consider these simple precautions.

  • Do not leave windows and doors open, making it easy for foxes to enter properties and don't leave babies in prams unattended.
  • Do not encourage foxes into your garden by feeding them.
  • Deter foxes from entering your garden and reduce the availability/attractiveness of den sites.

Foxes that have been encouraged to enter gardens for feeding could potentially enter properties. It is advisable not to leave food out for foxes. In addition, food scraps left out on the ground for early evening fox feeding will also provide an easy meal for rats, which carry diseases that are transmittable to humans. These include:

  • Weil’s disease
  • Salmonella
  • Tuberculosis
  • Cryptosporidiosis
  • E.Coli
  • Foot and mouth disease.

If a fox is cornered, it may attempt to bite in self-defence. So, if you find a fox trapped in an outbuilding or similar situation, do not approach it or try to pick it up. Leave it an escape route and it will move away as soon as it feels safe enough to do so.

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Deterring foxes

Culling foxes is an expensive and futile exercise. As foxes are territorial, as soon as a fox is killed, other foxes in the surrounding area take up residence in the newly available territory. The only way to successfully control the number of foxes in urban areas is limit the availability of food sources and deter them from setting up home in your garden.

For more information about how to do this, please view Bristol City Council’s advisory booklet ‘Living with Urban Foxes’ through the Bristol City Council website.

Bristol University have produced an informative website with information about nuisance problems caused by both urban and rural foxes.

Further advice and assistance may be obtained from a pest control contractor or one of the following groups.

The Fox Project
The Southborough Centre
Draper Street
Southborough
Tunbridge Wells
Kent TN4 0PG

Urban Fox Deterrence Advice Line
Phone: 01892 826 222

Hydestile Wildlife Hospital
New Road
Hydestile
Godalming
Surrey GU8 4DJ
Phone: 01483 860313

Humane Urban Wildlife Deterrence
23 Tormount Road
London SE18 1QD
Phone: 0208 3167852

The National Fox Welfare Society

Phone: 01933 397324