It’s National Fox Day

Why are foxes so important?

Foxes are sometimes misunderstood, particularly when they make their homes close to people. But they are not simply visitors to our gardens and neighbourhoods: they are part of the natural environment and have an important role within it.

As opportunistic omnivores, foxes eat a remarkably varied diet that can include rodents, insects, worms, fruit and carrion. By hunting animals such as mice and rats, they help regulate populations of small mammals.

Their consumption of fruit can also contribute to seed dispersal, while their scavenging helps return nutrients to the environment.

Research into red fox ecology recognises that foxes can help regulate prey populations and disperse plant seeds as they travel through their territories. In other words, they are not separate from the ecosystem around us – they are one of the many species helping to keep it functioning. 

Foxes have also demonstrated an extraordinary ability to adapt as the British landscape has changed. As natural habitats have been fragmented or lost, they have learned to survive alongside us in towns and cities.

They may live near people, but they remain wild animals. They have their own territories, family relationships, routines and natural behaviours – and they deserve the space to live those lives safely.