Red foxes have become local social media stars in recent years, making their appearance in photos and videos as they’ve been caught visiting backyards and front porches. Iola’s Community Involvement Task Force posted photos of a fox sleeping in one of its flower pots on the downtown square last spring. A curious fox recently posed for photos outside the back door of the Register, not at all afraid of humans or cameras.
Are they influencers or irritants?
Perhaps more of the latter, according to Drew Ricketts, a wildlife specialist with K-State Research and Extension.
“They’ve become really adapted to living around people. And when they get used to being close to people, they start not being scared,” he said.
Red foxes aren’t native to Kansas. Those who live around here either migrated or are the descendants of those who escaped from fur farms, generations ago.
They’re a prime target of coyotes, and seek refuge in towns where coyotes fear to tread. That’s where they find an abundance of food, Ricketts warned.
They’ll get into your trash. They’ll eat from bird feeders. They’ll nibble food for dogs and cats, sometimes tangling with pets who are reluctant to share.
It’s best not to feed the foxes, intentionally or accidentally.
“When we feed wildlife, they start to lose their fear of people and can become aggressive if they start to associate people with food,” Ricketts warned.
“On social media, sometimes we see people try to get racoons and foxes to take food out of your hands. We definitely don’t want that.”
Foxes can spread diseases. They might carry rabies. They can also infect pets, such as dogs and cats, with diseases such as canine distemper, mange and parvovirus.
Although they typically don’t spread diseases to humans, they can cause other problems. They like to dig, especially around building foundations where they create dens and raise their young.
Iola’s animal control office does not interact with wildlife. Instead, the office suggested residents contact the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks to trap and relocate the animals.
Relocation is rarely successful, Ricketts said. “Usually, those animals die.”
If you find a den with pups, the best thing is leave them alone, he suggested. Then, as the pups get older “haze them or be aggressive toward them and try to get them to leave.” Fill in the holes or place barriers such as rocks and concrete.
