Peatland wildlife

Fox

Fox (Vulpes vulpes)

Description

The fox is not a typical resident of peatlands, but it can be found hunting for food on bogs. It also finds sanctuary away from human interference in the wilderness of the peatlands.

It is a member of the Canidae family, the same as jackals, wolves and the domestic dog. With a head and body length of 60-90cm it is slightly larger than a large domestic cat and not, as is commonly misconceived, as large as an alsatian dog. The typical colouration is an orange-red above with a bib of white extending from around the nose and mouth to the abdomen. The tip of the tail, or brush, is usually white and blackish tones adorn the backs of the ears, lower limbs and paws.

Behaviour

A fox lives in an underground burrow called an earth which can be found around the margins of bogs. The fox will eat almost anything but its preferred diet includes rabbits and small rodents. Food sources on bogs include nesting birds, frogs, berries and even invertebrates, with cubs in particular able to eat several hundred beetles in a single night.

Breeding

Breeding occurs once a year, in January or February, accompanied by loud vocal calls. During a 53 day gestation the vixen explores potential breeding earths. The selected excavation may be an old badger sett, rabbit warren, tree stump or peat cutting. The vixen will give birth to four or five cubs, the weakest of which will probably die before reaching four weeks old. In the early days she stays with the helpless cubs while the dominant dog fox and other members of the family group regularly leave food for her at the entrance to the earth. In spring the four to five week old cubs begin to emerge from underground, learning to forage and play together, until they reach adult size in September.

Status and protection

The fox is widespread throughout all habitats including peatlands in Northern Ireland. The fox is listed on schedule 6 and 7 of the Wildlife Order, which means that they may not be killed or taken by certain methods or sold dead or alive at any time.