Have We Hit An Urban Wildlife Crisis Point?

After five decades of monitoring wildlife in Bristol, primary foxes and badgers, I have to say that I am very concerned.

In 1994/1995 the mage outbreak that hit Bristol's urban foxes devastated up the 94% of the population. That mange outbreak may well have been created but that is a question for another time.  The fox population eventually started recovering.

There is absolutely no doubt that since the 1990s drivers have gotten worse, speeding in city streets and narrow lanes is so common that few people even bother showing concern. Night time speeding is a problem everywhere but it seems almost normal across the City of Bristol. As a result more and more wildlife is dying: struck by cars and left for dead. When I showed the Fox and Badgers Death Register at the recent Wild Summit the comments were: "You hear about it but seeing the actual figures is staggering" and "Oh, that's awful".

Yet Bristol City Council refuses to even put up wildlife crossing signs and threaten those that do with legal action.

Added to this is the fact that there are very sick individuals who go out at night setting snares (two fox victims and an otter recorded so far).  Equally sick individuals go out out in all weather every night to shoot and kill wildlife -this shooting 'sport' is decimating not just fox populations (cubs and adults are killed with no interest whether a vixen killed will lead to orphaned cubs or even if the vixen is pregnant. All done with impunity even though the wildlife (and in some cases pets) are causing no problem.

We know that there are still local "badgermen" or shooters who will disp[ose of badgers "on the quiet" for farmers and others. Most badgers are dumped at the roadside and people ignore them as "road kill".

This all adds up so that, whatever you may hear from the countryside groups and pro hunt people (the latter every cub season spamming social media with tales of foxes killing pet ginger and white, black and white or elderly "much loved" cats) foxes are not -not- increasing in numbers. We have wildlife photographers from Wales visiting English towns because Welsh foxes are "non existent" thanks to decades of shooting, snaring and poisoning. 

Bristol's badger population may all be urbanbut it has to be remembered that what are now suburbs of the City were once small villages with their local badger setts and that means badgers have survived in these locations for more than a century. The threat to badgers does not just come from poisons and cars but the local authority. Aware and repeatedly informed of established badger sett territory Bristol City Council (a Green council) attempt to sell the land to developers when there is more than enough Brown Site areas to handle new housing.

Health wise we know more now than we did in 2020 as to what illnesses are affecting foxes and killing them (a small percentage compared to cars etc) but when it comes to badgers a block was placed on any post mortems being carried out under pretence of Health and Safety and risk from Bovine TB -all while official PMs WERE being carried out on badgers.

The fact is that I would love to believe that foxes and badgers were not being seen on roads and reported because none were being killed. However, looking at the yearly total for each species in the Death Register as well as hearing reports from people who are no longer seeing their badgers and foxes I suspect that a crisis point has been reached. 

The British Trust for Ornithology did a mammal survey and concluded that foxes might need Red Listing (protection as a species under threat) and their figures along with those of others invbolved in wildlife work very strongly suggest that England has lost over 60% of its fox population. I believe that it is higher and the percentage growing by the day.

We are losing the hedgehog as well as up to 30 other species and with an estimated 300,000 badgers killed during the cull (remember that is just from the cull not cars or other illegal killings) I estimate the UK badger popu;lation has gone beyond a crisis point. An the Welsh Parliament want to wipe out their badgers now.

It is mind numbing that politicians just shrug at these facts while counting "donations" from farmers groups and lobbyists.  Concern for wildlife and the environment that were so hip, cool and trendy and a MUST promote in interviews in the 1990s to early 2000s is now "People need homes" and "We need to develop as a country" and 95% of the population shrug and sit in front of the TV not caring.

The 1860s, thanks to humans and hunting, etc. created a mass extinction of UK wildlife from foxes, deer, wild cats, hares and many other species. The answer was to import more of them from Europe to "continue the sport" and this time round "Fewer wildlife better for more development and building!"

The Extinct Fox and Wild Cat Museum and it's work

 

I get people telling me that taxidermy is "sick" or "upsetting" as well as a few other complaints.

How do we know what the Dodo looks like? Or for that matter any anbimal, bird or aquatic species humans made extinct pre wide spread use of photography?  Illustrations -some not very good. It is very sad and I reserve comments about huntsmen here but taxidermy has made it very clear that modern wildlife books, TV and zoologists have just accepted dogma and have spent the period from 1900 lying to everyone.

What have we learnt/proven via taxidermy?

1.  That the red fox we see today is not the fox that has "always been here" but are descendents of European foxes imported by hunts for 'sport' (Brits exported red foxes to the United States and Australia for the same purpose).  

2.  There were three distinct types of fox in the UK and Ireland after the flooding of the area known as Doggerbank (the French or English Channel). The largest was bigger than an American coyote (taxidermies of both are kept at the Museum) and called the Greyhound or Mountrain fox and it was basically the British jackal/coyote.  The second was known as the Hill or Mastiff fox; not as big as the Greyhound fox but robust and sturdy in build. The third type was smaller and known as the Cur or Common fox and was living near to human habitation as the fox of today does. We call these Old Fox types.

3. We know that the wild cat people talk about preserving so much these days is a European hybrid and does not look anything like the Old wild cat of England, Scotland and Wales -Ireland also, despite all the arguments, had its own wild cat. We have examples of the later Scottish wild cat.

4.   We also know from taxidermy examples (see The Red Paper Canids for photographic examples) that coyote, jackals and wol;ves were kept and released by hunts. 

That is just four points but then you add over 50 of archival research and evidence gathering it proves everything noted above. Jackal and wolf hunts were well publicised events as foxes were hunted to extinction, reintroduced from Europe then hunted to the point of extinction again.

The research has shown that there was a major extinction even in British wildlife c the 1860s. It was at this point in time that Scottish zoologists and naturalists decided that the true Scottish wild cat went extinct. At the same time the Old fox types became extinct and thousands of foxes were imported each year to keep the 'sport' going. Hares, red squirrels, some deer species, birds and other animals became extinct or on the verge of extinction and the well publicised importantions from Europe began -although this seems to have started c 16th century/

All provable and documented in journals, books and papers from the time.

DNA testing of wildlife today resulting in European species DNA is pointless. Species examples in taxidermy pre 1860 are required and should show the difference in species; 8-10,000 years of separation from Continental Europe made the wildlife in Britain and Ireland unique island species and after the formation of Ireland from Britain that again produced unique island species.

We learn a lot from taxidermy and this is added to by the archival work so that we have a true picture of Britain and Ireland and not the dogma of today.

We are currently loising more and more species and all due to humans, as in the past, which makes you wonder what dogma will be brought in to shift the blame in 100 years when hedgehogs, foxes, badgers and other species are gone?

Taxidermy is important evidence and evidence that zoologists choose to ignore because it is factual and threatens their credibility.

2030s: Badgers, Foxes, Hedgehogs and More Face Extinction

 

I believe that we are currently looking at badgers in the British countryside becoming a rarity. Excluding the approximate 300,000 killed during the unscientific cull (and there is the threat of that starting up again at some point) and Wales not thinking of culling its badger population because they do not want to be "left out of the fun".  Bad animal husbandry is the main cause of bovine TB and we know (they were caught) of farmers selling bTB cattle they knew was infected.

Same with BSE infected cattle.

A Leicestershire farmer has been ordered to pay nearly £11,000 after repeatedly breaching the rules designed to protect animals from tuberculosis (TB).

 https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/local-news/farmer-repeatedly-breached-tb-rules-10803403

British investigators have confirmed that they are examining more than 50 cases where farmers and cattle dealers have allegedly used bogus identity documents to conceal cows' ages in order to sell them for human consumption. Last week the agriculture ministry admitted that 90,000 cattle have gone missing from its surveillance scheme. About 1,600 cows a year are still being diagnosed with BSE.

https://www.iatp.org/news/ten-new-cjd-cases-raise-fears-of-cattle-cull-fraud

Politicians in the Welsh Parliament are not interested in the countryside or wildlife and are following the example of the Labour Party in seeking farmers votes and donations and who cares about a few badgers? The shooters earn a fairly good amount killing badgers -both cubs and adults. So farmers get what they want (a cover up of bad farming practice), the politicians get what they want (farmers votes and donations) and the psychopaths get what they want: money to kill something.

Every night across the UK men and women don the cammo gear and go out with their rifles to just kill for fun. It is NOT a 'sport' but a pastime for someone who is mentally unwell. On some of their forums they even joke about shooting disguised foxes -disguised as ginger or tabby cats with collars. It has been going on a long time and it has made sure that the fox has declined by at least 60% in the UK. 

I think that the idea or "topped a badger last night -helped the local farmer out" followed by congratulations and "keep it low key though like the rest of us" says a lot.  There is still badger baiting going on with gangs having finished off badgers in Wales (as they have the fox) now crossing into England for their 'fun'.  There are still local "badger men" who are paid by farmers to kill off badgewrs "on the quiet".

When you see shooters say their group has "blue insurance coverage" it means that one of their group is a serving police officer.

'Sport' shooting should be banned and anyone requesting a fire arms licence should undergo psychological testing. Wanting to kill something for 'fun' is not normal. 

The official attitude to all of this appears to be "who cares?" -we have a government that has passed legislation to destroy green spaces and wildlife habitat including setts for money from developers.  Bristol City Council and Long Ashton Parish Council have both ignored the presenceof otters, badgers, foxes, badgers and nesting bird sites to get the developers money. 

At the moment we have an ever decreasing urban fox population (Bristol has lost over 230 foxes so far in 2026) and an urban badger population (over 80 deaths in 2026). How are they dying? Road vehicles and out of control speeding on city streets is the 95% killer. We have had snaring of at least two foxes and one otter plus several fox deaths by deliberate dog attacks.

While people sit back watching their TVs and guzzling pizza the elected local authority bodies as well as the government are ploughing up and putting buildings and "mini towns" on green site while there are masses of brown (old industrial) sites where building can take place but, of course, building on pretty looking land (which is not after you build over it) looks good when you are selling a scheme or property. 

I never thought, after all the work put into conservation from the 1970s on that in 2026 we would be in a worse state than in the 1950s when it comes to wildlife and the environment. 

As I found out at the recent Wild Summit the main reaction is "Oh, that is so sad. Nothing we can do,"

Conservationists we lost. You cannot sugar coat it the greed anbd money grubbing as well as morons with guns and cars have won out.

Badgers, foxes and hedgehogs as well as other spoecies are going to be victims in the latest extinction event (the last great one in the UK was the 1860s).

Is The Urban Fox Changing Its Breeding Season?

  I have written before (on the blog) about fox breeding season and how I have noted cubs born later or earlier than is considered normal. We have to realise that all of the information we have comes originally from country hunts. They needed to know when cubs were born and where foxes lived to make it easier for them to hunt and kill them.

In the countryside foxes tend to get shot, snared or poisoned as well as hunted. There is a false date given for when foxes moved into urban areas 1930s Edinburgh. Utter nonsense of course since the Cur fox before extinction lived near suburbs and human habitat. They were replaced by the red fox.

Climate change has been at work. Humans more friendly to foxes have been at work. Up to around 2000 there were no large number of feeders. From 2000 on and from internet influence the feeders have become a problem to an extent with overfeeding when towns and cities are full of the fox's natural food source -rats and mice. In suburbs rabbits can be found and are also taken as prey.

The urban fox is not like the country fox which is rapidly disappearing. Town foxes get good shelter, good weather and water sources as well as extra food -often what is left out for hedgehogs or cats is an easy snack. This may well be changing fox breeding seasons; in the past it was waiting until food sources were there to feed cubs on. That problem is gone.

I was sent this photo today (14 09 2026) of a vixen looking pregnant. I am told of a similar instance in another part of Bristol. Before these two reports I was told by someone that a vixen living on their property looked "quite pregnant".

The  vixen above and the other one will have an eye kept on them. The third vixen the person does not want location known or to give out further information she just wanted to know if there was anything extra she could do to help the fox.

It could well be that urban foxes are changing habits and it is something I have been noting for a few years but, ridiculously, I seem to be the only naturalist in Europe doing this fox work but there must be others?

I will keep an eye on the situation and continue making notes but it is important that rescues and wildlife hospitals are aware of the changes.

I Did Everything I Could But In The End No Support =Failure

  I've had three requests for help to try to stop construction work on green sites.

No.

I made my position clear: for 10 years I have been telling or suggesting that Bristol groups out to save green spaces unite as it makes it harder for the Council to approve development. The Longmoor site I asked the Save Ashton Vales Environment group to help highlight the wildlife and environment but their only concern was what it would all mean for their house prices.

I got stick for being too negative but what has happened? They've sneaked in and started construction on sites which means it is far too late to do anything.

I mentioned the grabbing of green sites to Avon Wildlife Trust ("we work with Bristol City Council", Friends of the Earth and other supposed environmental/save the countryside groups at the Wild Summit. Absolutely no interest what so ever. Just disinterest.

Badger setts at risk I'll look into but that's my unpaid job. Saving green spaces when l;ocals cannot be bothered....someone else's job.

On with the wildlife work.

Two NEW Publications: A Genuine British "Big Cat"-The Irish Wild Cat: Fact or Fiction?

 

 

A4

12pp

Colour/b&w

£12

https://www.lulu.com/shop/terry-hooper/the-case-for-a-genuine-british-big-cat/paperback/product-yvq8k8n.html?page=1&pageSize=4

 

Terry Hooper-Scharf was the eotic wildlife consultant for UK police forces from 1977-2018 and when reports of “big cat” kills or evidence were received he evaluated the evidence.

In a high number of cases where a “puma” was reported the animals’ size did not match up even if facial markings were noted.

Other reports of panthers (black leopards) and black pumas  were also problematical and not explained as “baby big cats”. His interest in these reports resulted in police wildlife officers calling them “Hooper Cats”.

Video evidence was then received from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the police and  local wildlife enthusiasts. Everything matched up to some “black big cat” reports and once the basic information was gathered a good general description was of a black cat, leggy and the size of a whippet dog.

 There is no doubt that these were large cats but far from escapee exotics from private collections.

This paper presents the facts behind the Hooper Cats and what could well be called a genuine British ‘big’ cat.

 

A4

15pp

Colour/b&w

£12

 

https://www.lulu.com/shop/terry-hooper/irish-wild-cat-fact-or-fiction/paperback/product-kv4wjyq.html?page=1&pageSize=4

 

Ever since the 18th century many noted naturalists and zoologists have argued for and against the existence of a wild cat species is Ireland (Northern Ireland and Eire). At times the debate in publications became quite heated  to the point of name-calling.

Starting in the late 1970s Terry Hooper-Scharf looked at the archival mentions of such animals in both Irish myth and legend as well as observations by naturalists and reports they collected.

Based on the historical record there was no doubt that an Irish wild cat was no myth but it did not appear to be related to the English, Welsh or Scottish wild cats (distinguished from the accepted European wild cat hybrids of today).  There is no doubt that the latter cats were observed in Ireland up until the 1970s and as with others around the UK were likely imported for hunting.

The big clue lay in an Irish museum as noted in 2021 and in 2026 it is confirmed that remains of a wild cat have been found in an Irish cave dating back 5,500 years and so confirming the Author’s own research.

 pppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp