Sarah Mills, the Bristol Fox Lady, today responded to a fox reported to be having seizures in the BS13 area. The fox was taken to a vet and sadly put to sleep. The fox had jaundice as well as blood around the anal area.
On the 5th May we had a similar jaundiced fox. Both of these will be submitted for post mortem examination as part of the Bristol Fox Deaths Project.
above FP 05 05 24 001 Fox photo (c)2024 Sarah Mills/Bristol Fox Lady
I would like to thank the pathologist as well as the Wildlife Network for Disease Surveillance as well as the Animal Plant Health Advisory and Bristol University Post Mortem Services for continued support in getting to the bottom of what diseases, viruses etc are affecting the fox population in Bristol which would likely reflect what is going on around the UK.
Bristol is probably more well known for its foxes than London and certainly a lot of research has been carried out here -sadly with no interest from Bristol University (other than post mortem services) and outright obstruction from the formerly Labour controlled City Council. Nowhere else in the UK is carrying out this work and recording of reported fox and badger deaths is now improving and showing where wildlife (otters, deer, foxes and badgers) are most at risk and where safeguards need to be put in place.
Sadly, even what was described as "a very large" deer was struck by a car over the weekend and the driver did not report the incident so that the deer could be checked. Our only hope is that the collision cost the person a lot of money in car repair work (the deer was that big). In some countries not reporting hitting wildlife is a crime. If that was the case in the UK then fines alone from prosecutions could reach over a million and with road cameras these incidents must be seen.
With the fox and badger work we hope to inform rescues and vets of the health issues for foxes (due to Health and Safety Executive rules badgers are not permitted to be submitted for post mortems).
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