In the early hours of the morning, I was awake and finishing to get ready for bed. I must mention that I love staying up very late. Then I heard noises coming from outside, that I haven't heard before. Where I live is so silent at night time that, besides the odd car in the distance, a rare helicopter or siren, or even night birds, this was different. I checked outside opening the curtain and I couldn't see much. I looked through the peep hole and still didn't have a range of view. I had to go upstairs and look. There they were. A couple of foxes, maybe more but it was very dark. They were passing through, and I left them alone. Foxes are very nervous and they always run away if I approach them. I suggest to people out there don't try and go near foxes, because of many reasons. They might carry diseases, or they may be so terrified. Humans haven't been kind to foxes, which is sad. Foxes often appear at night and they're beautiful creatures. This is the only wild canine that lives in the UK and Ireland today. Wild wolves were hunted to extinction in the British Isles . The last wolf killed in Ireland was in 1786. The last wolf killed in Scotland was in 1680. The last wolf was killed in 1390 and the last wolf in Wales was killed in 1166. With the wolves gone, the deer population increased and these animals feed on plants and the less forested the country became. Thinking of the UK and Ireland during Medieval Times will conjure up visions of castles, monks and knights, as well as thick forests with wolves hiding in them. Today the wolf's little cousin the Fox, is there in our woodlands, gardens, streets and parks, hiding and being hunted for sport, which is cruel, because foxes keep down vermin. Farmers would say foxes are the vermin because they attack chickens but keep your chickens in better barns and guard the livestock with dogs. This subject has brought me onto talking about the depressing subject of animal cruelty which wasn't my intention. I wanted to share my joy at having foxes pass my house.
Rayne
(The fox picture isn't mine)
