Zug,12.01.2009
Beware of foxes!
Foxes are being sighted more frequently in the city of Zug. Some people grab their camera, others are not too pleased. One fox has made himself at home in the yard of the Michel family on the Weinbergstrasse in Zug. Obviously feeling content, the fox curled up on the ground below the outdoor light in the yard. Alexander Michel (22), wasn’t about to pass up the opportunity to photograph the furry visitor. “The fox stops by often” he said. But it was the first time the fox positioned himself so prominently in the glow of the outdoor light. “He seems to be looking for warmth” speculated Alexander. The Zuger game warden Ernst Suter isn’t convinced A fox is hardly cold with his thick fur. “Foxes like to lay in the sun, perhaps it was attracted by the glow of the lamp”.
A field day
Fox-sightings in settled areas are a phenomenon which is increasing, according to Suter, although the number of foxes in the canton remain constant since years. “The urban habitat is perfect for him. Food is available and hedges around many houses offer a perfect hiding place.” Besides, human habits lure: Whoever places, for example, the rubbish in front of the door overnight is providing a field day for the fox in the true sense of the phrase.
Not everyone is as enthusiastic about the wild guest as the Michel family. Suter is referring to hygiene and addressing the topic of fox tapeworm. The Zuger canton veterinary surgeon Werner Limacher does likewise; giving, at the same time the “all-clear'” sign. The probability to infect oneself with the fox tapeworm is probably smaller “than the possibility to get ran over”, he says. Additionally, Swiss do not have to fear rabies: “that’s not a topic of discussion here”
Do not feed foxes please
So what do the experts advise you to do if suddenly there is a fox in your yard? “Under no circumstances should you feed the fox” says game warden Suter. “Scare him away so he learns to respect humans”. The Michel family has refrained from doing that so far, even though the fox gets as near as four meters from the living room. “We leave him alone” says Alexander Michel. The family isn’t afraid of the wild visitor, “at the most, we’re concerned about our cat, but the cat is older and lazy and just lays around in the winter on the heater”. A warm, cosy place. Just like the fox likes.
Source/Media Partner: Neue Zuger Zeitung