the curious sight of a fox at night-time

At last I spotted my first fox in London.

I say ‘my first fox’ because I understand it is a pretty common sight in the streets of Northern London at night-time.
I have been in London for more than two years now and I had not seen a single one. All my friends had had their glimpse of foxes, and some even saw one when leaving my flat one evening.

So I was frustrated and curious. Recently I saw a TV programme about the ‘tens of thousands’ of foxes estimated to live in London, most of them in the North. It is thought they live in parks and along railtracks, only going out at night to scavenge rubbish, rodents, hens. Londoners have mixed feelings for them. Some – like me – are excited at the idea of wildlife in the city and think foxes are cute ; but many just think foxes are a nuisance. Some animal lovers go fox-spotting at night ; but some exasperated poultry-owners whose hens were savaged by a fox, go and hire pest-controllers to kill the local fox. Yes many Londoners keep hens in their back yards and yes foxes are not a protected species: you are free to shoot one if you spot him in your garden.

So three weeks ago, a bit after midnight, coming back from Highbury and Islington tube station, I spotted in the distance a small animal crossing Station Road. It tought ‘it’s a very big cat’, then ‘oh no it’s a small dog’. Then I realise that was it – a fox, my first sight. Shy, harmless animal with red fur and big tail, wandering the streets for bins. So I guess that makes me more of a true Londoner. Since then I open my eyes wide at night, and yesterday, I spotted number two, just in Offord Road in front of my house. The young, skinny fellow, seemed not afraid nor aggressive and let me approach within three meters (which makes one suspect some people might actually feed them). Then he continued his tour casually, slowly, in the middle of the road.