Fox attacks are rare, but don’t tell that to one River Falls resident. The woman, who does not wish to be identified, was in her backyard when she was bitten by a fox on March 18.
“Foxes are not normally aggressive at all,” said David Farner, Senior Naturalist for the Audubon Society. “The only exception would be if cornered or defending its young.”
Another exception would be if the fox had rabies.
“Rabies is a disease that’s always out there,” said Rob Gibbs, natural resources manager for Montgomery County Park and Planning. However, “It’s fairly unusual that people get bitten.”
There is no cure for rabies, but there is a vaccine. Anytime someone is bitten by a fox, or any wild animal, they are advised to see a physician immediately to determine if they should begin a series of rabies shots.
Residents do not need to be concerned that there are packs of rabid foxes stalking through the woods. Foxes are a common sight in Potomac now, but rabid foxes are unusual.
“These are usually isolated cases,” Gibbs said. “Even in a really bad outbreak this is going to be a relatively rare situation.” There is not currently a rabies outbreak in Montgomery County, according to Gibbs.
“Rabies is not at all common in foxes,” Farner said.
“We hear about maybe one case a year in the Metropolitan area,” said Ken D’Loughy, regional manager for the Wildlife Heritage Service.
It is difficult to distinguish a rabid fox from one that is not diseased based on appearance, but sometimes a fox’s behavior will raise suspicions.
“If you see an animal behaving irregularly, just pay attention and try to avoid it,” Gibbs said.
“Retreat is always the first option,” said Farner. If a fox is not frightened off by the presence of a human, it should be considered to be behaving irregularly.
Mange is another disease which could cause a fox to behave strangely said D’Loughy. “It causes severe hair loss,” D’Loughy said. Mange is actually caused by a mite, and can be accompanied by intense itching.
D’Loughy explained that the mite can sometimes get into the foxes ears and eyes, disorienting the animal, and making it difficult for it to hunt.
There are two types of foxes found in Montgomery County, red and gray. “Red foxes are quite common,” D’Loughy said. “Their coloring can range from orange to almost tan.”
Red foxes are becoming more conspicuous. “It’s not uncommon to see them in residential areas,” D’Loughy said. In places like Potomac, with substantial wooded areas, they might be seen even more often.
In spite of their proximity, Gibbs stressed that the animals should not be demonized.
“Foxes are a big part of the ecosystem,” Gibbs said. “They keep the rat and mouse population low.”
While animal control officers responded to the call from the woman who was bitten, they were not able to locate the fox.
“We’re still patrolling for it,” said Steve Bartlett, field supervisor for the animal services division of the Montgomery County Police. “The problem is, if we catch a fox, do we have the one?”
If the fox was rabid, it is not likely to be alive any longer. “Once they exhibit symptoms, they usually don’t live too much longer,” said D’Loughy. He estimated that it might survive for a week to ten days.