THE VAN HISE FOXES

Just found the Instagram hashtag #uwfoxes: https://instagram.com/explore/tags/uwfoxes/. Some great images here!

Spotted running down charter and towards university ave. Went in between sterling and Chamberlain in that driveway or whatever off of charter. Then lost site. Spent a lot of time the street on its way there. It was at 8:40

Posing

fighting

In the grassy median between the bicycle and pedestrian paths lay the carcass of a good-size kit fox that appeared to have met with a traumatic end. It had wounds on its head that appeared to be the cause of death and the fur on its abdomen and hind legs had been disturbed in a way that suggested bites from a larger animal. It did not appear that anything had tried to eat it. When the facilities employee picked it up to put it in the truck, it was apparent that it had been dead for several hours.

The den under Van Hise has been sealed up, but forest and wildlife ecology professor David Drake is still working hard to track and study our campus skulk of foxes.

Professor David Drake and a team of students hope to start live-trapping foxes and coyotes on campus next month to help monitor their activity. If you see the foxes, please send him an email. Sadly, it appears that several of last year's foxes have already fallen victim to automobiles. Be careful, drivers!

Fox and pups. Footage shot by Richard Ness in March 2014. Edited by Steel Wagstaff of Learning Support Services.

In mid-June, one of the foxes found itself caught in a trap set by campus Physical Plant Pest Control staff (along with a racoon!). The fox was unharmed and released safely that same day. Here are some action shots of the perplexed animal just before its release. Photos by Richard Ness.

Before the fox family came to live at Van Hise Hall, they lived beneath Camp Randall Stadium, where they were briefly hosted by Buckingham U. Badger. In the photos above, taken in late February 2014 by Richard Ness, you can see staff searching for the fox den, the entrance to the den beneath the stadium, and fox prints in the snow.

Two beautiful images from Rick Wayne.

Photos of fox kit taken by Steel Wagstaff, May 12, 2014

Photograph taken by Rick Wayne, May 7, 2014.

The foxes make an appearance on this poster made to celebrate Learning Support Staff student workers. If you're in Van Hise Hall today and see a student worker (LSS labbie), tell them that you appreciate them and the work they do. Poster design by LSS staff member Steel Wagstaff.

I was leaving campus late one Wednesday night (11:30?) about three weeks ago and saw a fox playing in the green space just east of the WID. As I passed by in my car, I noticed the fox standing on the sidewalk watching traffic (5-6 cars) go by and smiling a foxy grin. When I glanced in the rear view, I saw it cross Johnson Street toward the Union South once all the cars had passed. What a fun end to a long day!

The third (and best quality) of three fantastic fox videos from UW Soil Science systems programmer Rick Wayne. You can watch this one in HD--and it's entrancing! Watching these learning to be foxes by wrestling each other is incredible!