The Jagiellonian University Botanical Garden has been recently inhabited by a fox. The animal is unafraid of people and seems to feel at home. The uninvited guest digs up flowerbeds and hunts birds. Despite these mischiefs, the garden staff do not intend to get rid of the predator - they are even planning to hold a contest to name it.
Although the JU Botanical Garden is located in the centre of Kraków, it provides shelter to a number of wild animals, especially to various species of birds. Until recently, foxes were spotted only sporadically and were usually gone after a couple of days. But for several months, one member of this species has been a permanent inhabitant of the garden, whose staff and visitors have become accustomed to its presence. In recent days, the animal has become notorious for its mischiefs, reported on the Botanical Garden Facebook page. The fox regularly digs up flowerbeds, including those with the precious pasque flower. Last Monday, the predator dug out a hedgehog sleeping under fallen leaves. Fortunately, thanks to a quick reaction of the garden staff, the animal did not wake up from winter hibernation. The fox often hunts rodents. What is more worrying is its recent appetite for birds which are caught for ringing. Yet, there are no plans to get rid of the new guest. The garden staff are even planning to hold a contest to name the fox.
In Poland, foxes are most commonly found in rural areas and forests, but some of them inhabit cities. It is estimated that their numbers in Kraków are stable, fluctuating between 500 and 750. These wild animals tend to keep low profile and are very good at hiding and using camouflage. In cities they have learnt to use heating tunnels as dens. Urban dwellers need to remember that they should refrain from feeding wild animals as this makes them accustomed to humans, which, in turn, often leads to dangerous situations and conflicts between the species.
