Photo by Bill Burns

Bill and Christine Burns, of Algoma Township, have been getting an unusual visitor in their backyard this week. According to Chris, this patient fox has been making visits to their backyard about dusk, waiting for her next meal.

“She’s getting the ground squirrels that tunnel into the ground,” she explained.

Photo by Bill Burns

Foxes, which are members of the canidae family (along with wolves and domestic dogs) are slightly smaller than a medium dog, and tend to live in small family groups.  According to the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, red foxes can be found in every county in Michigan but are especially common in areas with fallow and cultivated fields, meadows, bushy fence lines, woody stream borders, and low shrub cover along woods and beaches. They will eat most anything available, including insects, birds, frogs, berries, snakes, mice, voles, rabbits, squirrels, etc. However, they can cause problems if they become used to eating garbage, garden vegetables, birdseed or pet food left outdoors at night. They may eat small pets or farm animals, so do not allow small pets to roam free when foxes are present. Consider keeping small pets indoors or accompany them outside, especially at night.