Vicki Fox > Guests > PEI Foxes

Prince Edward Island (PEI) Foxes

I have the pleasure of hosting the web site that archives the postings by Janet Wright (FoxVulpes) about the foxes on her farm on Prince Edward Island.

For those of us who regularly monitor the newsgroup alt.animals.foxes, we know about the PEI foxes. A member of the newsgroup has given us all the joy of experiencing the foxes on her farm through her nearly daily accounts. A journal that lets us watch as a new batch of kits are raised each year.

Introduction (by Janet Wright)

Cradled in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and well known as the inspiration for Lucy Maud Montgomery's "Anne of Green Gables", Prince Edward Island (PEI) is also the birthplace of Canada's confederation. Jacques Cartier described this lovely island with its rolling hills, red soil, and miles of white sandy beaches as "the fairest land 'tis possible to see." Physically cut off from the rest of Canada by water, and only reached by ferry or air, Prince Edward Island has retained a lovely rural sense of community while dashing headlong into the next millenium with more Internet connections per capita than any other province.

Our farm is on the south shore. The front of the house overlooks the Straits of Northumberland and the fishing village/artist community of Victoria. The front acreage is cleared and planted in crops each year, with the back acres heavily wooded. Water is abundant with many natural springs, a brook running across the property separating the front fields from the back fields and the DeSable River creating our boundry at the back of the woodlot. Our hilly land stretches from sea level at the shore to one of the highest points on the island . . . several times.

Foxes like a mixture of cleared land and forest. A water source is necessary for their well being, as well as an abundant food source of berries, fish, small rodents, and bugs. We have been fortunate in several generations of red foxes making their home on our farm. (Or have they allowed us to reside in their territory?) It has been interesting to watch them grow from gangly kits (or pups - both terms are correct) to adulthood with accompanying social development. Red foxes, or vulpes vulpes are they are technically named, are called the catlike canine and show a surprising personality and physical resemblance to both species. What follows is our experience with one year's litter.

My 1996 vacation to PEI

Read about my vacation to PEI.

Pictures and journal text

Yes. The following links will take you to some photos of the foxes and an archive of the fox newsgroup posts made by Janet Wright.

What are these landmarks mentioned in the posts?