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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
1. For the purpose of contingency planning against a rabies outbreak in wildlife in Scotland, SASA holds data on the estimated density of urban foxes in certain towns and cities in Scotland. Fox population densities have been estimated for the cities of Edinburgh and Glasgow, and many of the towns in the urban areas surrounding Glasgow.
2. A survey was conducted to establish if there was sufficient evidence to indicate the establishment of significant urban fox populations in any other large town or city in Scotland. Potential towns were identified on the basis of human population size.
3. Two methods of data collection on urban foxes were used. The first involved sending a questionnaire to Local Authorities responsible for the towns in question. To allow data comparison, the same questionnaire was also sent to Local Authorities of towns where there was already an established urban fox population. The second method of data collection involved analysis of data from the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals ( SSPCA) on the numbers of calls regarding foxes received from the public in each town.
4. Both sets of data indicated the presence of foxes in some of these towns. However, the evidence was not strong enough to suggest a well established, breeding urban fox population in these towns. In general, towns with known populations produced clear indications of fox presence when compared with other towns being investigated. This was particularly apparent in the numbers of calls from the public to the SSPCA regarding foxes.
5. It was concluded that, at this time, the evidence of well established urban fox populations in the towns under investigation was insufficient to consider it necessary to calculate urban fox densities for these towns, for the purpose of rabies contingency planning. The presence of established fox populations in Edinburgh and Glasgow, and some contiguous areas to Glasgow, was confirmed.
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