As the colder season rolls in, Dauphin residents are noticing a larger presence of some furry neighbors.
Foxes are often around, but lately, more have been seen around the city.
Todd Tarrant with Dauphin Animal Control does have some concerns as these populations keep popping up.
"With this warm weather, the foxes aren't going to den. They're trying to train their young ones how to hunt still. The biggest fear I have now that's coming to front is the animals are being fed by people in town trying to help them out until the cold weather comes, which is exactly the opposite of what you want to do."
As cute as foxes are, they're still wild animals that can be unpredictable in their interactions with humans and local pets.
It's important to make sure pets are kept on a leash in accordance with city laws.
Keeping pets on a leash, and cleaning up leftover bones and scraps can help minimize interactions between pets and wildlife, which keeps them both much safer.
Tarrant speculates that the rising population is due to a number of factors.
One is the availability of food for them in the city, either from human scraps or the equally exploding rabbit population.
He notes that in the gap of hunting and trapping that COVID-19 left, it created an abundance of food for predators like foxes and coyotes, which in turn let their populations rise as well.
Tarrant is always looking for people to call in any sightings they have of foxes or other wildlife.
If you have seen a fox around Dauphin, Tarrant urges you to call him at 204 648 3593 so he can keep tabs on wildlife and safely catch and release them to a safe environment.
