Red Fox and Rabbit

Foxes are one of few truly native British mammals. They live in burrows called dens or earths. They eat berries, fruit, worms, frogs, birds and small mammals like the rabbit in this diorama. However, our food waste has made urban areas appealing to foxes looking for easier meals and they are now a common sight in towns, streets and gardens throughout Britain.

In a literary tradition dating back to Aesop’s ancient Greek fables, story tellers including Geoffrey Chaucer and Mary Tourtel have portrayed foxes as cunning tricksters. Like many animals, the fox’s reputation has been shaped as much by art as it has by nature.