Foxes in the Harz Mountains: Holiday family warns against dangerous feeding!

Foxes in the Harz Mountains: Holiday family warns against dangerous feeding!

Especially during the holiday season, the Harz shows its most beautiful side and attracts numerous holidaymakers. This was also the case in Rotacker, where a family enjoyed their stay and had a very special experience with a fox. During their vacation in the holiday home complex, they observed one of these clever animals strolling through the grounds and looking for food in the garden. The vacationer films the event and posts the video in a Harz Facebook group to share her observations. She expresses anger at the neighbors who fed the fox. She reminds us that it is widely known not to feed wild animals, an appeal that has been met with support from many commentators. One user points out that the fox keeps coming back because it gets food and is in no way afraid of people. However, this change in behavior has serious consequences for the animal world in the Harz.

The national park administration has taken a clear position on this and reminds you that feeding wild animals, especially foxes, is dangerous for both the animals and people. “Many foxes that come into close proximity to humans in the summer months are provided with food by people out of compassion,” explains Henning Möller, head of the national park guard. However, this causes the animals to lose their natural shyness and find themselves in risky situations in places such as parking lots and roadsides. The loss of this shyness can become a real problem, as foxes that are fed regularly could have difficulty providing their own food and, in the worst case, could become a “problem animal”.

Health risks for foxes and legal consequences

Feeding poses a serious health risk, especially for young foxes. Such food often contains leftovers or unsuitable foods that can make the animals sick. In addition, the risk of becoming infected with parasites or viruses increases when they walk to the feeding stations. In order to prevent this behavior, the national park administration has set clear rules: In Saxony-Anhalt and Lower Saxony, feeding wild animals outside of emergency times is generally prohibited and can result in high fines.

To communicate this important information, rangers and forest workers rely on educating visitors so that they recognize the dangers and watch the foxes from a safe distance. Most visitors show understanding for these measures. But in repeated or problematic cases, sanctions can also be imposed. In the Harz Mountains, where foxes are increasingly being spotted, there is a lot to consider – for people and animals.

Comprehensive education and appeals from the national park administration are crucial to protecting the natural behavior of the animals. Visitors should be aware that feeding them does more harm than good, endangering not only the foxes, but also themselves. News38 reports, that the Abyrgal people should remember that nature must take its course. Those too Harz National Park draws attention to the fact that visitors should definitely refrain from feeding in order to protect the animal population and their habitat. Also Regional Today points out how important it is to show respect when looking at these wonderful animals and to leave them in their natural habitat.