Prince Edward Island National Park of Canada

Killing them with kindness: the problem with feeding foxes

Everyone enjoys watching foxes. They are so common now that they have become a part of our natural Island environment. These graceful creatures seem so tame, it can be hard not to think of them as pets. People have even begun to feed foxes in an attempt to interact with them in a more meaningful way.

Unfortunately, this habit of feeding foxes can be a real problem for these animals. Foxes that come to rely on handouts from humans may not develop the skills they need to hunt and thrive. Recently, Parks Canada has been working to raise awareness of this issue with Islanders and visitors alike.

As world leaders in conservation practices, Parks Canada strives to ensure that our fragile fauna can be enjoyed today and still be protected for generations to come. Over the past few years, staff at Parks Canada have noticed that the seemingly-kind activity of feeding foxes in PEI National Park has led to increased fox injury or death. Feeding foxes causes them to become accustomed to people and to rely solely on humans for food.

Sadly, once visitors leave PEI National Park, foxes that have come to rely on handouts sometimes become a nuisance to local residents and cause damage. Likewise, foxes fed along roadsides can be injured or killed by vehicles because they have learned to associate roads and parking areas with food.

We can all take action to help keep foxes and other wildlife “alive and wild” in PEI by following these simple instructions: do not approach or entice wildlife, never leave food out for wildlife, and when driving, use caution and be prepared to avoid a collision at all times.

Parks Canada would like to remind visitors that it is illegal to feed, entice or disturb wildlife in PEI National Park. The minimum fine for feeding wildlife in PEI National Park is $220.

For more information about Parks Canada in PEI, please call us at (902) 566-7050.