noun: skulk; plural noun: skulks
- a group of foxes.
I don’t know if two foxes are enough to equal a skulk, but there has been, on two occasions that my wildlife camera will testify to, a pair of foxes visiting my back garden.
For my October birthday, my husband gifted to me a wildlife camera, which wasn’t set into action until late November. Before setting up the camera, I assumed we’d see raccoons and opossums on a regular basis, sprinkled with appearances by rats, and only rare visits from foxes or owls. As it happens, the opposite has happened: almost nightly, at least one native Grey Fox gracefully ambles through the pond area, with somewhat rarer sightings of the other three critters. I should add that I see foxes during the daytime hours and have had them visit my garden, but those daytime sightings are only occasional. I never dreamed that fox(es) came into my garden most nights. I couldn’t be more pleased that they’re comfortable in the environment that I’ve created.
With the term skulk, I usually think of the other definition (verb: keep out of sight, typically with a sinister or cowardly motive.). I don’t see the foxes as that kind of skulky but instead, shy and alert to danger at all times. Their graceful, sinuous movements along the pathways, and through the garden itself, is delightful to observe.
Are these two siblings, or a mother and almost grown kit? Or are they mates? Whatever their family ties, I suspect that during the day they sleep under one of the many outdoor sheds belonging to surrounding neighbors and situated in back yards, though maybe the foxes change sleeping locations from time-to-time.
Will there be kits in the spring? I sure hope so! I’ve observed foxes in our neighborhood for many years, but I’ve never seen a family with kits–a skulk–or a fox that is clearly a juvenile. But the foxes are around, year after year and in all seasons, so some successful breeding is happening.
There are other terms for a group of foxes. I could call these two a troop of foxes, or a leash of foxes, or a lead of foxes, and or an earth of foxes. I think I like ‘earth of foxes’ the best!
Whatever they are, as singles, couples, or groups, these beautiful animals are very welcome in my garden to rest, catch rats or insects, drink water, or just hang out.
My Gardener Says... 
How wonderful to have these visitors in your backyard! Wildlife cameras are great, you get to see who visits and what mischief they get up to while you’re sleeping! 😀
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Yes, it’s been so much fun, Sue! The cameras (we now have another one. We’re not obsessive, no sirree!) I just never realized how much activity there is at night. Duh, I guess. 🙂
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Those are so cool! (Now I want a wildlife camera!)
Thank you for sharing!
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Lol–we now have another one, trained to catch a different part of the garden. Last night, there was no fox by the pond, but he/she ambled across the path of the other camera.
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Good to know who visits in the night time! I’ve often thought about getting a wild cam, but haven’t got around to it. I can imagine there would be a lot of traffic out there. 🙂
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Oh, you really should, Eliza. With your wild area, it would be quite a show, I’m sure!
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That is exciting. I had a friend in your area and she put out dog food for foxes. Do you have fences around your yard? Here it is common to have six foot wooden fences around every yard.
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We do have a 6 foot wooden fence around the back garden. Foxes can jump 6 feet high, but I’m pretty sure they and the other critters and going under the fences. There are several different areas, all connecting to my neighbors, where it’s clear that the area is dug out a little and those spots are the underpasses. I’m confident that’s were the foxes and probably raccoons come into my garden. I’ve seen opossums trundle along the top of the fences.
I don’t feed them except for two nights when I put out some apple slices. The foxes and opossum liked that. 🙂 I don’t want to make a habit of it though.
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I have the same thing with our 6 foot fences. There is an escape hole on every side. I found there is no point trying to fill them in. I have never heard of foxes in our area. We have coyotes and a “panther” sighting or two. Not sure what those are.
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There are lots of coyotes in the Austin area, but not (so far) in our neighborhood.
Panther is a mountain lion and that’s exciting, I think!
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What a wonderful discovery, Tina, thank you for sharing. I also love foxes and we used to see them in our neighborhood, but that was a number of years ago. I fear they won’t be coming back, there are too many roads to cross and too many cars.
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Our neighborhood is surrounded by busy roads, but I guess there’s enough protected area, that they can hunt and forage for what they need. I hope it’s always that way.
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I hope so too. It’s so sad when species after species disappears because we don’t leave enough habitat.
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Yes, with you on that. I’m always amazed at how much wildlife is in my particular neighborhood. It’s mostly sterile lawn here, with few gardens. My property is a rarity and I’m pretty sure lots of folks think I’m nuts. I am, but not because of the garden. 🙂
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PS: I also hope there will be kits come spring! Fingers crossed!
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Me too!
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Now you can bill yourself as a foxy lady.
Who gets to decide on the group name for each kind of animal?
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Lol! As for the names, I don’t have a clue about that. The only term I’d ever heard of before was ‘troop of foxes’–the others were all new to me.
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This sure does qualify as better than television! What a wonderful gift. It’s going to be interesting to see what happens as the year goes on. I hope you have a chance to see some kits, as well as the adults. It’s going to be interesting to see what else shows up. A fellow who manages a game ranch with multiple cameras was telling recently of having a peacock show up on one of his cameras. Where it came from and where it was going was pure mystery. I’m sure it’s probably become dinner for a coyote or some such by this time.
I wonder if the ‘panther’ that Judy mentioned is a bobcat. They’re more common here than I’d realized; I’ve seen them on the coast, and three times at the Brazoria wildlife refuge. They’re often spotted in Chambers county. Our species is the Texas bobcat; it prefers hunting around creeks and riverbeds, but can be found in urban areas as well. They’re opportunistic hunters, eating small mammals like rats, rabbits, and squirrels. It’s not impossible that you might see one in the future — how cool would that be? I wondered if bobcats and foxes like yours would share territory, and it seems that they will. Amazing!
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It’s been so much fun, checking out who’s checking out my garden! You’re probably right about that peacock…:(
Oh, I’d love to see a bobcat on the cam! That’s not likely, but in September, I saw a porcupine in the back garden (first time ever!) and I wouldn’t mind seeing it again. A bunny hopped through the other night. Because the eyes of the various critters lights up, what I first saw was a pair of eyes, up-n-down along the pathway they take, until it turned around and bounded toward, then past, the camera’s range. Fun times!
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I think I may have heard of the term “skulk” before, but I’d forgotten. How nifty that you captured the videos! We’ve had fox in the backyard, at times, but always a solitary one. They are amazing creatures. 🙂
Beth @ PlantPostings.com
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It’s been loads of fun, Beth. I just love seeing the foxes, they’re so beautiful.
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