A SURGE in the number of foxes in Cheshire and Wirral could pose a serious threat to this year's sheep farming unless a massive hunting campaign is launched, farmer's leaders warned last night.
The ban on hunting during the foot-and-mouth outbreak has caused the fox population to soar dramatically, it is claimed.
Although hunting began again last month, there has been a slow start to the season with many clubs choosing not to ride out until they have consulted fully with farmers.
Movement restrictions during the outbreak also meant the practice of control groups venturing on to farmland to shoot foxes was banned.
Now, the regional branch of the National Farmer's Union (NFU) fears the increased number of foxes could cause serious problems when the lambing season begins again in the spring.
In Cheshire, large numbers of foxes have been spotted in the rural areas surrounding Chester and Nantwich, and in Wirral country parks in areas such as Bidston and Caldy.
NFU spokeswoman Gill Shearer last night said: "We are getting calls from farmers telling us they are seeing many more foxes than usual, which at this time of year is worrying.
"We are heading into the lambing season and there is widespread concern that there may be problems with foxes taking lambs.
"Unfortunately there is no way of ascertaining precisely how many foxes there are out there because they are not territorial creatures.
"But we are reassured that the ban on both hunting and fox control has been lifted. We can only hope it is in time to bring down the fox population before the lambing season begins."
The Cheshire Hunt, one of the largest in the county, has not yet gone back into action but is planning its first ride out at the end of month.
Spokeswoman Ellie Boddington said: "Hunting is one of the most effective means of controlling foxes and is the method many farmers prefer.
"The reason we hunt at this time of year is largely to reduce the fox population before the lambing season starts.
"It is quite likely fox numbers have increased during the nine months of no hunting and we expect to see that for ourselves when we resume."
But anti-hunting campaigners insist hunting makes little difference to the fox population and have attacked the claims as a pro-hunting publicity stunt. Spokeswoman Janet Smart said: "It is absolute rubbish to say foxes taking lambs is a big problem - it is a relatively rare thing.
"Statistics have shown that 98pc of sheep deaths are due to reasons other than predators, such as bad husbandry, disease and cold. If a farmer has a genuine problem with a rogue fox taking lambs, he should bait and shoot it.
"Farmers I have spoken to have not reported seeing any more foxes than usual. I would suggest this is a publicity stunt on behalf of the hunters, many of whom are farmers themselves."
She added: "It is a shameful excuse to pretend hunting is a method of controlling the fox population - hunting is only done for entertainment."..SUPL:
