Wildlife

Wheat Ridge residents warned about sick foxes

Wheat Ridge Police are warning residents to be wary of foxes suffering from mange after neighborhoods in and around the city have reported increased sightings of sick-looking foxes. Police removed the carcass of a mangy fox near 32nd Avenue and Vance Street on Thursday.

Mange is a contagious disease caused by parasitic mites. These mites can also infect people and cause the disease scabies, which police say makes this a public health concern.

"Many folks will want to help these animals, said Wheat Ridge Police spokesperson Lisa Stigall. "They see them. They're sick. And that is probably the worst thing you can do. You can infect yourself. You can infect your pets with scabies or with mange. And we want to make sure that we contain this as best we can."

Stigall said that persons who see a mangy fox should call animal control or the Department of Wildlife. Mangy animals are often disoriented and suffer from intense itching, skin crusting, and loss of fur.

Unfortunately, Stigall said, the outlook is not good for foxes captured by authorities.

"If you can catch a fox, he's pretty doggone sick," she said. "They're so far gone they're almost dead anyway. We'll euthanize these poor little guys and put them out of their misery."

Kyle Glazier: 303-954-1638 or kglazier@denverpost.com




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Ron,

Thanks for the heads up and this is not good news. I was planning on going there this winter and I guess that plan will be on hold.

Does anyone else know of any other locations that are good to take pictures of foxes in the metro area?

Thanks,

Tim

I was out at Prospect Park a couple of weeks ago and did not see any foxes. Are they still there or did the mange claim the majority? Has anybody still been seeing them there and I somehow just missed them?

Cathy,
I have not been there as recently as you, but in all my visits this year, I never once saw a fox this summer. In all other years I had never left without fox images.

Roger