Foxes Unearthed

As one of the largest predators left in Britain, the fox is captivating: a comfortably familiar figure in country landscapes; an intriguing flash of bright-eyed wildness in towns. Yet no other animal attracts such controversy, has provoked more column inches, or been so ambiguously woven into British culture over centuries, perceived variously as a beautiful animal, a cunning rogue, a vicious pest, and a worthy foe. As well as being the most ubiquitous of wild animals, it is also the least understood. In Foxes Unearthed, Lucy Jones investigates the truth about foxes in a media landscape that often carries complex agendas. Delving into fact, fiction, folklore, and her own family history, Lucy travels the length of Britain to find out first-hand why these animals incite such passionate emotions, revealing the rich and complex relationship with one of the country's most loved—and most vilified—wild animals. This compelling narrative adds much-needed depth to the debate on foxes, asking what attitudes towards the red fox say about people—and, ultimately, about Britain's relationship with the natural world.