Fox population OK, says study

The Associated Press

LONDON -- Fox hunting does little to reduce the animal's population, a scientific study published Thursday concludes, contradicting a cherished belief among farmers and fox hunters.

Hunting supporters, who are fighting a potential government ban of the centuries-old pastime, say the research, funded by animal welfare groups, is flawed.

Supporters of hunting say the practice is part of the rural way of life and helps keep in check the population of foxes, regarded as a pest by farmers. They say banning fox hunting, as many urban Britons wish, would lead to an explosion in fox numbers.

But research published in the journal Nature found that fox numbers changed little when hunting was banned for 10 months during last year's foot-and-mouth epidemic.