Biggest fox in Britain: Man kills 4ft 9in monster which weighs 38lbs

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Biggest fox in Britain: Man kills 4ft 9in monster which weighs 38lbs

March 5th, 2012

FAKE NEWS for the Zionist agenda

By
Larisa Brown BEN ARCHIBALD

Last updated at 12:47 AM on 5th March 2012

Hunted down after savaging a farmer’s lambs, this is the largest fox ever recorded in the UK.

The beast weighed almost three stone and was nearly five feet long – more than double the average size of the species.

It was shot and killed by farmer Alan Hepworth who, at just 5ft 7in himself, was only just able to haul his catch up for a photograph.

Haul: Alan Hepworth holds up the giant fox he shot in Aberdeenshire

He said: ‘I was out with my son. We have to shoot foxes to keep on top of them, and stop them from killing the lambs.

‘It was late at night, and this particular fox caught our eye because it was such an incredible size.

‘We made a squeaking noise to get its attention, and then shot it.

‘When we went over to pick it up, we
were amazed by quite how big it was. I could only hold it for a while
because it was so heavy and was nearly as big as a roe deer.’

Mr Hepworth later decided to weigh the fox after realising it would probably be the largest he had ever shot.

And the 69-year-old found it weighed a staggering 38lb 1oz and was 4ft 9in from its nose to the tip of its tail.

Monster: To give a sense of scale, seven-year-old Archie Wright stands next to a 26.5lb fox, which up until now had been the largest recorded in Britain

Experts say it is the biggest to have been recorded in the UK.

He said: ‘I’m 5ft 7in, and it was 4ft 9in. When I held it up, it was almost the same size as me.

‘It was a big beast and much heavier
than anything I’d killed before, so I knew it would be the heaviest I’d
found when I weighed it.

‘I was surprised to hear it was the biggest fox ever recorded in the UK, though.

‘If I’d have thought more about it at
the time I’d have maybe taken it to a taxidermist, and kept it as a
memento, but we just buried it like all the other foxes we shot.’

Stark contrast: Foxshooter Roy Lupton displays a normal fox beside the 26lb monster shot by Keith Talbot to show the difference in size

Mr Hepworth, from Moray in north-east Scotland, said he killed the fox on a friend’s farm in neighbouring Aberdeenshire.

He added: ‘When I showed people the
picture of me holding up the fox, they didn’t believe it. Especially how
long it was. But I can definitely say it’s real. You never forget
holding an animal that size.’

The Handbook of British Mammals says foxes usually weigh up to 15lb.

Brazen: Foxes are increasingly losing their fear of humans and more and more like this one have been spotted in people's homes

Brazen: Foxes are increasingly losing their fear of humans and more and more like this one have been spotted in people’s homes

Experts believe the find is further evidence that foxes are increasing in size.

Jonathan Reynolds, senior research
scientist at the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust, said: ‘A 38lb fox
would have been unthinkable a few years ago.

‘We don’t know why they are getting bigger, but one possible explanation is that they are getting better fed in urban areas.’

Derek Yalden, president of the Mammal
Society, said many foxes were getting bolder in towns and cities
because they were ‘more used to seeing humans’.

Here’s what other readers have said. Why not add your thoughts,
or debate this issue live on our message boards.

The comments below have been moderated in advance.

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James@London.Simple solution -get a secure chicken coop.

– Al, London, 05/3/2012 01:02

If these foxes had been hunted by horse and hounds 75% would still be alive today and everyone would be happy, not least three foxes

– john yates, Chelmsford, 05/3/2012 00:39

This entire article is utterly disgusting DM!

– Jayne, Hampshire, 05/3/2012 00:30

So You find something fascinating and you kill it.. Oh the human race.. such a special thing.. :/

– kat, Australia, 05/3/2012 00:30

This is disgusting, my faith in humanity has been lost.

– Holly, Southport, England, 05/3/2012 00:25

I’ve got a few questions – How and why are they capturing and killing the foxes and then exhibiting them like prize game trophies? We feed dog food to 2 foxes that visit our garden each night. We’ve not once thought about capturing and killing them. The types of hefty dustbins most people use now make it harder for foxes to rummage for scraps so perhaps they need a bit of help from us Human’e’s.

– J C, Sunbury, England, 05/3/2012 00:24

This is disgusting, my faith in humanity has been lost.

– Holly, Southport, England, 05/3/2012 00:23

So this man had to kill the baby fox to show off the size of a supposedly extra large adult mother fox……….. So, tell us why he had to shoot the Fox in the first place? Is he protecting something,…………… What’s the reason DM? If it wasn’t for the Fox, we would be overrun with rabbits, Geese, and all kinds of rodents……………. The two Foxes will now be on this idiots wall so he can brag to his friends about how cleaver he his at shooting a large Fox!

– Stranger than fiction, .English and not too proud to beg!, 05/3/2012 00:23

well it’s not the largest anymore. Killing such a beautiful creature and then posing with it? How heartless. They are part of the nature they have much a reason to live as we do.

– Karleigh, England, 05/3/2012 00:21

To all you people who think these are litttle cuties,Try listening to thjem slaughter your livestock and not even taking one to eat.They are vermin and should be treated as so.

– w.birch, billericay,essex,uk, 05/3/2012 00:19

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