Other pests

Appearance

The red fox has an elongated body and relatively short limbs. The tail, which is longer than half the body length (70 percent of head and body length), is fluffy and reaches the ground when in a standing position.
They are very agile, being capable of jumping over 2-metre-high (6 ft 7 in) fences, and swim well.
Red foxes are usually together in pairs or small groups consisting of families, such as a mated pair and their young.

Habitat

Urban red foxes are most active at dusk and dawn, doing most of their hunting and scavenging at these times.
Urban red foxes can cause problems for residents. They have been known to steal chickens, disrupt rubbish bins and damage gardens.
Urban red foxes will often make their homes in hidden and undisturbed spots in urban areas as well as on the edges of a city, visiting at night for sustenance.
City-dwelling red foxes have the potential to consistently grow larger than their rural counterparts because of abundant scraps and a lack of predators.

Lifecycle

Red foxes reproduce once a year in spring.
The average litter size consists of four to six kits, though litters of up to 13 kits have occurred.
Kits begin to leave their dens and experiment with solid food brought by their parents at the age of 3–4 weeks.
In captivity, their longevity can be as long as 15 years, though in the wild they typically do not survive past 5 years of age.

Appearance

The grey squirrel has predominantly grey fur, but it can have a brownish colour and often has a usual white underside.
Particularly in urban situations where the risk of predation is reduced, both white – and black-coloured individuals are quite often found.
The head and body length is from 23 to 30cm, the tail 19 to 25cm, and the adult weight varies between 400 and 600g.

Habitat

Squirrels generally prefer constructing their dens upon large tree branches and within the hollow trunks of trees.
They also have been known to take shelter within abandoned bird nests. The dens are usually lined with moss plants, dried grass, and feathers.
Close to human settlements, squirrels are found in parks and back yards of houses within urban environments. Often squirrels will make home in lofts and attics where damage can be quite severe, with chewed wires a particular fire risk.

Lifecycle

Grey squirrels can breed twice a year, but younger and less experienced mothers normally have a single litter per year in the spring.
Normally, one to four young are born in each litter, but the largest possible litter size is eight.
At birth, their life expectancy is 1–2 years, an adult typically can live to six, with exceptional individuals making it to 12 years.

Appearance

They have cylindrical bodies, velvety fur, very small, inconspicuous ears and eyes.
They have reduced hindlimbs, and short, powerful forelimbs with large paws adapted for digging.
A mole's diet primarily consists of earthworms and other small invertebrates found in the soil.

Habitat

Moles burrow and raise molehills, killing parts of lawns. They can undermine plant roots, indirectly causing damage or death. Moles do not eat plant roots.
Moles utilize oxygen more effectively by reusing the exhaled air, and as a result, can survive in low-oxygen environments such as burrows.
Although moles are not dangerous to human health, the damage they do to lawns and agriculture make them a pest that needs to be controlled.

Lifecycle

Breeding season for a mole depends on species but is generally February through May. Males search for females by letting out high-pitched squeals and tunnelling through foreign areas.
The gestation period of the mole is approximately 42 days. Three to five young are born, mainly in March and early April.
Pups leave the nest 30–45 days after birth to find territories of their own