The curious behaviour of urban foxes… and their shoe fetish
Security Various The Been Have Foxes At Thieving Shoe World Cameras Doors Across Locations In House Urban Capturing
Imagine waking up one morning to find your favourite runners missing from your front porch. Your first thought might be that you misplaced them or maybe the neighbour’s dog was sniffing around again last night. But maybe the culprit is a local fox...
Security cameras at front doors have been capturing these shoe thieves’ red pawed in various locations across the world. In 2009, a vixen was responsible for stealing more than 100 shoes in one night from residents in a small town in western Germany. The stash was discovered in a fox’s den after a curious (and shoe impoverished) resident followed the thief home one night. The den was littered with shoes, ranging from runners, sandals and slippers, with the most numerous shoe brand, rather surprisingly, being Crocs. While the victims were reunited with their shoes, it’s unknown if the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) was acting independently or was part of a larger network of vulpes.
Now, the idea of foxes stealing shoes might seem whimsical or even the start of a brain teasing riddle, but there are several scientifically grounded reasons for this behaviour, rooted in the biology and ecology of these animals. While there’s no definitive answer, the following reasons are the most likely.
Foxes, like many other animals, explore their environment primarily through their senses, particularly smell. Shoes carry a potent combination of scents; from the materials they’re made of to the distinct smell of the person who wears them. To a fox, these scents provide a wealth of information. Red foxes use their keen sense of smell to navigate their environment, identify potential threats, and locate food sources. A shoe, rich with human scent, might pique a fox’s curiosity, leading it to investigate — and sometimes, carry it away.
Foxes are known for their playful nature, a trait often observed in young kits but also present in adults. Play is not just for fun; it’s a critical behaviour that helps them to develop survival skills. Scientists have found that play behaviour in animals, including object manipulation, are linked to problem-solving abilities and mental stimulation. Shoes, with their varied textures, shapes, and sizes, make for intriguing playthings that can engage a fox’s mind, much like toys do for domestic pets.
Foxes are highly adaptable creatures, known for their ability to thrive in diverse environments, from rural woodlands to urban cities. Foxes are opportunistic and will exploit available materials for various purposes. It is plausible that some foxes might repurpose shoes as bedding material in their dens. The soft padding and insulation provided by a shoe could offer comfort, particularly in urban settings where traditional nesting materials might be scarce.
In the wild, foxes often collect objects they find interesting or useful. This behaviour, known as caching, is most associated with food storage, but it can extend to other objects. Caching serves both to store resources and as a means of marking territory. A shoe, especially one with a strong human scent, could be perceived as a valuable find, serving as a trophy of sorts or as an item to be hidden away for later use. This instinctual behaviour is deeply rooted in their survival strategies, even if it manifests in the somewhat odd context of suburban shoe theft.
The phenomenon of foxes stealing shoes is part of a larger trend of wildlife adapting to urban environments. As human populations grow and expand into previously wild areas, animals like foxes are increasingly forced to coexist with us, often leading to unexpected interactions. Studies in urban ecology have shown that foxes are particularly adept at navigating these human-dominated landscapes, often altering their behaviour to exploit new opportunities — whether it’s foraging through garbage, using human structures for shelter, or, in this case, stealing shoes. Urban foxes are a testament to the resilience and flexibility of wildlife in the face of changing environments. Their interactions with humans, though sometimes inconvenient, offer valuable insights into how species can adapt to the challenges of urbanisation.
While no scientific studies have attempted to answer this question definitively, the answer may lie in a combination of sensory curiosity, play behaviour, adaptability, and instinctual collecting. While it might seem like mischief to us, these behaviours are grounded in the fox’s natural instincts and its ability to thrive in a rapidly changing world. While this means taking a few extra precautions if you want to keep your footwear safe, it also presents a unique opportunity to observe and appreciate the cleverness of these fascinating creatures. As we continue to share our spaces with wildlife, understanding their behaviour helps us coexist more harmoniously — even if it means occasionally losing a shoe or two. In the end, these incidents remind us that even in the heart of our cities, nature is never too far away — and sometimes, it’s right on our doorstep.
- Dr Michelle McKeown is an environmental geographer and lecturer at University College Cork. Her research spans climate change impacts, carbon cycling, and ecosystem integrity, with a strong focus on both modern and palaeo-environmental systems in mid-latitude and tropical regions. She works on interdisciplinary projects to understand long-term climate dynamics and freshwater ecosystem responses across time.