Toronto Wildlife Centre (TWC) volunteers who have been guarding a fox and her kits at a den under the boardwalk near Woodbine Beach Park are set to leave after some volunteers were allegedly threatened.
The charitable organization posted an update on the fox den on its Facebook account Monday afternoon and said the volunteers guarding the animals would not longer formally be at the at the temporarily fenced-off site as of Tuesday.
The TWC said some of the volunteers experienced “hostility” that occasionally included “verbal abuse.” The organization cited two instances of threats that reportedly involved harm.
“One where a man told a volunteer, ‘If he had a knife he would stab her,’ and more recently a man who actually went after a teenaged volunteer with a knife,” the update said, adding there weren’t resources or police officers to provide regular security.
“As an organization, despite our deep concern for the fox family, the safety and well-being of our volunteers is paramount. As a result of these serious concerns, we have made the difficult decision to conclude the presence of our volunteers on site.”
Global News contacted Toronto police Monday evening for comment on the situation and a spokesperson for 55 Division said officers had one report of a threat involving a TWC volunteer. They said they were unable to provide additional information.
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Meanwhile, the update said 58 volunteers were at the site for more than 1,500 hours to date.
The TWC reported the kits are reaching are venturing farther away from the den and noted the animals are hunting independently.
“The fox kits are older and soon they will be moving on and it’s time for TWC’s volunteers to move on too,” the update said.
Earlier this year, the mother fox and her young kits were found at the makeshift den. One of the foxes ended up dying. A temporary privacy fence was later erected by the City of Toronto as an increasing number of visitors gathered at the site to watch the wild animals. It prompted the TWC to get involved in guarding the site and to educate residents.
The organization called on community members to provide “the best environment” for the foxes, including asking for people to keep dogs on leashes and away from the den as well as a plea to not feed wildlife.
“Feeding of wild animals changes their behaviour and causes them to become tame, which can be fatal. Lead by example and encourage your neighbours and fellow dog walkers to do the same,” the statement said.
“We will continue to do what we can to help the fox family, such as working with the City on signage and continuing to try and educate the public, but it’s up to everyone now to ensure their long-term survival.”