Wildlife worriers

I sometimes forget - even though I am thankful for it every day - that we do not live in an urban environment. I was reminded of this again yesterday on the drive in when I saw a kangaroo standing by the side of the road. It was alone as far as I could tell although it would have been wonderful had it been part of a larger mob. This is the first one I've seen for a long while. It may be the wrong season for them but I fear it has more to do with the increasing level of development in the area. It's sad to see so few of them around though.

The other reminder was a fox sighting this morning. This is only my second one - the first being the night one was after the plover chicks a few months ago. Pearl started barking down the back this morning and when I went to investigate I found her and the fox circling each other ready for a stoush. I wasn't sure what it was at first because it looked too tall and skinny to be a fox. (In a fanciful moment afterwards I was thinking it might be a cross-species individual like a dox or a fingo.). But the important thing was getting Pearl away and , to her credit, because she does take her role of guarding the property very seriously, she finally did come to my calling although it took a couple of times. I'm not sure how M managed to sleep through the commotion because I managed to wake S, and probably the neighbours as well! I confined Pearl to the house - luckily the cats who had already been out had already come back in - while I went to get the camera to take a shot of the fox who had positioned itself under the fence between L's and Latimers. It was fairly grainy but luckily enough in focus for S to be able to tell that, yes, it was a fox. I'm not sure where it was injured or if it was just how it and Pearl were circling each other, but it did appear to be limping on its left hind leg. It must be difficult out in the wild for the critters because when you think about it, it's just them and whatever "family" they have - and their environment does continue to get built out with seemingly little regard for them and what will happen to them.