Why did Jim Clark become interested in foxes as a child?

W: I have with me Jim Clark, otherwise known as the "Fox Man". That’s right, isn’t it?
M: Yes, well, I suppose it’s not surprising. I’ve been studying foxes and writing about them for 20 years now, and people get to know of you.
W: So what is it that appeals to you about foxes, Jim?
M: I think they’re wonderful animals to look at and fascinating to study, but they’re also just very successful. I got interested in them when I was a kid in London when they were starting to move in from the country and colonise the city, and seeing a wild animal build up its population in the city really fascinated me and I’ve been fascinated ever since.
W: Is it just the foxes in towns you’re interested in?
M: No, we’re studying foxes in lots of different areas. We’re working in Somerset, for example, and I’ve also got a colleague studying foxes in Greece.
W: It’s a very handsome animal, isn’t it, the fox?
M: I think they’re beautiful animals. Well, I obviously must think so or I wouldn’t have spent so long studying them. It’s wonderful for people in cities to see them—a wild animal in their back gardens.
W: Now you’re appealing for people who have seen foxes in their area to let you know, aren’t you?
M: That’s right. We’re hoping people will call us and let us know of any fox sightings and particularly any sightings of cubs. That would be helpful for our study.
W: And the number people can contact you on is 9287593. That’s 9287593. Now many people are used to seeing town foxes scavenge in dustbins.
M: Now you see that’s a myth. I must have spent thousands of nights following foxes round the city and it’s incredibly rare to see them actually taking food out of a dustbin.
W: I have seen it, honestly, I promise you.
M: I believe you, but it’s a very rare sight. The bulk of food they get is food deliberately put out for them by householders. Why should they scavenge around in dustbins when they can get nice things like belly of pork and steak just left out for them to eat? That’s just over half their diet and the rest of it they make up from worms, insects, the odd little birds, things like that.
W: What about in the countryside, what do they eat there?
M: If there’s something dead they’ll eat it—they’re not exactly fussy about how fresh it is. But mainly they hunt and on wet nights they eat a lot of worms. They’ll also eat rabbits, small voles, and birds, anything they can get, really.
W: Do you find yourself having to defend foxes to people?
M: No, I don’t, actually. I can defend them because I think given the number of foxes there are around, the number of problems they cause is minimal. I don’t say that they don’t cause problems. I just don’t think that they cause that many. And I think you can deal with the problems pretty easily.
W: Thanks for joining us on the programme today, Jim.
M: My pleasure.