ELF THE FOX ENJOYS A FESTIVE CHRISTMAS STOCKING
WITH PIX AND VID
By Shuk Yee Tsang
A charming festive moment was captured when a curious group of foxes investigated a Christmas stocking left out in a quiet graveyard.
The footage was filmed by Dora Nightingale, a filmmaker and wildlife advocate from West Sussex, UK, who has spent years documenting urban fox families using discreet cameras and her phone.
The video shows a fox known as Elf, a proud father of four juveniles, interacting with the stocking before one of his daughters makes a surprise appearance.
The final shot reveals Elf’s daughter, Winter, snatching the stocking and running off with it, treats and all, offering a rare glimpse into playful family life among urban foxes.
Dora said: “Here is a still of Elf. He’s a proud dad of four juveniles, and I’ve been supporting him and his family for exactly a year now.
“He appeared around Christmas time last year, so Elf felt like a lovely name for him.
“In the final shot of the video, one of Elf’s daughters, Winter, snatches the stocking and runs off with it.
“It contained healthy treats like raw peanuts and dental chews.
“Elf didn’t belong to the previous cemetery fox clan.
"He’d been roaming without a territory before moving in when the space became available.
“He brought his vixen Eliza, and together they successfully raised four cubs.
"He’s a fantastic fox dad, and I feel honoured to be his guardian.
“For a wild urban fox, every healthy year is special. Their average life expectancy is only about 18 months.
“To have witnessed and supported Elf through 12 months of his adult life was the gift of 2025 to me.
" I’ll continue to be there for him and his family while they live their wild and free lives.”
ENDS
