Fox Attacked Twins 'Over Soiled Nappies'
A leading urban wildlife expert has told Sky News Online why he thinks a fox attacked two nine-month-old twins as they slept in their bedroom - soiled nappies.
https://teakdoor.com/images/smilies1/You_Rock_Emoticon.gif Photo of Lola and Isabella Koupparis from mother's Facebook page
John Bryant believes it was a cub, about three to four months old, which went into the house after being attracted by the smell of food from the nappies.
He said that once the fox realised that the nappies were attached to the youngsters, it panicked and injured the twins.
Distraught mother Pauline Koupparis said she found her daughters Lola and Isabella crying and covered in blood after the fox went into their upstairs bedroom and attacked them in their cots.
They were taken to the Royal London Hospital in east London, but one of the girls was transferred to Great Ormond Street Hospital in central London for further treatment.
https://teakdoor.com/images/smilies1/You_Rock_Emoticon.gif Police at the home of the fox attack in Homerton, east London
Doctors said both were in a "serious but stable condition".
Lola has facial injuries and some puncture marks on her arm, while Isabella suffered injuries to her arm and was receiving special care, their mother said. She added the tots both underwent surgery.
Mrs Koupparis described the attack as "like a living nightmare".
Mr Bryant said he has received "lots of reports" from people in urban areas who have found nappies, dragged away from refuse bags, in their gardens.
"Foxes have a grab-and-go philosophy," he said.
"In this case I suspect it was a combination of an open door in the house and the fox cub wandering upstairs attracted by the nappy smell."
He has never known of a fox attacking a human, calling this one a "completely unique event" in his 40-year career. He said it was a "freak incident" which he thought "will never be repeated".
https://teakdoor.com/images/smilies1/You_Rock_Emoticon.gif The children's mother Pauline Koupparis
Mr Bryant said he had heard of two similar cases but they turned out to be incidents involving a German Shepherd dog and a cat.
He thinks that people should not leave their doors open at night and should dispose of nappies in a bin rather than leaving them on top of it.
He said: "People leave nappies in the street and there is a lot of food out there for them. It is down to us not to create the conditions for them."
There are thought to be around 30,000 foxes in urban areas in the UK, including 10,000 in London alone.
Another top wildlife expert Terry Nutkins told Sky News Online that he is 75% sure that the attack was not carried out by a fox, saying it was more likely to be a dog or a cat.
He also wants to know more about the injuries of the youngsters. He said if they were scratched, rather than bitten, it was more likely to be a cat.
https://teakdoor.com/images/smilies1/You_Rock_Emoticon.gif One expert said the fox attack was a 'freak' incident
Mr Nutkins said: "There is more to the story than meets the eye. Why would a fox attack two people? A fox will attack a human if it is trapped. They won't go out of their way to attack a human."
He was also worried that the case may spark a backlash against foxes.
Mr Nutkins said: "There is a danger of an over reaction. Most people are frightened of wildlife. It does worry me that there will be a campaign against foxes and people will inflict cruelty against them."
The fox is thought to have crept in through a door on the ground floor which had been left open because of the hot weather while Mrs Koupparis and her husband Nick watched Britain's Got Talent on television.
Mrs Koupparis, who lives in Homerton, east London, went upstairs when she heard the girls crying on Sunday night.
She told a radio station BBC London: "I went into the room and I saw some blood on Isabella's cot. I thought she'd had a nosebleed.
"I put on the light and I saw a fox and it wasn't even scared of me, it just looked me straight in the eye.
"It's something I would never expect to happen to anybody, let alone happen to my beautiful girls."
Fox Attack On Two Young Twins: Expert John Bryant Says Fox Attracted By Soiled Nappies | UK News | Sky News
Fox Caught And Killed At Bitten Babies' House
A fox has been caught and killed at the home of twin baby girls who were mauled in their cots as they slept.
Nine-month-old Lola Koupparis and twin sister Isabella were attacked at around 10pm on Saturday night in Homerton, east London.
Both girls suffered arm wounds and one is believed to have facial injuries.
One of the twins is still being treated at the Royal London Hospital. The second has been transferred to Great Ormond Street.
Both girls remain in a serious but stable condition.
Following the attack, pest controllers set fox traps in the back garden.
A fox was discovered in one of the devices on Sunday night and was later humanely destroyed by a vet.
A police spokesman said: "A vet was called to establish if it was safe to move the animal.
"It was determined it was not and the fox was humanely killed by the pest controller at approximately 12.15am."
The spokesman said the traps would remain in place for the time being.
The health trainer, who has lived in the street for six years, said he has complained about the fox problem to the local council but nothing has changed.
"I wonder how much they can do about the situation," he said, "I think the foxes are getting bolder. They almost go up to you.
"I've got fearful myself. They've gone towards my dog too."
The incident was not the first time a fox has been blamed for injuring children.
In 2002, Sue Eastwood told how her 14-week-old baby boy, Louis, suffered bite marks on his head after a fox crept into their house in Dartford, Kent.
The RSPCA stressed that such attacks were very unusual.
The animal welfare charity said in a statement: "Foxes are shy creatures and this sounds like an extremely rare occurrence, however, our thoughts are with the children and their families. We wish them a speedy recovery.
"If people have issues with foxes near their homes they should contact their local authority or a licensed pest controller.
"To discourage foxes from people's property they should also ensure any rubbish and household waste left out is secure and not open for scavenging."
The charity added that if anyone has a concern about the welfare of a fox they can contact the RSPCA on 0300 1234 999.
Fox Caught And Killed At House Where Baby Girls Were Bitten | UK News | Sky News
