September 5, 2025

Dauphin Island Will Eradicate Foxes From the Island

By Dale Hines
Blue RAM Media/Gulf Coast News

September 5, 2025

DAUPHIN ISLAND, Ala. For years, residents have enjoyed the cute little foxes roaming around the beaches and throughout the beach community.
But other residents say that they pose a threat because they carry rabies, and they’ve been known to attack other wildlife and pets, and could potentially attack children playing in their yard.

After several years of debates and research, the Town of Dauphin Island has voted to move forward with the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, which is part of the Department of Agriculture, to prevent invasive animals like foxes from destroying protected wildlife.

Dauphin Island Mayor Jeff Collier said they want to be proactive in keeping other species safe.
This means conducting operations to capture or kill the nuisance animals.

According to city leaders, numerous state, federal, and private entities have conducted research to determine what steps should be taken to protect the foxes and other native wildlife.

“Alabama Audubon, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, and other agencies have spent probably the last several years collecting a lot of data and doing a lot of research in that area, and also trying different tactics and techniques,” Collier said. “They’ve also put fencing around active turtle and bird nests to try to defend against predators, and unfortunately, those tactics did not work very well, and it’s been going on for several years now and again the ultimate goal is to get to a point where turtles and in birds can both nest and be more successful, going forward and raising their hatchlings.”
For the past few years, Dauphin Island has been partnering with Mobile County, the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the U.S. Department of the Interior, and other agencies to create the west end bird conservation and development plan. The goal is to turn the west end of the beach into a bird sanctuary.

At this time, efforts will begin on the west side of the island, said Mayor Collier because they are threatening sea turtles and birds.

Collier said they’re focusing on foxes at the west end because they threaten sea turtles and birds, but he tells me they’re not the only animals wildlife groups fear could harm these protected species.

“It’s not just wild animals involved here, but dogs are also prohibited in that area because what the experts will tell you is the mere fact that if a dog or other animals are close to a nest, the smell is there and it disturbs the nest,” he said.

Some locals on the island are voicing their thoughts on this decision. One person even drove around with a sign saying, “stop the kill.”