**Ella Purnell’s Adorable Backyard Fox Friendship Delights Fans**
Yellowjackets actress Ella Purnell has been delighting fans with footage of a fox that keeps showing up in her backyard. She has posted multiple Instagram Stories showing the creature sniffing around her sliding glass door and rejecting the food she offered.
This is arguably the best Purnell content since her famous caterpillar infestation!
### Ella Purnell and the Backyard Fox
Purnell, who lives in London when she’s not busy filming the next season of *Fallout*, has been befriending a local fox over the past three years. Some of her Instagram Stories featuring the little creature have even been preserved on YouTube.
One clip shows her back door open just a crack, with the fox sticking its nose into the gap as if it just wants to hang out. The caption reads, “Explain to me again why it’s a bad idea to open the door???”
In another Story, Purnell makes kissing noises at the fox as she films a closer shot of it through the glass. “I MEAN. COME ON,” she wrote.
At one point, she has to tell the fox to stop chewing on her outdoor lights because it’s “gonna be electrocuted.” Then, she attempts to play with the fox through the glass by tapping on different spots, asking, “What do you need? You need some food, some water?”
### Feeding the Fox: A Delicate Situation
More of the story emerged in screenshots shared on Reddit’s r/popculturechat. “I caved, you guys,” said the caption on one image. “3 years later, I finally fed the fox.”
Unfortunately, Purnell tried to feed the fox a whole carrot, which it didn’t seem to want. The fox took one bite, then turned around and urinated on it.
According to the U.K. advocacy group Fox Guardians, foxes are omnivores but prefer fruit and seeds when they are not hunting fresh meat or eggs. An apple slice, for instance, would have been a better offering.
That said, it’s important to note that experts generally do not advocate feeding wild animals, so it’s best to avoid encouraging wildlife to rely on human food.
### Is It Okay to Feed Foxes in the U.K.?
The question of whether Purnell did something wrong by feeding the fox sparked debate on Reddit.
Most conservationists advise against feeding wild animals, as this encourages them to approach human spaces more frequently, which can lead to dangerous situations.
One user, identifying as a conservation biologist, wrote:
“I hate to be the buzzkill, but as a conservation biologist, this is true & what I came to the comments to say. No matter how cute it is, if it’s not endangered, leave it alone. Many bears, in particular, get put down for this reason.”
Another commenter declared, “This is not safe or healthy for the animal. She needs to educate herself before further endangering this animal’s life.”
### London Foxes: Nearly Domesticated?
On the other hand, locals in London say foxes there have grown so accustomed to human presence that they’re practically domesticated.
One Reddit user shared, “Foxes are built different these days. One literally walked into my home from the open back door, poked its head into the living room while I was watching TV, and casually walked out.”
Another user opined, “People that don’t live in London and have never interacted with London foxes should just shut up and mind their own business. They’ve lived with humans here for hundreds of years and, while not ‘domesticated,’ are far less wild and feral than regular foxes.”
### One More Fox Fact
There is, however, one more challenge to living alongside foxes. As one Redditor put it: “Foxes literally piss everywhere. Probably the pissiest animal.”
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Ella Purnell’s ongoing relationship with the curious backyard fox is a delightful glimpse into urban wildlife, but it also raises important questions about how humans should interact with animals living in close proximity to us. For now, fans can enjoy her charming stories and hope that the fox stays safe and happy.
https://www.dailydot.com/news/ella-purnell-documenting-attempts-to-befriend-backyard-fox/
