Judge Rules Dauphin Island Can Trap and Kill Foxes to Protect Endangered Wildlife

On Thursday, Judge Michael Youngpeter sided with the Town of Dauphin Island and the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, concluding that he does not have legal grounds to block the town’s predator-control initiative.

But he left the door open for opponents to continue their fight.

“If you’re saying there’s a better way to handle it, that's a science question,” Youngpeter told Mary Beth Mantiply, attorney for the plaintiffs. “You need to take it to my friends next door in federal court.”

A Fight Over Foxes and Federal Law

The case began in September, when Duane Wood and Spencer Harrison, two Dauphin Island residents and wildlife enthusiasts, filed a lawsuit to stop the town from contracting with federal officials to remove foxes from the West End, a stretch of protected land purchased with money from the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill settlement.

The town says the predator removal plan is necessary to protect endangered species such as snowy plovers, loggerhead sea turtles, and other coastal wildlife that nest in the fragile dunes. Under the terms of the settlement, Dauphin Island must actively preserve and restore the habitat which means managing predators like foxes, raccoons, and bobcats that threaten nesting grounds.

Attorneys for the town and the state argued that the predator control plan is a federal conservation effort, not a local decision, and therefore falls outside the county court’s jurisdiction.

“All of this is rooted in a federal mandate,” said Nash Campbell, attorney for Dauphin Island. “The goal is to restore coastal habitat and predator management is a part of that.”

A Community Divided

In a courtroom filled with residents, activists, and conservationists, emotions ran high. Photos of foxes being hand-fed chicken legs and eggs shared widely on social media were introduced as evidence.

For many locals, the foxes are more than wildlife; they’re part of the island’s personality.

Spencer Harrison, a photographer known for his viral photos of the island’s foxes, spoke of one particular animal, a fox he named Roxy.

“I began taking pictures of her and bringing her dog biscuits,” Harrison recalled. “She would eat her chicken, then sit beside me, just calm, peaceful. She trusted me.

Harrison and his supporters argue that trapping and killing the foxes is both inhumane and unnecessary, calling instead for relocation or deterrence methods.

A petition launched last month to stop the plan has already gathered more than 2,500 signatures, reflecting growing public concern.

Why Officials Say Removal Is Necessary

Wildlife officials counter that relocation isn’t feasible. Leif Stephens, director of the Alabama division of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) the federal agency tasked with carrying out the removal testified that moving foxes could spread disease or trigger aggression from other territorial foxes.

Stephens emphasized that the operation won’t wipe out the fox population.

“There is no intention to eradicate any species,” Stephens said. “Only foxes that have learned to raid bird and turtle nests will be targeted.”

Dauphin Island Mayor Jeff Collier has said in earlier interviews that previous attempts to deter the foxes including barriers and deterrent systems haven’t worked. Other parts of the island, he noted, will not be affected by the removal plan.

The Judge’s Decision and What Comes Next

Ultimately, Judge Youngpeter said he simply doesn’t have the authority to stop the plan. Because the fox removal effort is part of a federally guided environmental restoration plan, and no foxes have yet been trapped or killed, the case falls outside state jurisdiction.

“This is an issue tied directly to federal conservation policy,” the judge explained, adding that his official written ruling will be filed Monday.

That means, at least for now, the trapping can proceed though animal advocates are expected to pursue further action in federal court.

Balancing Nature and Compassion

The debate over Dauphin Island’s foxes goes far beyond one small barrier island. It raises a more profound issue that is relevant to contemporary conservation: How can we strike a balance between saving endangered species and showing empathy for predators that are merely carrying out their natural function?

The foxes are considered a nuisance by some locals.

For others, they’re neighbors. And for the town, they’ve become the symbol of an impossible choice between ecological duty and emotional connection.

As the sun sets over Dauphin Island’s white sands, the island’s future and that of its foxes remains uncertain.One thing is certain, though: the battle is far from over.