Calling all fox experts

[ForestryForever]

There must be a fox expert among us.
If you are one, here's a question I need to know the answer to:
Could a fox, or perhaps more than 1 fox, drink 150 litres of water over 4 nights??
Because I've got a 250 litre fresh pond, lovely clean water in it, no fish or any reptile living in it, it is sitting waiting in preparation for fish, and over the past 4 days it has gone from 250 litres of water full to the brim, to just under 100 litres of water left today. Every morning over the past 4 days it has dropped significantly in volume.
It's in a quiet, shady corner in the garden, under a tree, out of sight from the house, and our garden is pitch black at night (rural village with no street lighting).
There is no way that volume of water has evaporated in 4 days. There is no direct sun on it ever, and the loss of vume has happened over night each night, not during the day. We've been monitoring the water loss carefully. So it simply has not evaporated 150 litres in 4 days.
Today we removed the pond (pre formed pond), cleaned it out, stood it on the patio, filled it up with water and watched to see if there's a leak......no leak. 10 hours later it's still sitting on the patio as full as a bath. No decrease in volume whatsoever.
So how the hell have we lost 150 litres of water over 4 nights?!
Can foxes drink that much???
I'm in the SE and we are having very hot, dry weather.
And if it's not foxes, what on earth is happening? It's quite badly freaking me out.

I had visions of waterlogged swollen foxes unable to move 😁

Jesus Christ someone is stealing my pond water!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes, I'm Sure OP missing a leak is much less likely than foxes drinking 250 litres of water 🙄🙃

OMG
DID YOU READ MY POST TILL THE END?

I asked Miss Marple and she said it's your neighbour, in the garden, with a bucket. I think lead piping's banned now.

We have deer jumping over our wall (4foot at least topped by metal bar). No pond though. Are you sure it’s not anyone siphoning off water because of the hosepipe ban in some areas?

I fill a large water bowl about every week for wildlife. So I don’t think it’s a fox.

They might be diabetic foxes? Or maybe they’re on ecstasy.

I suspect when your pond liner flexes in the hole you dug a crack opens up. Check the hole for dampness.

But OP has closely monitored it and its only going at night.
Either 100 foxes are drinking it each night or someone nicking it

What about cows? They can drink 40l a day. Do you have cows?

That’s a lot of water going missing. Logistically, would it be possible for someone to be stealing it? What’s the access like around it?

Like a PP I was going to suggest wildlife camera. They are not very expensive, I have two. Get one asap and you will find out what's going on.

Some of these replies are honestly so funny, DH and I have been laughing out loud together reading through them!
I do wish the laughing emoji could return so I could tag the funny responses!😂

Re wildlife camera
I'd have to get a night vision one, would it be a thermal one I'd need? To detect body heat?
Our garden is pitch black, so I don't think a normal wildlife camera would pick anything up clearly would it? We are in a village with non existent artificial lighting so it is pitch black at night.

OP, we have a woodland garden which is pitch dark at night and have this, wireless wildlife camera Nature Spy

Don’t buy a cheap one that requires batteries as the batteries don’t last long in them.

I love watching the fox and hedgehog overnight antics while I’m drinking my morning coffee.

You might think it’s pitch black, but there will be more light than you realise. It just takes so long for our eyes to adjust we’ve usually gone for artificial light before they’ve had a chance.

please share videos of your neighbour scaling the fence with a hosepipe!

I had exactly this scenario - even replaced the pond as I was sure it had a leak. It turned out to be a small solar powered fountain that floated on top of the pond. It was a bit wonky and was essentially pumping the water out during the day, whilst I was at work. Took it out and it solved the problem!

Thanks for the idea, but that's not happening in this situation. Glad you found out the cause of yours though!

Thank you!
Bit pricey......but you're right, better quality is worth it.
What a lovely thing for you to do in the mornings!

There’s been some funny moments, especially the one where mr fox first enjoyed a drink from the water bowl (which I leave out in a hot weather) and then promptly cocked his leg and pissed into it 😂