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Operation:
BRING THEM HOME
With spring, comes the breeding season. And with the breeding season, comes the busiest time of the year for the charity. Orphan season. And whilst it's a privilege to see and work with such beautiful creatures, it can also be a truly heartbreaking state of affairs.
Young of all species, will always be much better of with their mothers. So called 'orphaned wildlife' are frequently picked up in error, wrongly mistaken for being abandoned, when the reality is often much different. Take fox cubs as a prime example. Every year we receive well-meaning reports regarding cubs being seen in a back garden, playing and exploring, but with no mother insight.. The truth is often much different.. mum will be around, and never too far away from her young.. just out of sight but keeping a watchful eye on her young from a safe distance.. in these situations, we often advise to keep an eye on the cubs and wait to see if the parents return. Most of the time, they do return and everybody's minds are put to rest.
However. When our team receives a distressing phone call regarding a very sick vixen, alarm bells start ringing throughout all our hearts and minds. The reports are indeed concerning, she's collapsed, unable to stand up, very weak and breathing in a shallow manner... this poor vixen isn't just unwell.. she's sadly coming to the end of her fight.. she's dying.
Upon arrival, the wildlife ambulance team managed to locate the vixen very quickly. Usually, sick and injured wildlife will do absolutely everything they can to avoid capture, often expelling their very last reserves of whatever energy they have left. But not this fox. She had already used her last drops of energy to crawl back to what seemed to be the earth.. indicating that through her unparalleled maternal instincts, she was a devoted, desperate and yet very unwell mother.
Sadly, there was simply nothing our team could do for her. The mass infection had completely taken over her hopeless and lifeless body. Mastitis was the course of this and the devastating infection had already set well and truly into shutting down her vital organs. To prevent any further immense pain and indeed her suffering, our team decided that euthanasia was the only fair and viable option. Upon confirmation of her passing, a harsh and cold sense of bitter silence filled the room.
As often as we sadly have to choose this option, this doesn't make it any easier. Call it what you will, we have still ended a life. Something that if you truly care for animals and their welfare, is still one of the most painful and heart breaking part of our duty.
Nevertheless, our attention soon shifted to the fact she was a nursing mother.. and her cubs were now genuine orphans and needed our help.
A team was assembled and dispatched to go and search for these cubs. Operation 'Bring them home' was given the green light. But when our team arrived at the scene, what we thought was the earth, turned out to be no more than a bolt hole. This was a big problem. Where we thought the cubs would be was no longer obvious to us and the longer they were left, the less likely they would survive for very long without their mothers milk and her warmth. Our team had to find the earth and they had to find it quickly.
After a short but frantic search, the earth was located. We have the use of a robotic camera which we can utilise to find out if the cubs were down there.. But, there was no sight, sign nor sound of them. Perhaps the father had moved them ? which can often be the case. The only sure way to tell is by putting a wildlife camera nearby and waiting to see if there was any activity. But nothing, and only then to be doubly sure the earth was searched using the wonderful help from ARB fosterey. Sadly despite best efforts, the earth produced no cubs and with the hour being late, the team decided to call it a night but remain on standby should the situation change by chance.
By the morning, our minds and hearts were settled. The cubs had been spotted and were located nearby under fallen fence panel in a neighbouring garden. Out of sheer hunger and desperation the cubs had left the earth and gone looking for their absent mother. Our team responded quickly and the cubs were contained and brought back to the centre a full check over.
They were all very small, weak and dehydrated, with the smallest weighing only 245g! two girls and two boys who were very lucky to be alive. They were all given emergency heat and fluid therapy on arrival, and then put into a warm comfy bed to allow them some quiet space to calm down and snuggle together for a much-needed rest after the ordeal they had all endured.
We are pleased to say, that they are all doing brilliantly. Their energy levels have returned and they are now safe and being cared for by our dedicated team. Its been a rough and harsh start to life, however, with the experience and dedication from the team, we will do absolutely everything we possibly can to deliver these four cubs a second chance at life back in the wild once they are old enough to fend for themselves.
For now though. Its eat, play and sleep in the warmth, comfort and safety of OWR. And whilst its very sad that their mum has gone, we will of course work around the clock to raise her cubs in her legacy.
We would like to extend our sincere thanks to ARB Forestry for their incredible help and determination for helping the rescue team locate the cubs.
The cubs have been named Dante, Digger, Darcy and Dafne.
We shall provide updates on their progress as they develop here with our team at a later date.
Wish to help us with these four fox cubs?
Make a donation for them today!
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