3 weeks Ago
A recently-bereaved fox cub has been taken in by an animal rescue service. This little traumatised cub was brought to East Sussex Wildlife Rescue and Ambulance Service on April 12 after being rescued alongside a sibling on Sandringham Drive in Hove. Both cubs were in poor health, with one suffering from chest wounds and trauma, and both believed to be orphaned.
"Sadly, the sibling did not survive, leaving this little boy alone," the animal service said. WRAS did not have any other cubs of a suitable size to pair him with, so he was placed in an incubator to cozy up with a teddy bear. A spokesman for the service said: "When caring for cubs, it is crucial to keep them with others to prevent domestication, as well as to ensure they are matched with cubs of similar size to avoid bullying, which is common in nature where the weakest or smallest often do not survive.
" Each year, WRAS receives fox cubs that are sick, injured, or orphaned, often due to mothers being hit by vehicles, attacks from dogs and cats as cubs begin to emerge from dens, or even persecution at times. Every spring, the fox population increases, leading some people to worry about overpopulation. However, like all carnivores, they are self-regulating and limited by the availability of food and territory.
Cubs simply replace the adults lost each year. Although a fox can live for up to eight years, the average lifespan is believed to be around 18 months. Foxes are typically seen as independent animals rather than pack creatures.
While siblings may spend time together, they tend to go their separate ways after the dispersal period in late autumn. They are very curious animals and have learned to adapt as humans encroach further into their natural habitats. According to the Fox Project, the most recent scientific research shows that the fox population has declined by 41 per cent since 1995.
This fox cub won’t be alone for long, as WRAS collaborates closely with other rescues throughout the South East to help ensure that cubs find suitable groups when they are on their own..
