Animal charity rescues first fox cub of the year

Elm Wildlife Hedgehog Rescue and Rehabilitation said they rescued a four-week-old fox cub in Plymouth on 12 April

An animal rescue charity in Devon has rescued a fox cub for the first time this year, which they say is earlier than usual.

Elm Wildlife Hedgehog Rescue and Rehabilitation, based in Newton Abbot, said the four-week-old cub, named Rowan, was found in a woman's garden, near a building site in the Barne Barton area of Plymouth on 12 April.

One of the founders of the charity Rick Parker said he had searched the area for more cubs as they would not usually venture from their mother that young.

"It sounds like it is going to be a building site and they have cleared this land and I guess the earth has been compromised in some way," said Mr Parker.

"There is a chance something has happened, so that is why I went down to see if there was more but unfortunately, it was all locked up with trespass signs."

He hopes if someone in the area comes across the cubs, they will contact the centre.

Mr Parker said every year, they rescued up to five foxes, at an older age, around May.

He said they were unable to keep the rescued foxes at the main centre with the rescued hedgehogs, therefore they were kept in dedicated areas of his home at present.

"We have a backroom, which is kitted out for the animals, then we move them down into the cellar.

"Then the next step after that is for them to go outside in our enclosure."

The charity said Rowan had put on about 200g (7oz) since being at the rescue

Mr Parker said land had been purchased to build more enclosures, enabling them to take in more foxes in the future.

His daughter, Emily Parker, said: "There is no other rescue in Devon to have a fox cub from young all the way through to releasing them."

Talking about keeping the foxes at home, she said it was not out of choice, but it was a "necessity".

'Full of attitude'

She said: "When you have the cubs, you have to make sure they feed, like all animals, you have to get them to a stage where they are relatively self-sufficient.

"We can't release until the end of August, early September.

"That is when all adult foxes, male and female will be more tolerant to young venturing into their area - that is when their cubs naturally roam."

Ms Parker said she fed Rowan five times a day and he went from 450g (15oz) to 650g (22oz) on Wednesday.

She said the cub was eating well, was feisty and "full of attitude", and was showing good signs.

Mr Parker added they hardly interacted with the foxes unless it was for medication or feeding.