Corona Wildlife Diary: Day Thirty-six

As the world shuts down around us the uplifting role that wildlife plays in our lives becomes more vital than ever. So, for my own sanity as much as anything, I’m going to keep a daily diary of what I find around my garden. Photograph the wildlife you can see from your window or in your garden and post your pictures on the ‘Sussex Wildlife Trust Nature Table’ page.

Day Thirty-six

I thought I'd check back in again with the fox family under the neighbour's shed. I see them most days and they don't seem too disturbed by me gawping down at them. I was able to film them with my camera in the afternoon a few days ago. The first clip in the video shows you just how close they are to my fridge. I then had the bright idea of lowering the trail camera down to their level on a broom handle. It turned out this was actually a stupid idea as they mostly tried to eat the camera. 

I think most of you spotted in the last video (here) that the vixen has eight cubs. That seems like a lot to me so I was dug out my mammal books this morning and did some research. Paul Sterry's 'Complete British Mammals' says that 'there is one litter per year comprising of 4-5 cubs' and 'The Handbook of British Mammals' (edited by Gordon & Harris) agrees that 4-5 cubs is the average, although there have been reports of up to ten. So this vixen is going to have a job on her hands if she wants to raise this above average family. If we thought trying to find pasta and flour during a pandemic was hard - finding enough food for eight hungry mouths is going to be a challenge. Anyway, here's some foxy facts I read while I had my bowl of Frosties this morning:

• The cubs are born blind and deaf with short black fur but the white tag at the end of the tail is evident at birth.
• Their eyes are 'slate blue' at birth and turn to amber after 4-5 weeks.
• They are suckled for the first three weeks and then weaned onto solids.
• While the vixen stays with them under the shed for the first 2-3 weeks, she is fed by the dog fox.
• She leaves the den after three weeks and from then only returns to the den when she's bringing food.

It says here that when faced with unpredictable food availability certain primitive mammals will take much more food than they need and hoard it away.

Well, that's this box of Frosties finished. Another 54 to go.