Venus and Jupiter – two little foxes

This is a story of extreme resilience and courage on the part of two small fox kits.  In particular, it is about a female kit whom I have named Venus.

Back in April of 2023 I got a quick sighting of an adult fox on land behind a local cemetery.

This was followed by a sighting of a different adult fox in the same area in May.

 

Shortly after those sightings, I heard from a number of people that fox kits were seen in the area as well.  I suspected the adults pictured above were their mother and father.  But it was only until mid-July that I finally saw two fox kits.  I was shocked by the sight of them!  They both had a severe case of mange (mites which burrow into their skin) causing their fur to fall out and their skin to become infected and covered with crusty scabs.  They were barely able to open their eyes!  I videoed them and photographed them and made an online report that night to an animal rescue group called Sauvetage Animal Rescue (SAR).

I called the group the next day.  As eager as they were to help, they had to seek special authorization from the Quebec Ministry of the Environment to use a live trap on foxes and so I waited.  When several days went by, I called again.  They were still waiting but said they would contact the government again.  More time passed and I was told finally that permission had been denied.  All we could do was wait for them to become so weak that they could be caught in a net!

I knew that those kits could have been trapped quite easily.  I don't know what happened to their parents as they usually remain as a family unit for 7 months.  These two were about 4 1/2 months old.  My frustration (with the government, not the rescue group) grew as I saw these baby foxes suffering immensely from the mange.  After every few steps they would stop and scratch, shake their heads, or rub against each other.  They were in total, unrelenting misery.

A 90 second video can be viewed below. (It may be best to play it on mute due to a loud whine of construction work nearby).

On August 11th, I saw Venus and she was looking better.  Her fur was growing in and I felt that maybe she could overcome the mange.

But then on September 21st, I was devastated to see her dragging herself across a field.  Her hindlegs were useless and I didn't know what to make of this.  Had she been hit by a car or maybe a train?

One week later I saw her again and watched as she dragged herself across two fields and then along railroad tracks over large chunks of gravel and rocks that must have cut into her legs.  A very long freight train came rumbling down the tracks and, once it had passed, I looked in fear of seeing her crushed body but there she was still hobbling over the rocks.  (She is to the left of the tracks near the center of the photo below).

I took a video and made a new report to SAR.  With the fox in such a weakened state, maybe we could get her.  An attempt was made on September 22nd when a team of three rescuers arrived only to miss her by 15 minutes! (She had been sleeping).

Then, on September 30th, I spotted her in the distance in a grassy area near some greenhouses.  We looked at each other and, to my astonishment, she started an arduous trip through the grasses and fallen leaves until she was right up beside me!

Check out this 30 second video:

After that, she dragged herself into a shady place to rest and I called the group again.  They could come within 40 minutes with nets to try to catch her!  Great!

I was hoping she would stay put but this little fox was always determined to keep moving even though it must have been exhausting and painful for her to do so.  She dragged herself to an area behind the greenhouses where there were some large metal storage containers and wooden pallets.  At one point she got spooked and wedged herself between a container wall and a large wooden pallet leaning against it.  I was able to block off both the entrance and the only exit (or so I thought) with weighted down plastic bins.  When the team arrived, they soon discovered that there was an opening under the container (just fox-sized!) and the little one had crawled through it. She then managed to crawl from one container to another and only through a team effort and quick action was she finally confined to a place where she had only one exit available.

Then came even more hard work (by the rescue team) to hold a flashlight and gently prod her with a long pole until she emerged.  I was standing at one end of her exit route with a net and as her head emerged, I watched her size up the situation.  She first looked at one of the team members on her left, then she turned her head to the right and looked straight into my eyes, hesitated, and finally made her move toward me.  In a quick motion, the second team member was able to immobilize her and she was transferred to a carrier without incident.  The whole process took over an hour and I am so impressed by the dedication, quick-thinking, and physical effort these young women exhibited!  I am very grateful to Sauvetage Animal Rescue and their volunteers.

Soon thereafter, Venus was being driven to a wildlife rehabilitation shelter in an undisclosed location.  Immediately upon her arrival, primary care was provided which included rehydration, medication against mange, bathing and feeding.

Later on, I received an update that the shelter staff (these people are saints!) had spent over 3 hours cleaning her fur and skin that was infested with mites and larvae.  Two days later she was examined by a vet and found to be in pretty good shape despite being extremely thin.  The vet also determined that her legs were not paralyzed but were very weak due to loss of muscle mass.  The latest update said that she will be "on her feet" within 2 to 3 months.

Now I am trying to monitor the second kit (whom I've named Jupiter).  I saw him yesterday (just a glimpse) and I have recruited a couple of "look-outs" in the area who will let me know when they see him.  His mange looks just as severe as was Venus' but, so far, he is strong enough to be able to run (although I have noticed a slight weakness in one hindleg).  I hope I will be able to give positive news on Jupiter's situation in a future post.

Jupiter