Wildlife rehab centre in Manitoba seeing higher number of foxes

An animal rescue in Manitoba is seeing a higher number of foxes coming into care in recent weeks.

Workers at the Wildlife Haven Rehabilitation Centre have been caring for eight fox kits, which they say is double what they would normally see at this time of year.

“We initially had five fox kits that came in as orphan babies, and unfortunately, we’re not quite sure what happened to the mom,” said Zoe Nakata, executive director of Wildlife Haven Animal Rescue. “We assume that she unfortunately passed away, so she either was killed in perhaps a car collision or a hunting accident.

“Unfortunately, that left these five babies that required care. They were too young to be left on their own.”

Three individual kits later arrived at the centre, Nakata said.

“In a regular year, four or five would be a high number for us for a spring,” she said. “So eight is quite high.”

A group of fox kits recently brought into Wildlife Haven Rehabilitation Centre spend time in an enclosure as they work to recover enough to be returned to the wild. (Image source: Wildlife Haven Rehabilitation Centre)

Nakata said the centre has been seeing more foxes come into care in recent years, along with more reported encounters with humans in the wild.

“We know that people are hitting wildlife on the roadways, people are coming across wild animals during hikes and camping and different opportunities where people are exploring the natural habitats of where wild animals are,” she said. “So that's why the message of peaceful coexistence with wild animals and habitat protection is so important, where we need to just keep giving wild animals the space they need.”

The animals are currently responding well to care, with Nakata saying they are hoping to begin gradually releasing them back into the wild starting in August.