A few more from the trail cam… The cubs were back out there last night and I can now confirm that the two are in fact three. 😀
Mama Vixen is in the corner of the second shot, but she's easier to see in these next ones (from the previous night).
You can take it as read that I've not had any more direct sightings of the cubs (they'd be photos if I had), but I did see Shutterbug tonight. He seems to have damaged his front left foot, a typical fox injury and one that doesn't seem to have slowed him down. I imagine he'll be limping for a few days, but foxes on three legs do just fine so nothing too serious to worry about, I'll kep an eye on him though.
Camera note: all shots of Shutterbug taken with the Canon 7D and EF 100mm f/2.8L macro IS USM lens. The vixen and cubs were taken with the Bushnell Trophy Cam.
derWandersmann
15 May 2012Three-legged canids seem to do quite well, once they get used to it. I hope that heals up properly; I don't like to see that swelling, but of course, the swelling is nature's way of handling things like this, which looks like a simple sprain. They're delicately built, but tough, and as long as the skin isn't broken, they'll probably be OK.
Lovely to see the cubs … I thought two was a rather small number. But both parents are young, probably first-timers, so one can't expect too much.
Words
15 May 2012dW, I've yet to go through a year when we haven't had a fox with a limp. They seem to do it all the time. As long as there's no infection he should be fine. They survive broken bones as well. Some years ago research indicated that something like 70% of foxes that survived to 5 years had a broken bone that had healed.
It's good to see the cubs. This is turning into quite a busy fox year.
SittingFox
16 May 2012Excellent to see the family gathering :up: Hopefully they'll start appearing in daylight as they grow older.
I hope Shutterbug recovers quickly but yes, a typical fox wound.
gdare
16 May 2012Do you think he was hit by a car? :left:
Words
17 May 2012Darko, no I don't think it was a car. They tend to hurt themselves by jumping and twisting. They can scale 6 foot walls and jump down from garage roofs, so this kind of minor injury is a regular occurrence. It happens every year!
Words
17 May 2012Adele, the vixens are becoming a little bolder but still desperately shy about coming out of the shadows, I'm hopeful though. It may take some time (and some warmer weather would help), but this is turning into a good year for the foxes. Shutterbug has already recovered!