How the fox lives in winter
Elli and Stella are looking forward to spring
From the perspective of an Aiderbichler
(written by Gisela Pschenitschnig)
Two foxes live in the fox enclosure at the Gut Aiderbichl animal visitor centre in Henndorf: Elli (soon to be 13 years old) and Stella (soon to be 5 years old).
We can learn a lot of interesting facts about foxes in general from these two cases and tell visitors about the peculiarities of the fox as a wild animal.
Gut Aiderbichl gives the foxes lifelong protection. They live in a replica fox den and we think that the animals are happy and content. Elli and Stella have known us humans as friends from an early age, but we know that they will always be wild animals with sharp little teeth.
Other rescued foxes live near the monkey sanctuary at Gut Aiderbichl in Gänserndorf. Finn, Florian, Julia, Jumper, Vulpi and all the others live there in large enclosures. They were lost to humans or no longer had a mum fox.
Elli owes her rescue to the children of a forester
A forester found little Elli all alone in the forest. She was probably only a few weeks old at the time. We were unable to find out whether something had happened to Elli’s mother or whether the fox cub had lost its way.
The forester’s children fed the puppy every two hours, and after the holidays, little Elli was brought to Gut Aiderbichl. Today she has become Stella’s guardian – the two got on very well from the very beginning.
Stella was discovered by a farming family
Stella had probably put her down because she has a handicap. Her front legs were O-shaped. Little Stella fought like a lioness and gratefully accepted the medical and therapeutic treatments. She was always given a fresh egg with important substances for her legs mixed in. Stella was fed by our Anna every hour – for 24 hours. It was worth it. Her legs have just grown.
Releasing them back into the wild would still not be a good idea, because Stella has a human odour and because the clever fox in the forest would instinctively sense that Stella has a handicap.
Stella is a beauty. She is incredibly clever, as foxes generally are. Stella loves honey and – strangely enough – people. She has been used to people from an early age. If she doesn’t want someone in her foxhole, she shows it in no uncertain terms. She turns away and starts to “grumble”.
The foxes in winter
At the end of August, the domestic fox changes its coat. The winter coat becomes thick and long, except on the legs, to prevent snow and dirt from sticking. Nevertheless, there are no cold fox feet. Similar to dogs, foxes have a heat exchange mechanism, i.e. cold blood from the paws is warmed as it flows back into the veins. This keeps the body temperature stable.
In June of the following year, the change of coat for the warmer months begins. The hair is shorter and the foxes look a little coarse at first.
Between December and February, the male foxes roam the woods in search of a mate. The mating season is a noisy time in the forest: the foxes bark, screech and scream.
After about 55 days, between March and April, the pups arrive. When it is quite cold, the fox parents protect their offspring in the fox den. The fox den is their “home for life”, which they only leave when humans and free-roaming pets or other natural enemies disturb the fox’s life. The fox then takes her alpha cubs and carries them to a new home, leaving the weaker animals behind. This is the course of nature.
The fox is the important police in the forest
Whether summer or winter, the fox’s job is that of a policeman. It maintains the forest and removes carrion from the roads, for example. It feeds on worms, mice – anything it can easily reach. Before winter arrives, they bury their hives in the ground to get through the cold months.
Every clever hunter knows that a fox den in his forest is important. This is where the police live and help him clean up the forest.
Winter check at the Aiderbichler foxes
At 13 years old, our Elli is already some time past her natural age. Recently Anna did a “health check”: how does Elli walk, for example, was the question. The diagnosis: despite her advanced age, she has good freedom of movement and what she also likes: lots of cuddles with Anna, who respects and loves the two foxes more than anything.
My fox was like a hundred thousand others. But I made him my friend and now he is the only one in the world
~Antoine de Saint Exupéry
And one more thing: the animal’s fur belongs on its body. Yours sincerely, Gisela
