There's A Fuzzy Baby Animal Beneath All This Mud
When a wild fox cub decided to explore a construction site in his neighborhood in 2012, he didn't realize that he was putting himself in danger.
The curious 4-month-old fox ended up stuck in the mud with no way to rescue himself.
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Luckily, a group of kind construction workers discovered the mud-covered animal. They could've left him to die. They could've made fun of him for looking more like a rabbit or a dog than a fox. But, instead, they did the right thing.
The concerned workers drove about 20 miles to bring the fox to the South Essex Wildlife Hospital (SEWH), a rescue and rehabilitation center for wild animals of all kinds.
"We rescue lots of foxes, always from human-made hazards," Sue Schwar, SEWH founder, told The Dodo.
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"This one had fallen in foundations which were too deep for [him] to jump out," Schwar continued. "We receive many [animals who] have been illegally poisoned, run over again, caught in netting, etc. Many of these injuries are completely avoidable."
This fox was most likely out exploring because the construction had forced his family to move out of their home. There is "no greater threat to animals' survival" than habitat loss due to various land developments, according to the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). The organization continues, saying:
Animals are killed outright when the bulldozers move in. Those who can flee the destruction, face uncertain futures-if they can find a new place to live, it will probably already be occupied by others of their species.
Fortunately, this fox's story has a happier ending than many other animals affected by humans.
After a good bath, the young cub looked like a fox again.
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Since 1995, Schwar and the rest of the team at SEWH have been doing great work to rescue wildlife such as birds, frogs and, of course, foxes.
Check out the SEWH Facebook page to see what it has been up to recently.