An orphaned fox cub rescued in Bristol by an employee from construction company Skanska over the Easter weekend is currently thriving at Secret World Wildlife Rescue and will soon be released back into the wild.

Bob Howells, Skanska’s Electrical Supervisor, discovered the three-week-old fox cub alone in a hedge on Good Friday while working on the extension and refurbishment of Whitehall Primary School in Easton, Bristol.

Following expert advice, Bob left some cat food out for the cub and waited to see if its mother would return. But the following Wednesday, the cub, now christened Derek by the Skanska team, was found hiding in a lift shaft.

Once the team had managed to coax their furry visitor out, Skanska’s Environmental Advisor Rachel Quinn took it to Secret World Wildlife Rescue in East Huntspill, Somerset.

Laura Benfield, Head of Animal Care Services at Secret World, said: “Upon arrival, we discovered that Derek was actually female so the Skanska team decided to rename her Dereka.

“Despite having spent a few days fending for herself, she was found to be in fairly good health. We did treat her for mange, a common skin condition in foxes caused by mites.

“Dereka has gone from strength to strength these past few weeks and we have put her with three other orphaned cubs of a similar age. The four of them have hit it off straight away and love spending their days playing together.

“We will release them as a group later this summer once we have found them a suitable habitat.”

Skanska’s Rachel Quinn said: “She’s a beautiful creature and it was sad to see her scared and lonely back in April. I’m delighted that she is now thriving with expert care.

“She has become a bit of a mascot here at Skanska and we will keep checking on her progress. We can’t wait to watch her being released back into the wild where she belongs.”

Secret World Wildlife Rescue hand-rears dozens of orphaned fox cubs each year. Laura said: “Fox cubs spend a few weeks in their den after being born. If you find one out and about, unless they are in immediate danger, it’s best not to pick them up. Call us and we’ll be able to advise on the best course of action.”

ENDS

Notes to editors:
About Secret World Wildlife Rescue
– Secret World Wildlife Rescue is one of the South West’s leading wildlife rescue charities (charity number 1097119) based in East Huntspill in Somerset.
– Now in its 25th year, Secret World Wildlife Rescue cares for more than 5,000 sick, injured and orphaned animals each year.
– As well as being a respected source of expertise and a centre of excellence where British wildlife receives the best care, Secret World has an extensive volunteer programme and engages with schools to promote respect for wildlife and the environment, adding further benefits to the local community.
– As Secret World does not receive any government funding, it relies entirely on the generosity of supporters and donors to carry out this important work for British wildlife.
– The charity’s website is www.secretworld.org

For media information, please contact:
Sarah-Jane Freni
Shooting Star
07939 217319
sarahjane@weareshootingstar.co.uk
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