Help us build a new fox release pen

Aim

We urgently need to raise funds to build a new release pen for our orphaned fox cubs for them to return to the wild in the next few months.

Help Us Build a New Fox Release Pen

We are a wildlife rescue and rehabilitation centre based in Thorrington, Essex. Our site covers six acres and includes a purpose-built wildlife hospital, along with more than 20 outdoor rehabilitation enclosures designed to meet the needs of the many different species admitted into our care. At Wildlives, our goal is always to return animals to the wild once they are fit, healthy, and able to survive independently.

Every year, we care for hundreds of orphaned and injured mammals and birds. Young animals are hand-reared and rehabilitated with us until they are fully self-sufficient and ready to return to the wild.

For some species, release is not as simple as just “letting them go.” Instead, they require what is known as a soft release. This involves housing the animals in a familiar enclosure while gradually allowing them access to the surrounding environment. Food is provided daily, and they are free to come and go as they choose until they become fully independent and move on naturally.

Foxes, in particular, benefit greatly from this approach. Before release, cubs need to spend 6–8 weeks in a dedicated release pen. This allows the resident foxes already occupying the territory to become accustomed to their presence, greatly reducing the risk of conflict when the cubs are released. Without this acclimatisation period, young foxes can be driven away from suitable habitat or even killed by established adults. A proper soft-release process gives them the best possible chance of successfully integrating into the local fox population and thriving in the wild.

This year, we have admitted more fox cubs than our existing release sites can accommodate. We have identified a suitable location for a new release pen, but we urgently need funding to make it a reality.

The cubs will need to be moved into the new pen at the beginning of July, so time is running short. Every donation, no matter the size, will help us provide these foxes with the best possible start to life back in the wild.

Thank you for supporting our work and helping us give these cubs the second chance they deserve.

For photos of the cubs, please visit our Facebook page: Wildlives Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre https://www.facebook.com/share/18svKQE7Wh/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Funding method

Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made by 16th July 2026 at 8:07pm