This spring, London’s wildlife is bursting with new life! Urban foxes are raising their cubs in hidden dens beneath garden sheds, while badgers nurture their young in deep, secure setts. Meanwhile, mice, voles, and shrews are beginning their breeding season, adding to the city’s vibrant ecosystem. Did you know fox cubs are born blind and deaf, relying entirely on their mother, or that badger cubs can coil their tongues to drink milk? From the eerie silence of the vixen’s screams to the rustling of shrews in grassy banks, London’s wild residents are full of surprises. Join us on 13 March for an in-depth look at the secret lives of these fascinating creatures thriving in the heart of the city.
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Foxes
Compared with badgers, foxes are surface-living mammals, their earths being essentially just for raising a family. In the countryside, these are often in rabbit warrens or old badger dens. In London, where such places are rare, they have adapted to holes beneath garden sheds and old drains. The family usually consists of four to six cubs, the first one being born at the beginning of the month. By the end of the month it is quite possible that cubs may be seen above ground. The entrance to their dens often faces south and any discarded food outside indicates there are likely to be cubs within. Any disturbance of the site and the vixen will move her family, possibly to one of the other places she may previously have prepared for the same purpose.
For the first few days after the cubs are born she remains with them, being fed by her mate. Later she leaves to look for food herself. On these trips she can be distinguished from her mate by her lighter appearance and narrower face. Her blood-curdling screams we may have heard for most of the winter have now ceased and she is far more secretive. Her cubs are born blind, deaf and unable to walk. They are also unable to maintain their body temperature, having only a meagre covering of chocolate brown fur. For this reason they remain close to their mother, their growth being fast, even taking solid food after a fortnight. Towards the end of the month, the vixen may be spending less time with them, preferring to sit close to the den, carefully watching over the entrance from deep cover.
Badgers
Badgers also give birth to their cubs this month. By the end of the month they also may even have emerged from the sett. Ten days after being born, the small, off-white cubs open their eyes, which are already surrounded by the familiar dark stripe. For most of the month they will be suckling their mother in the nesting chamber, which is situated deep within the sett. It often has tree roots or a rock as a roof, and a small ledge at its entrance. Her cubs are able to coil their tongues into a tube shape when taking milk from their mother.
Mice
Mice, voles and shrews all start breeding this month. Wood mice and yellow-necked mice have their nests underground. Bank voles have theirs either underground or above and those of field mice are commonly discovered beneath a log or in grass, with grassy tunnels nearby.
The female shrew is only in oestrus for twenty-four hours and will not receive the male at any other time. Consequently, some squeaking or rustling in grassy banks may be heard this month, as she is quite likely to bite him if he is over amorous. Eventually, when the time is right, he is allowed to mount her, whereupon he grips her by the scruff of the neck. After the act he then leaves, having nothing to do with the rearing of his family. Water voles are not yet breeding but may now be seen building rafts among waterside vegetation. In places where there are good populations, such as Rainham marshes, they may even be seen eating their diet of roots and shoots on these rafts. Dormice, known for their sleepy nature, unlike their relations sleep on till the end of the month.
