Aurora, Coconut, Flash, and Midnight, affectionately known as the Fab 4 Foxes, have moved from their acclimation habitat to their permanent home at Wild Paws. This move has been three years in the making and marks a major milestone for our all-volunteer organization.

The Fab 4 Fox Habitat is 6,000 square feet designed especially for them. It includes climbing towers, dens, hammocks, and swings all built by our hard-working volunteers who have dedicated countless hours over the past few years. “This has been a labor of love for so many,” said Christine Dietsche, Wild Paws Board Chair. “We work hard to provide the best life for our residents. It is very emotional to see them running long distances for the first time in their lives. I feel privileged to be a part of this incredible team, and filled with gratitude for our donors, volunteers and supporters who made this happen.”

The morning of moving day was spent crating the Fab 4 and doing vet exams. Special crates were placed up against the guillotine doors between sections of the acclimation habitat, and then the doors could be closed easily and quickly. The inner panel that moves in to stabilize the animal, helped stop extra moving around, calmed them, and made for easy injections for the vet team. The lead keepers said that this was the easiest crating they had done with these four, and alleviated so much anticipated stress for the foxes.

Before release Flash and Coco IMG_3517.jpg

The Fab 4 have now been in their new home for a few weeks. They were monitored by the Wild Paws Animal Care Team for signs of stress during this adjustment period and are thriving in their new environment. Medical Director Noemi Plantz, DVM. “Each fox was thoroughly evaluated, had bloodwork, urine and fecal lab work done and vaccines updated,” explained Dr. Plantz. “I'm pleased to report all four foxes are in good overall health. It's encouraging to see them doing so well.”

We were also able to move many items from their acclimation habitat into the new space, so there were a lot of new things to check out, but also many things with their familiar scents on them. All four are adjusting very well and are having fun exploring their new space.

It’s hard to believe they came from two foxes living in a 4x8 cage, to living in a 1400 sq ft acclimation habitat, and are now enjoying a 6000 sq ft space where they can run and chase each other, with multiple places to climb and rest.

It was in the acclimation habitat where volunteers saw their personalities start to shine. Grass under their paws for the first time, and getting to explore various enrichment items, toys and holiday fun. Check out our Wild Paws Midwest Animal Sanctuary YouTube Channel for many holiday fun videos with our residents.

“There is something incredibly special about watching an animal that once knew only confinement discover the freedom to run, climb, explore and make choices about how to spend their day. Seeing these four foxes race through their new habitat, and express the natural behaviors that make foxes so remarkable, is a moment we have been working toward for years,” said Animal Curator Trista Fischer.