Fox Breeding Now Later Than Normal?

On 27th  January, 2023 I put out a post titled Are Fox and Badger Breeding Seasons Changing -Or Is More Going On? The link is below -

 https://foxwildcatwolverineproject.blogspot.com/2023/01/are-fox-and-badger-breeding-seasons.html

I have kept an eye on reports from around the UK since that time and with very few harsh, prolonged winters it seems that badgers and foxes may be having cubs earlier as well as later than is traditionally believed. Badgers are difficult to assess since many badger watchers keep quiet as they try to save Brock from scapegoat killing and other human threats.

Foxes are often seen during the day relaxing in warm weather, trying to find territory or looking for food -rats don't keep night time hours so why should foxes! Warmer weather, more fox den friendly sites and above all good food availability whether from discarded food or from feeders has made survival easier even if urban foxes face the greatest fox killer -cars- daily.

In lean years in the wild breeding and births can be staggered because of lack of food resources since any female animal realises that young must be fed regularly to survive. In urban areas there are wild birds such as pigeons, plenty of insects and a more than plentiful supply of rats.  Foxes do not need human feeders and one vixen was seen leaving her cubs and returning six times in an hour and each time with a dead rat so she was a great provider for her cubs.

Environmental changes are causing many problems and changes.  Back in 2023 people thought I was joking or "off your head" when I suggested that fox cubs were being born later. However, I was not surprised when I was sent this photograph of a pregnant vixen in Bristol. She looks somewhat ragged but is receiving treatment via a feeder.  

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Looking at the photograph I would suspect that this vixen has now given birth and she was scavenging extra food for when she has to stay in the den and give birth. 

I doubt that this is the only urban fox vixen giving birth later in the year so it seems that environmental conditions are changing a lot including fox breeding season.