One of the five fox cubs found in the engine of and electric car. (The Fox Project via SWNS)
By Ottilie Von Henning
This is the adorable moment five fox cubs were reunited with their mother after being discovered in a electric car's engine.
The fox cubs were discovered at an auto shop in Bromley, Greater London on March 2 having chewed through an EV's cables.
Mechanics at Vertu Bromley Ford were surprised to see five baby foxes fall from a car hoisted about six feet in the air after opening the engine compartment.
They immediately called a local vets, who got in contact with The Fox Project, a charity dedicated to the rescue and release of foxes in southeast England.
Once the five-week-old cubs had been given the vet's all clear, Fox Project members took them back to the driveway they'd been taken from, where their mum reunited with them in mere minutes.
Nicki Townsend, spokesperson for The Fox Project, said: "It's quite common for cubs and mothers to be separated around this time of year when they've just been born.
"What's not so common is that they were found in an EV's empty engine compartment, which is likely where the mother gave birth.
"It's also quite rare for a mother to turn up for her cubs and bring them to safety across a busy round so quickly.
"She was very brave."
The moment the mom reunited with the cubs. (The Fox Project via SWNS)
Technicians at the auto shop where the cubs were discovered were completely taken aback when five small creatures fell from the hoisted car.
The workers soonz it was the cubs that had chewed through the cables that caused the electrical issue in the vehicle.
They picked the baby foxes up and kept them warm before taking them to the nearest vets.
Martin Gibson, manager at Vertu Bromley Ford, said: "The car came in with an electrical fault after not starting for the customer.
"As soon as we took off the undertray on the car the cute cubs dropped out.
"At first, our technician thought they might be rats because the cubs are grey, rather than the typical red you would expect of a fox – they gave him quite a fright!
"But when we saw them clearly, there was no doubt.
“I can only think that the mother fox must have been looking for somewhere comfortable for the night, but the cubs had chewed through some cables which had then caused the electrical issue.
(The Fox Project via SWNS)
"Within two minutes of finding them they were wrapped up warm in a box with blankets and within ten minutes they were on their way to the nearest vet to make sure they could be looked after."
From what rescuers at The Fox Project understand, the mother must have given birth in the electric car's empty engine compartment.
She found it was a safe, dry place to deliver her babies, until Monday morning when the car got towed to the mechanics.
The mother likely jumped out amidst the disruption, but her babies were left behind.
Nicki said: "The mother would have very naturally sought out the seemingly safe empty engine compartment in the EV to give birth.
(The Fox Project via SWNS)
"What she wasn't expecting was for the car to get towed days later.
"We were so happy to reunite her with her babies.
"And with how quickly she turned up, she was clearly waiting for them."
Martin, from Vertu Bromley Ford, said: "Our workshop has encountered all kinds of issues with vehicles over the years, but a set of fox cubs is a brand new one for us!
"We’re so happy that they have been reunited with their mother and incredibly grateful to the amazing Fox Project for helping this story have a happy ending."