Her Constant Wrestling and Screaming Matches With Her Siblings: Morgan Told Us About Rescuing Angel Wing and Her 7 Siblings, and How She Knew They Were All Ready to Go Back Into the Wild Together!
In the heart of a lush green valley tucked away in northern California, Morgan tends to orphaned and injured wildlife at her modest rescue sanctuary. Surrounded by tall trees, chirping birds, and gentle winds, her life is filled with the kind of quiet that only the wild can provide—until, of course, Angel Wing and her seven rowdy siblings came along.
“They were absolute chaos from day one,” Morgan laughed as she began telling us their story. “But the best kind of chaos.”
The Rescue
It all started one chilly spring morning when Morgan received a call from a hiker who had stumbled upon a litter of baby foxes whose den had been destroyed in a landslide. The mother was nowhere to be seen, and the babies—only about two weeks old—were cold, hungry, and crying out for help.
Morgan knew time was critical. She loaded her crate, blankets, and emergency milk formula into her truck and drove up the winding trail into the forest. After a careful search, she found them huddled together under a fallen tree root, barely moving.
“They were so tiny and helpless,” she recalled. “Their eyes had just opened, and they had no idea what had happened. But they still clung to each other for warmth.”
She carefully wrapped them in soft towels and brought them back to her sanctuary. There were eight in total—four males, four females—all red fox kits. One, however, stood out immediately. She had a tiny notch in her left ear and a soft gray streak along her back that reminded Morgan of wings. She named her Angel Wing.
Life at the Sanctuary
Raising eight baby foxes is no small task. Morgan worked around the clock to feed them every three hours, keep their enclosure clean, and monitor their health. At first, they spent most of their time sleeping, curled up in a furry pile under a heat lamp. But within just a few weeks, their personalities began to shine—and Angel Wing’s was the brightest of all.
“She was wild,” Morgan said, shaking her head fondly. “She was the loudest, the most curious, and definitely the strongest.”
Angel Wing constantly initiated playtime, often leaping onto her siblings without warning and rolling them across the enclosure in a flurry of squeals and scruffs. Wrestling became her favorite pastime, and her energy seemed limitless.
“She had this high-pitched little scream when she got excited or annoyed—it was part hilarious and part ear-splitting,” Morgan laughed. “But she kept everyone on their toes.”
Her behavior, while dramatic and often exhausting for Morgan, was actually a very good sign. Angel Wing was developing her wild instincts—testing her strength, learning boundaries, and developing social bonds through these rough-and-tumble games. And the rest of the litter followed her lead.
Watching Them Grow
As the weeks turned into months, Morgan gradually transitioned the fox kits from bottles to solid food. She introduced them to natural prey items, hidden treats, and even mock dens made from logs and leaves. She encouraged them to dig, climb, and explore.
Angel Wing remained the leader of the pack. She was the first to catch a mouse, the first to master digging tunnels, and always the first to challenge her siblings to a noisy match. But she was also fiercely protective. When one of her sisters injured a paw, Angel Wing curled around her for hours and kept the others away.
“She had this strong spirit, but also so much heart,” Morgan said softly. “I knew early on she’d be okay in the wild. She had all the fire and all the instincts.”
The Moment Morgan Knew
At four months old, the foxes were nearly indistinguishable from wild juveniles. They’d grown lean and fast, with sharp eyes and powerful legs. Morgan began preparing them for release by minimizing her contact and allowing them more time in the larger outdoor enclosures.
Still, she watched them closely. It wasn’t just about their size or health—it was about behavior. Were they ready to survive without humans? Could they hunt, hide, defend, and protect one another?
One day, Morgan observed a particularly intense wrestling session between Angel Wing and her brother, Bramble. They flipped each other over, chased through the bushes, screamed in excitement, and even practiced “ambushing” each other through piles of leaves. The others joined in, forming a whirlwind of orange fur and energy.
Then something remarkable happened. After the chaos, the entire group settled into a quiet cluster at the edge of the enclosure. They curled around one another, grooming gently, and keeping watch on the distant trees.
“That was the moment,” Morgan said, smiling. “I saw unity. Confidence. Wildness. They weren’t babies anymore—they were a unit. A real fox family. And they were ready.”
Release Day
On a misty morning just before sunrise, Morgan loaded the siblings into large transport crates and drove them to a protected wilderness reserve miles away from human roads and homes. She had worked with local conservationists to find the perfect spot: dense forest, access to fresh water, and plenty of prey.
She opened the crates one by one. Angel Wing was the last to be released.
“She looked back at me,” Morgan remembered, her eyes shining. “Just for a second. Like she was saying goodbye. Then she ran—fast and free.”
The group scattered into the undergrowth, their rust-colored fur vanishing into the ferns. Within moments, they were gone, blending seamlessly into the wild landscape that was always meant to be theirs.
A Legacy of Wildness
Morgan returns to the release site every few weeks, scanning for signs of her fox family. Once, she spotted fresh paw prints by a stream. Another time, she saw a flash of orange between the trees.
“I like to believe Angel Wing is out there, still wrestling, still leading,” she said. “Maybe she’s got kits of her own now. Maybe she’s teaching them to scream just as loud.”
For Morgan, every rescue is a labor of love. But Angel Wing and her siblings left a mark—a reminder of the wild spirit that lives even in the smallest, loudest, messiest of creatures.
“They taught me that wildness isn’t something we can give,” Morgan said. “It’s something we protect until it’s ready to shine again.”
And shine they did—eight tiny foxes, once helpless and lost, now fierce and free in the heart of the wild.
