Earlier this month, a couple spotted a furry white animal wandering around Portland, Oregon’s Willamette Park. Her bright white coat looked completely out of place — they’d never seen anything like her in their local park before.
Despite the animal’s unusual appearance, she was acting like a dog. The couple even saw her playing with a plastic bag she’d found on the ground.
“It was like a very, very happy puppy,” Richard Melling, one of the people who spotted the animal, told OregonLive.
Rescuers transported the animal to Bird Alliance of Oregon, where their wildlife experts got to work identifying her. Their analysis revealed something shocking: She was an arctic fox.
Arctic foxes are native to Greenland, Canada, Alaska and northern Russia — all places thousands of miles away from Oregon. They’ve evolved to thrive in these frigid environments. In the winter, their fur turns white so they can blend in with their snowy surroundings.
The fox’s rescuers were confused about how she ended up so far away from home. But her friendly behavior gave them a few clues.
“[W]e believe the animal has only known a life of captivity,” Bird Alliance of Oregon wrote on Facebook. “The fox doesn’t show a species-appropriate fear response to people, and was actually approaching humans when rescued. We believe the fox either accidentally escaped from captivity or was intentionally dumped by the people who illegally held her.”
It’s important to remember that wild animals like arctic foxes are not meant to be kept as pets and doing so is harmful to both humans and animals. In many cases, they end up abandoned, just like this fox.
“Unfortunately, this [arctic] fox’s story is all too common,” Bird Alliance of Oregon wrote.
Despite everything she’s been through, this arctic fox is healthy and growing stronger every day.
“[W]e’re keeping her fed, hydrated and providing enrichment,” Bird Alliance of Oregon wrote.
Bird Alliance of Oregon will continue caring for the arctic fox until they find a more permanent home for her. Her caretakers are determined to make sure she’s safe and happy for the rest of her life.
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