The RSPCA Issues Plea For Help In Catching A Rare Black Fox Spotted In Wales
The RSPCA in Wales is asking the public’s help in locating a rare black fox who’s on the loose.
According to South Wales Argus, the incredibly rare fox was spotted in two Vale of Glamorgan towns in Wales, Barry and Sully.
Community members began sharing about their sightings of the mysterious fox on social media, including Kristen Sagar who shared photos of the fox on Facebook.
Black Foxes UK says black foxes are so rare in the United Kingdom that they’re a thing of folklore and myth. They said, “The frequency of black foxes seen in the UK has been historically low and such sightings appear far less frequently than in other areas of the world (less than 0.1% of the population, by our records).”
While wild black foxes are real, albeit rare, the majority of reported black fox sightings in the UK are not wild but escaped pets.
According to Barry & District News, the UK has no requirements or restrictions in breeding and owning black foxes. It’s believed the fox sighted in Wales is an escaped pet, and the RSPCA is using it as a prime example of why people shouldn’t keep wild animals as pets.
A spokesperson for the RSPCA said:
“We are aware that a silver fox has been spotted in Barry and hope this fox is okay. Silver foxes are the same species as the red foxes we have living wild in the UK but with different colouration. Traditionally, they were bred for their fur, but are now sometimes kept as exotic pets.”
They went on to emphasize how foxes are wild animals that have “very specific needs that are no different to those of foxes living in the wild and they require specialist care.” They said:
“Even the most experienced fox experts have had difficulty keeping adult foxes successfully, therefore the RSPCA does not advise or condone keeping foxes as pets. The RSPCA advises anyone thinking of getting any kind of exotic pet to fully research the animal’s specific needs before making a decision. Exotic pets can live a long time, grow to a large size and need to be taken to an exotics vet if they become ill, which can be expensive.”
The RSPCA has asked the public’s help in locating the fox after multiple failed attempts to catch her.
Black Foxes UK shared on Facebook that the RSPCA noted the fox is injured and they’re now working with the cat rescue and the dog warden in an attempt to catch the animal.
They said: “For the members of the public concerned about what will happen to this fox once captured: The exotics vet is on standby and the fox will be going to the RSPCA’s centre.”
