PORTLAND, Ore. — A mysterious animal that was spotted at Willamette Park in Portland over the weekend was an Arctic fox, wildlife experts confirmed on Tuesday.
People took to social media, sharing photos and videos of what appeared to be a white fox in the area of Macadam Avenue. Images of the animal sparked a lot of debate online as people tried to identify it.
The animal was taken to the Bird Alliance of Oregon's Wildlife Care Center on Saturday. The animal is a female Arctic fox that weighs six-and-a-half pounds, staff said.
Arctic foxes are native to areas in the north, including Greenland, Iceland, Alaska, Canada and northern Russia. Wildlife Care Center staff believe she either accidentally escaped from captivity or was intentionally dumped by people who illegally held her. The Arctic fox doesn't show a fear response to people, staff said, and approached humans when she was rescued.
"After a few days of being on the loose, the female fox was desperate enough and approached a person for help, as it’s likely that humans have provided her food her whole life," said Ashley Lema, the manager of the Wildlife Care Center. "Not only is she in the wrong habitat, but she just doesn’t have the skills necessary, like hunting, to survive in the wild.
Staff performed an exam and said while the Arctic fox was dehydrated and thin, she's otherwise in good health. She will be cared for at the wildfire rehabilitation hospital while the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife determines the next steps.
Lema said they're thankful the good Samaritan brought her in.
"Wild animals aren’t pets, and treating them like domestic animals isn’t just dangerous for people, but it’s often a death sentence for wildlife," Lema said. "Even if they are rescued or removed from captivity, the animal will never be able to return to the wild."
