PORTLAND, Ore. — The Arctic fox found wandering around Southwest Portland in mid-October to find a new home at the Ochsner Park Zoo in Wisconsin.
The fox sighting at Willamette Park sparked a debate online as people tried to identify it from photos and videos being shared on social media. Soon after, the animal was rescued and taken to the Bird Alliance of Oregon's Wildlife Care Center, where it was identified as a young female Arctic fox.
Arctic foxes are native to areas in the north, including Greenland, Iceland, Alaska, Canada and northern Russia. Wildlife Care Center staff determined the fox had been kept as a pet and 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. Due to her upbringing, staff said she would not be able to survive in the wild.
On Thursday, the fox will be sent to Ochsner Park Zoo to join a male fox named Apollo. The Arctic fox was handed over to the Oregon Zoo on Nov. 8 to finish caring for her before the move.
“She’s been very curious and interested in her surroundings,” said Kate Gilmore, who oversees the zoo’s ambassador animal area. “She spent the weekend hopping over logs, foraging for her diet and practicing being a fox! We’re glad we can provide care and enrichment for her until she’s ready for her next chapter.”
When the Arctic fox was rescued she weighed six-and-a-half pounds and found to be dehydrated and thin, the Wildlife Care Center said.
“It’s wonderful to see her thriving, but this fox should never have been a pet,” said Quinn Read, the Bird Alliance of Oregon’s conservation director. “Like many wild animals that wind up in the illegal pet trade, arctic foxes have complex care needs that can only be met by people with specialized training at licensed and properly equipped facilities.”
In Oregon, people can report suspected illegal animal sales by calling the Oregon State Police Fish and Wildlife Division hotline: 800-452-7888.
