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PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A stray Arctic fox was taken to the Chook Alliance of Oregon’s wildlife rehabilitation hospital on Oct. 12 after it was discovered wandering the streets of Portland.
Chook Alliance of Oregon spokesperson Ali Berman instructed KOIN 6 Information that the 6.5-pound feminine fox was skinny and dehydrated when it was delivered to the wildlife hospital, however was in any other case in good well being.
The fox, which was first reported by Oregon Public Broadcasting, was mentioned to be misplaced and unable to fend for herself when she was picked up and brought to the middle by a very good Samaritan.
“Whereas we don’t have info but on the place the Arctic fox got here from, or how she received to Portland, we imagine the animal has solely identified a lifetime of captivity,” Berman mentioned. “The fox doesn’t present a species acceptable worry response to folks and was really approaching people when rescued.”
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Though arctic foxes are present in North America, the animal was discovered greater than 1,000 miles from the frozen tundra, its pure habitat.
“Arctic Foxes don’t naturally happen in Oregon, so this species is taken into account an unique animal right here,” Berman mentioned. “Its native habitat contains Greenland, Iceland, Svalbard, northern Russia, islands within the Bering Sea, Alaska, and Canada, amongst different northern areas.”
Chook Alliance of Oregon Wildlife Care Middle Supervisor Ashley Lema mentioned that she’s grateful somebody introduced the fox in for medical therapy. As soon as the fox has recovered, the Oregon Division of Fish and Wildlife will resolve the place to take her.
“We imagine the fox both by accident escaped from captivity or was deliberately dumped by the individuals who illegally held her,” Lema mentioned. “After a number of days of being on the unfastened, the feminine fox was determined sufficient and approached an individual for assist, because it’s probably that people have offered her meals her entire life. Not solely is she within the flawed habitat, however she simply doesn’t have the talents vital, like searching, to outlive within the wild.”
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As a result of its domestication, ODFW officers is not going to launch the fox into the wild.
“Sadly, this Arctic fox’s story is all too frequent,” Lema mentioned. “Wild animals aren’t pets and treating them like home animals isn’t simply harmful for folks, nevertheless it’s typically a loss of life sentence for wildlife. Even when they’re rescued or faraway from captivity, the animal won’t ever be capable to return to the wild.”
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