Fox costumes were worn by the staff of a wildlife rescue center in Virginia to feed a baby fox. The Richmond Wildlife Center staff are caring for the orphaned red fox kit dressed up as a "mother fox" to prevent the cub from getting used to humans, according to local reports earlier this week.
The newborn fox was only a few hours old with an umbilical stump still attached when it was sent to the facility on February 29, the rescue facility's official says.
Foxes are known for being afraid of people and will typically flee when these wild animals detect our presence, according to The Humane Society of the United States. However, the case is different for rescued baby foxes, which can associate humans in a positive light amid the absence of their fox mothers and other kin. It is for this reason that dressing up as a wild animal, similar to the species of the rescued creature, is important at rescue centers.
Fox Costume as Disguise
(Photo : Photo by Erik Mclean on Unsplash)
In a Facebook post in recent days, the Richmond Wildlife Center shows a video that one of its staff wearing a fox costume as a disguise while feeding the red fox kit accompanied by a stuffed toy that also resembles a fox. While the staff only wore a fox mask, it is believed by the wildlife experts enough to act as a substitute mother to the fox cub.
The move is essential since the youngling can be reintroduced to the wild again.
According to the wildlife center's founder and executive director, Melissa Stanley, the red fox kit was a lone survivor and it was first discovered by a man walking his dog in an alley in Richmond. At first, the man initially thought the fox was a kitten and took it to a local humane society, whose staff realized that the mammal was a fox and not a kitten. Afterward, they sent her to the Richmond Wildlife Center for rehabilitation, as cited in a local report.
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Are Foxes Afraid of Humans?
Stanley adds that the practice of concealing humans is common at wildlife facilities. Furthermore, although not all wildlife rescue centers use masks to obscure their staff when interacting with animals, some of them may only wear larger clothing or hoods.
Since rescued wild animals can be released into their natural habitat, it will not be helpful if individuals are attached to their human caretakers, according to experts.
The Human Society organization explains that although foxes are afraid of people they can still visit one's backyard or neighborhood. After all, foxes are omnivores that hunt very small animals but are known to scavenge in cities and towns in search of food and garbage. The non-profit organization advises the public to take no action after seeing a fox outdoors.
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