Bronx Zoo Takes in Mysterious StowawayWho Crossed Atlantic
A young male fox snuck aboard a cargo ship in Southampton, England and, two weeks later, finds himself in New York City. On his arrival the US Customs and Border Protection and government wildlife officials delivered the sly stowaway to the Bronx Zoo, where his fate is being decided.
“The fox is currently in the Animal Health Center at the Bronx Zoo, where it is under the care of the zoo’s animal and veterinary teams,” the zoo said in a press release. “Initial examinations indicate that the fox appears to be in good condition. Veterinarians are awaiting results from additional routine health screening.”
The zoo vets reckon the fox is a 2-year-old male, weighing about 11 pounds. It is unclear how he managed to sneak on the cargo vessel carrying automobiles, or how he survived the 2-week, 3000-mile crossing. “The Port of Southampton handles everything from cars to containers to cruises,” a spokesperson for Associated British Ports tells BBC News, “but even we were surprised to find a fox had booked itself a transatlantic crossing.”
The red fox (Vulpes vulpes) are among the most widespread carnivorous mammals in the world, found in Europe, Asia, North America, and parts of Africa. Their remarkable adaptability is largely due to an indiscriminate diet – of rodents, birds, insects, fruit, and whatever else is handy. As such, the red fox’s conservation status is designated of “least concern” by the IUCN, but is also among the “world's 100 worst invasive species.”
When the fox gets his clean bill of health, the zoo will find him a suitable long-term home. It will be interesting to see if that home is in a zoo, sanctuary, or in the wild.
“First and foremost we're just focused on the animal's health,” Keith Lovett, the zoo’s director of animal programs, tells Eyewitness News. “All things considered, it's doing pretty well, it’s nice and strong, it doesn't seem terribly afraid of people, it's not that skittish, so the animal is doing well.”
Photo credit: Wildlife Conservation Society
