On the run, the fantastic black pet fox
NOSING around an industrial estate, this mysterious jet-black fox caused quite a stir.
Delivery driver Sam Houghton couldn’t believe his eyes when the unusual creature attempted to climb into his vehicle.
He thought he had glimpsed one of Britain’s rarest wild animals. But in reality, Mr Houghton had found an escaped pet by the name of Wilf.
Despite being black, the animals are known as silver foxes. The breed was originally developed on fur farms for their glossy pelts.
Wilf is owned by 17-year-old Ellie Monaghan and had escaped from his enclosure at her family home in Sale, Manchester.
After receiving a series of sightings of Wilf – who is five months old and has his own Facebook page – Ellie and her sister Jade, 25, tracked him down and took him home.
He was spotted by Mr Houghton as he was filling up his van in Sale at the weekend.
‘He just came from nowhere and tried to jump into the van,’ he said yesterday.
‘We were amazed when we saw it. We Googled it and it was definitely a black fox. I couldn’t believe it when it said it was one of the rarest animals in the UK.’
Before this year, there had only been five reported sightings of black foxes nationwide in the last five years. While the colouring is common on growing fox cubs, some never turn the familiar chestnut red because of a rare genetic abnormality.
These foxes are called melanistic foxes, as they produce too much of the dark pigment melanin. Most, like Wilf, are black apart from a white tip on their tail.
Jade Monaghan confirmed that the sighting was down to one of Wilf ’ s periodic escapes – only last month he surprised more locals after going missing in a park.
‘He’s so cheeky, hence why he likes to go wander the neighbourhood,’ she said. ‘He doesn’t go far and hopefully it won’t happen again.’
Silver fox kits can be bought from specialist breeders but are not recommended as pets unless owners have experience in keeping exotic animals.