My black coat will leave you all foxed...
IF it was lurking in the shadows, this fox could almost blend into the background. But for two wildlife enthusiasts, the creature really stood out.
The animal is one of only a handful living in Britain, as their unusual coats have historically seen them hunted into near-extinction.
Once regarded as an omen of ill-luck, much like black cats, their colouring is actually caused by a genetic defect.
The shy creature was first spotted by Robert Burns in North Yorkshire. Its exact location is being kept a secret to try and protect the fox from becoming a target for hunters.
He told his friend Robert Fuller about the sighting, and the pair decided to try and get a clear image of the animal. After three months of waiting, the fox finally emerged from the undergrowth – and they managed to shoot it ... on film.
Mr Fuller, 43, said: ‘I feel incredibly privileged to have seen such a rare creature.’ And Martin Hemmington, from the National Fox Welfare Society, said: ‘There have only been five sightings of black foxes in Britain in as many years. I nearly fall off my chair when people send me photos of them, so this is very exciting.’