An Arctic fox found wandering around Portland, believed to be an illegal pet, will find a new home at the Ochsner Park Zoo in Wisconsin.
The fox sighting at Willamette Park sparked a debate online as people tried to identify it from photos and videos being shared on social media. Soon after, the animal was rescued and taken to the Bird Alliance of Oregon’s Wildlife Care Center, where it was identified as a young female Arctic fox.
Arctic foxes are native to areas in the north, including Greenland, Iceland, Alaska, Canada and northern Russia. Wildlife Care Center staff determined the fox had been kept as a pet and either accidentally escaped from captivity or was intentionally dumped by people who illegally held her.
The Arctic fox doesn’t show a fear response to people, staff said, and approached humans when she was rescued. Due to her upbringing, staff said she would not be able …