White animal seen wandering in Portland, OR identified as Arctic fox
Portland, Ore. - Animal rescuers safely captured a white animal seen wandering around Portland, Oregon , and positively identified it as an Arctic fox.
The Bird Alliance of Oregon posted photos of the female fox on Facebook saying she was brought into its Wildlife Care Center on Saturday, but they don't know what brought her to Oregon in the first place.
The shelter says the Arctic fox is considered an exotic animal, since they don't naturally occur in Oregon. Arctic foxes are native to tundra biomes, which, in North America, can be found in coastal areas surrounding Alaska and across northern Canada. Across the globe, Arctic foxes are common in places like Greenland, Svalbard and Northern Russia.
Workers at the shelter say the fox is friendly and approached people during her rescue, indicating that she was most likely raised in captivity, as she is not expressing the appropriate fear responses to humans that a wild animal would.
It is illegal to own a fox as a pet in Washington and Oregon. The shelter said this Arctic fox's story is unfortunately something that happens a lot with wild animals.
"Wild animals aren't pets, and treating them like domestic animals isn't just dangerous for people, but it's often a death sentence for wildlife," Bird Alliance of Oregon wrote on Facebook. "Even if they are rescued or removed from captivity, the animal will never be able to return to the wild."
The community has expressed concern about the possibility of this Arctic fox being euthanized. The shelter has confirmed that they have not had any discussions about euthanasia and are instead working to get her stabilized and into a new home.
"This is not a non-native or invasive animal," the shelter wrote. "The fox is considered an exotic species, so it falls under the Oregon Department of Agriculture. They are helping to find a suitable home for her."
Overall, the fox is healthy. The shelter said she was a little dehydrated and thin, but they're keeping her fed and nourished while the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife determines the next steps.
A similar incident occurred in central Washington in June 2024, when an exotic animal was found and relocated. A young kinkajou, native to Central and South America, was discovered abandoned at a rest stop in Yakima. The Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife rescued the animal and transferred it to the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium for proper care.
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