An adorable and brave red fox is recovering in New York after going on the ride of a lifetime. The fox pulled off an unexpected and treacherous journey across the Atlantic, without even booking a ticket.
As reported by CNBC, officials claim that the animal somehow slipped onto the cargo ship in Southampton, England, and journeyed more than 3,000 miles to the port of New York and New Jersey. The ship left its original port on February 4 and arrived in U.S waters on February 18.
This means the cute passenger survived nearly two weeks at sea before being discovered.
The Sly Stowaway: What Does The Fox Say?
After the ship docked, U.S Customs and Border Patrol safely took the fox into custody and immediately transferred it to the Bronx Zoo. Zoo staff claims that the male fox is estimated to be about 2-years old and weighed in at 11lbs. Even after this intense distance overseas, the fox appears to be in good health and has no major issues.
For the time being, the fox is being closely monitored at the Bronx Zoo’s Animal Health Center. Caretakers are feeding him a mix of produce, protein, and specially formulated food while he recovers and rests.
Where Does The Fox Go From Here?
Luckily, Red Foxes are actually native to specific parts of North America, including areas surrounding NYC. Given the little guy’s circumstances, however, he will not be released back into the wild. At least not for a very long time. Experts claim that it will need additional health screenings before they can determine a safe, long-term residence for him.
For now, this fox's journey has captivated hearts and captured attention as one of the more unusual wildlife stories this year. A rare case of a silly animal making a transatlantic trip unscathed. This fox proved without a shadow of a doubt that wildlife can be resilient even in the most unexpected and scary situations.
