Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Rare black fox sighted for only fifth time ever in UK




LOOKING straight down the lens, this is the moment a black fox was caught on camera.

Black foxRobertFuller/BNPS
 
'It had a beautiful white tip to its tail just like that of a red fox'
Artist and photographer Robert Fuller was shocked when friend Robert Burns told him he had spotted one of the rarest animals in Britain outside his flat.
The sighting prompted the pair to embark on a three-month mission to study the fox and its habits.
Red urban fox 
The red fox is much more common in the UK. Getty Images
There have only been five confirmed sightings in Britain in as many years
Martin Hemmington, National Fox Welfare Society
And earlier this month Mr Fuller finally set up his professional photography equipment.
After a tense wait, the fox appeared shortly after 11pm to eat food left out by Mr Burns.
Black foxes get their unusual colouring from a rare genetic defect, and are practically unheard of in Britain.
Mr Fuller, 43, from Thixendale, North Yorks, filmed the fox in a nearby town but doesn’t want to name it.
He said: “I was expecting the fox to be dark, but this one was as black as a labrador, with just the hint of silver highlights along its body.







“It had a beautiful white tip to its tail, just like that of a red fox.
“After a short while it just melted into the night. I felt so privileged.”
Martin Hemmington, of the National Fox Welfare Society, said: “There have only been five confirmed sightings in Britain in as many years.”

Red urban fox 
Getty Images

Red urban fox 
Getty Images

Urban foxes are now so prevalent that they are considered pests in some areas.

source

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