Clever Critter Outfoxes Immigration Authorities – RedState
We generally take a hard line against anyone who crosses our national borders without the proper legal formalities, but every now and then someone impresses us with their wiles. In such a case, we learned that on Sunday, a Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) was looking for a better life in the United States and so boarded a carload from the United Kingdom. Although the foxy creature can hardly be blamed for wanting to adapt to the American lifestyle, he nevertheless attracted the attention of authorities and is now calming down in confinement at the Bronx Zoo.
The Bronx Zoo is currently caring for a stowaway red fox discovered in February aboard a ship arriving at the Port of New York and New Jersey from Southampton, England. (1/5) pic.twitter.com/DaaRdImaOp
-Bronx Zoo (@BronxZoo) March 12, 2026
Once you have legged To see that, here is the rest of his story.
A red fox somehow slipped onto a cargo ship traveling from Southampton, England, to New York, where the animal is now in the care of the Bronx Zoo.
The zoo said Wednesday that the 11-pound (5-kilogram) male fox appeared healthy after initial examinations.
“He seems to be settling in well,” Keith Lovett, the zoo’s director of animal programs, said by phone. “It’s been through a lot.”
It’s unclear how the animal got on board the automobile-filled ship, which left Southampton on Feb. 4, according to the zoo. U.S. Customs and Border Protection said the ship’s crew discovered the furry passenger while en route to the port of New York and New Jersey, where the ship arrived on Feb. 18. Authorities brought the fox to the zoo the next day. He is estimated to be 2 years old.
He’s probably just there to catch mice that American foxes don’t want.
This fox is indeed a cunning beast, as cunning as if he had just been appointed Professor of Cunning at Oxford University, but he is not alone in this. Foxes are cunning, intelligent, adaptable and omnivorous creatures, and the latter idea is a good one; Being able to eat almost anything is a great survival strategy. I’ve seen red foxes make their aerial dives into deep snow in search of mice, I’ve seen them on the trail of a cottontail rabbit, and I’ve seen them gorge on ripe blackberries. It’s a furfantastic way to live.
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Back when I was content to make money running a trapline and hunting furbearers, foxes were the only creature I never managed to catch, except once when one of my raccoons caught a large male. The only smarter, more evasive creature I encountered were coyotes, who are truly cunning – or Wile E. – indeed. But the pleasure is in the attempt, especially since it inspires the great tails to tell your friends.
This illegal immigrant now hangs out in the Bronx Zoo’s veterinary unit, apparently in quarantine, and is fed a diet of “produce, protein, and a few cookie-like items.” What these cookie-like items might be, I have no idea. In time, he will be placed in a new, longer-term home, and we are sure he will go there bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.
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