Exotic fox spotted roaming streets of British town

A rare black and silver fox has been captured after two weeks roaming the streets of a Welsh town.

The male fox, named locally as Shadow, is believed to have been abandoned and was first spotted by locals in Barry on April 8.

Known as the silver fox but sometimes referred to as the black fox, the animal is not native to the wild in the UK but kept as an exotic pet.

The silver fox can be most commonly found in northwestern parts of North America, where it represents around 10 per cent of the fox population.

After being captured with the help of local rescue charities, Shadow was given a clean bill of health and is now in the care of Animals Interactive, an animal sanctuary.

Silver foxes became popular pets in the UK in around 2006, when laws around exotic pets were relaxed. But the RSPCA warned that even the most experienced fox experts have had difficulty keeping them successfully.

“Silver foxes are the same species as the red foxes we have living wild in the UK but with different colouration,” said a spokesman. “Traditionally, they were bred for their fur but are now sometimes kept as exotic pets.

“Foxes are wild animals with very specific needs that are no different to those of foxes living in the wild, and they require specialist care.”