Latest news with #fox
The Guardian
4 days ago
- General
- The Guardian
Country diary 1925: The frantic search for a pet fox called Rufus
CUMBERLAND: A pet fox, it seems, has the homing instinct of a well-cared for and intelligent dog. Rufus, the young fox who in April was dug out of an earth on the fell side near one of the lakes, was lately taken to Cheshire and spent a fortnight in a hunting country. He accompanied his master on his rambles, but one evening he went into a covert and failed to return. A vigorous, almost a frantic search was made for him. It was dreaded, since he has no fear of dogs and approaches them with all the trustfulness of a puppy, that he might be attacked and killed by a spaniel or retriever. But he could not be found. Two of the household remained up all night, and went out again at dawn to look for Rufus. They met him crossing the lawn. Somehow or other he had nosed his way back. The griminess of his coat almost suggested that he had been among the village ashbins. I saw Rufus the other day. The bracken and the heather had restored the glossiness of his coat. He looked what he is – a typical fell fox.
New York Times
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Beware of ‘Swiper,' a Fox at Grand Teton Park With a Penchant for Footwear
Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming, known for its majestic mountain vistas and rich flora and fauna, has recently added another distinction of sorts: A wily fox there has been surreptitiously relieving campers of their shoes. 'Wanted for grand theft footwear,' the National Park Service announced with a poster featuring an illustration of a fox gripping a sneaker in its teeth. 'Crimes: Stealing left shoes (they taste better), flip-flops and campers' pride.' The whimsical wanted poster, which branded the fox the Sneaker Snatcher, the Midnight Mismatcher and Swiper the Fox, was part of the park's initial effort to warn campers that parkgoers' shoes had been vanishing. An accompanying poster stapled to a pole near the Lizard Creek Campground tallied 19 stolen pieces of footwear and suggested that the culprit was still on the prowl: '0 days since last fox/shoe incident.' But last week, as the tally of purloined footwear rose to 32, Grand Teton posted a video to Instagram scolding campers for intentionally leaving out their footwear as offerings for the thieving fox — 'just in case he visits.' In the video — set to audio of a scene from the 2008 animated movie 'Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa' — a would-be camper leaves a pair of hiking boots outside a tent and the Sneaker Snatcher, played by a stuffed and mounted fox, thanks them for the sacrifice. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
The Independent
15-07-2025
- The Independent
Wild fox goes on robbing spree
Grand Teton National Park has issued "WANTED" posters warning visitors about a fox, or multiple foxes, that have stolen at least 32 shoes from campers recently. Park rangers are advising visitors to secure their footwear in bear boxes, vehicles, or tents to prevent further thefts by the animal. Despite the park's warnings, some visitors are intentionally leaving their shoes out in hopes of encountering the elusive shoe-stealing fox. Park officials are concerned that the fox's increasing habituation to humans could lead to negative outcomes for the animal, including potential relocation or euthanasia. Visitors are urged to report any shoe thefts to rangers and maintain a safe distance from all wildlife, including foxes, to ensure both human and animal safety.
The Independent
15-07-2025
- The Independent
Sly as a... National park rangers blame sneaky fox for theft of 32 pairs of shoes
"WANTED" posters have been hung up in Grand Teton National Park to warn visitors that they may be visited by a sneaky thief if they aren't careful. A shoe-stealing fox has snatched at least 32 shoes from campers and other visitors to the Wyoming national park in the last several weeks. The thefts prompted park rangers to hang "WANTED" posters warning campers about the fox — whose aliases include "Sneaker Snatcher," "The Midnight Mismatcher' and "Swiper the Fox" — and advising them on how best protect their footwear. Campers should keep their shoes in a secure location — like a bear box, inside their vehicles, or at very least inside their tents — to avoid losing them to the fox. Officials told Backpack magazine they aren't entirely sure if it's one fox or a group of foxes stealing the shoes, but in either case, they want the thefts to stop. Unfortunately, the park's warning seems to have backfired. According to a post on the park's Instagram account, the warnings apparently only encouraged the visitors to leave out their shoes in hopes of catching a glimpse of the larcenous fox and its potential accomplices. 'What does the fox do with the shoes? We still don't know,' the park said in a social media post. 'Maybe it's a toy. Maybe it's a nesting material collection. Maybe it's fashion.' Emily Davis, a spokesperson for Grand Teton National Park, told Backpacker that the shoe heists are quite real, and the park's response — though lighthearted in tone — is to educate guests, not encourage interaction with the foxes. 'We were trying to educate our visitors in a fun way about this fox and not to habituate it,' Davis told the magazine. Park officials aren't sure why the fox or foxes keep targeting shoes. It could be that they are attracted to the salty sweat left in them after a day of hiking. But foxes are also generally mischievous and this one may simply just enjoy playing with shoes. Whatever the reason, the thefts mean that a fox or foxes are venturing closer to humans and doing so regularly. When wild animals become too comfortable around humans, it can lead to unfortunate outcomes for both. In general, the park service asks visitors to always stay at least 100 yards from bears and wolves, and 25 yards away from other animals, such as foxes. 'The NPS used humor to share the story of the sly shoe stealer, but they also pointed out that it's a problem for the fox to get acclimated to humans because it may need to be relocated or, in the worst-case scenario, euthanized,' the NPS wrote in an Instagram caption. Davis said that hikers and campers in the park should store their food, cosmetics and — at least during this latest crimewave — their unworn shoes inside of bear boxes. For those who don't camp, a bear box is a reinforced metal box meant to keep bears out. For visitors who do see a fox shoe theft, the best course of action is to contact a ranger so they can follow up. For visitors who do not see a fox shoe theft, you might want to check your feet, because your shoes may already be gone.
Elle
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Elle
Meghan Markle Shares Adorable Tradition Started on Second Date With Prince Harry
THE RUNDOWN On July 4, Meghan Markle shared a post for Independence Day, which also happens to be the anniversary of her second date with Prince Harry. The short carousel included a photo with a plate of cupcakes in red, white, and blue, with the hand of one of her kids reaching for a sweet treat. The next slide was a selfie of her and Harry that may have been taken on that long-ago date, and then a final picture of a cupcake reading: '4th of July.' In the caption, Meghan wrote, 'Our second date was the 4th of July 2016 and H brought me cupcakes to celebrate. Now, all these years later, our two children are in on the tradition. Happy Independence Day! May your day be as sweet as these cupcakes 🧁' The pair has been together for nine years. In April, Meghan reflected on why she feels the marriage is definitely going to stand the test of time while being interviewed on The Jamie Kern Lima Show. The Duchess of Sussex and Kern are close friends off mic, and Kern asked if Meghan thinks she and Harry will 'be married forever.' Meghan responded, 'Yes,' adding, 'He's also a fox, if you haven't noticed. My husband's very, very handsome. But his heart is even more beautiful.' 'There's something that is not to be taken for granted when you have a partner and a spouse who is just so behind you,' Meghan continued. 'You know, I mean, H, that man loves me so much. And you know, look what we built. We've built a beautiful life, and we have two healthy, beautiful children, [Archie and Lilibet]. And you know, I always think about it like the end of Super Mario Brothers when you get to the final, final level. And what's the goal in Super Mario? They're like, slay the dragon, save the princess. I'm like, that's my just going to do whatever he can to make sure that our family is safe and protected, and we're uplifted and still make time for date nights.'
