This mischievous animal has an impressive shoe collection.
On July 10, officials from Grand Teton National Park shared on Instagram that campers’ footwear had gone missing. The prime suspect? A fox.
The social media post says that the animal has stashed at least 32 shoes.
“What does the fox do with the shoes? We still don’t know,” the post reads. “Maybe it’s a toy. Maybe it’s a nesting material collection. Maybe it’s fashion.”
The post continued: “Whatever the reason, one thing is clear: the more time this fox spends around humans, the more dangerous things get for the fox.”
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Park issues guidelines for campers
Officials are warning campers to store their shoes in their tents or vehicles.
They posted lighthearted “Wanted for Grand Theft Footwear” posters with a sketch of a fox around the park; however, the park shared reminders for campers interacting with wildlife:
Properly store food and shoes
“Scare, don’t stare” at the wildlife
Don’t bait the animals
“Let wildlife be wildlife.”
“Even unintentional behavior like leaving shoes out ‘just in case he visits’ teaches wildlife that people = opportunity. And that can lead to relocation… or worse,” the park’s post continued.
Taylor Ardrey is a news reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at tardrey@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fox steals shoes from campers at Grand Teton National Park
