Shocked zoo-goers in China come face-to-face with wildlife that is definitely more Arctic Roll than Arctic fox.
One new video of the beasts – at Shendiaoshan Zoo in the city of Weihai, in Shandong Province – shows they are grown so chubby they look like huge balls of fluff.
The footage – shown by an unnamed visitor – shows three fat white foxes looking hopefully up at tourists as if they are expecting treats.
One seems to be licking its lips in anticipation while the other excitedly looks up and
down the gathered visitors.
Then a third – even chunkier – roly-poly fox trots up but is so overweight it can’t even walk a straight line.
Afterwards, the video made its way to Douyin – China’s version of TikTok – where netizens ridiculed them for being as round as “gas tanks”.
Some users also questioned the animals’ health.
In response, the zoo shared a clip on ‘behalf’ of one of the foxes, captioned: “I want to clarify that the fat grew by itself, and it has nothing to do with me or the zoo.”
Staff explained that the arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) will store up fat in winter to keep out the cold, and in summer, it will eat less and lose weight.
Its body is also smaller than the red fox – with an average of 43 inches in length – which adds to its stocky appearance.
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Story By: Simona Kitanovska, Sub-Editor: Marija Stojkoska, Agency: Asia Wire Report
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