Alberta conservation organization caring for rare silver fox orphaned in collision

A wildlife rehabilitation centre northwest of Calgary has a rare silver fox kit in its care after the animal was orphaned by a vehicle collision.

An Alberta animal conservation organization has welcomed a rare-coloured fox kit into its care after it was orphaned due to a car accident.

The Alberta Institute for Wildlife Conservation (AIWC) said it is caring for a rare silver fox and two of its siblings.

“Silver foxes are an uncommon dark-coloured morph of the red fox, making up only about 10 per cent of the species,” AIWC said in a news release.

“The dark colour is the result of a genetic mutation and can occur even when both parents have the more typical red fox appearance.”

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The organization is currently caring for six orphaned kits in total. It notes red foxes in Alberta often prefer rural areas and they are particularly vulnerable to fast-moving traffic on highways.

“While the reasons behind many orphaned cases remain unknown, one kit was confirmed to have lost both parents after they were struck by a vehicle,” the organization said.

AIWC is asking the public to watch for wildlife while driving, particularly in rural areas.