NEW BRIGHTON — A baby red fox escaped from the Staten Island Zoo this week, and the zoo is asking for the public's help in finding her, zoo officials announced Wednesday.
The 7-month-old fox, named Montana, burrowed out of her enclosure on Monday, said Brian Morris, spokesman for the zoo.
Zoo workers discovered that Montana was missing after the zoo closed on Monday and combed the grounds for the fox, but she was nowhere to be found, Morris said.
The missing fox — named for the state where she was rescued — weighs 10 pounds and is about the size of a house cat, Morris said.
The fox is fully vaccinated and is likely not a threat to residents, children or pets, said Dr. Marc Valitutto, general curator and veterinarian for the zoo, in a press release.
Montana was raised in captivity for all but the first three weeks of her life and was hand-fed by Staten Island Zoo veterinarians in their nursery, Morris said. The zoo adopted the fox in July.
Anyone who sees Montana should not try to trap or approach the animal, which may scare her away, but they should contact the zoo instead, Valitutto said.
To report a sighting, call the Staten Island Zoo at 718-442-3101.
