The Voronezh Reserve has published a continuation of the story of friendship between a fox and a man. Be that as it may, it is simply impossible not to love these red-haired tomboys.

If you happen to ever find yourself in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan, we strongly recommend that you visit Zao Fox Village, unless you are afraid of adorable foxes. About 100 different animals live in the Zao Fox Village, including 6 species of foxes. Foxes roam freely around the reserve and do not run away from people, you know what we mean? You have a unique opportunity to play enough with black, platinum and red foxes! A real fairytale kingdom of foxes!

Zao Fox Village is located near the city of Shiroishi. Inside you will find a huge number of adorable foxes who can't wait to play with you!

6 species of foxes live in the reserve

After you pay the entrance fee, you can also buy fox food for 100 yen

At the beginning you pass through a place resembling a zoo, here you can see foxes in cages or sitting on a leash.

But after passing through the cherished door, you will find yourself in a place where all the foxes walk absolutely freely and do what they please.

Some of them will run after you, some will run away from you. If you feed them, then some foxes may then run after you for a long time, hoping to get more tasty treats from you.

It is forbidden to feed the foxes by hand, only throw food on the floor. All this is told before entering the reserve, though in Japanese, but fortunately, they have pictures, thanks to which everything becomes clear

Here you can see a huge number of foxes of all varieties and colors. Some of them run like crazy, begging for food, while others sleep without hind legs.

The nature of the reserve is also very beautiful.

The reserve staff does not control your relationship with foxes, so if you are not sure that this fox is not friendly to you, do not even think about cuddling it. Remember, they are still predators.

Admission is 1,000 yen for adults, admission is free for students and younger.

In Japanese culture, foxes are of great importance, their images and stories about them can often be found in Japanese folklore.

In Japan, foxes are regarded as smart little animals.

In Japan, foxes are associated with Inari Okami, a religious deity of fertility, rice, and prosperity, sometimes taking the form of a fox.

Sometimes they are represented as cunning werewolves.

Be that as it may, it is simply impossible not to love these red-haired tomboys.

Just look at this charming little face

Foxes, of course, are not cats, but also very cute fluffy creatures. Not far from the Japanese city of Shiroshi in Miyagi Prefecture, there is a small village where there is a fox sanctuary. The fox shelter Zao Kitsune Mura opened here in the 90s of the 20th century. Now more than a hundred foxes live in the reserve, which belong to six different species at once. Here you can see black-brown foxes, silver foxes and Japanese red foxes.

A small fox village is a park where foxes roam freely throughout its territory. Visitors to the park can freely communicate with animals and even feed them. But when communicating with foxes, some important safety rules should also be observed - you can’t disturb sleeping animals, stroke foxes and feed directly from your hands.

In Japanese, a fox is called a kitsune. In Japanese mythology, foxes are the messengers and companions of the goddess Inari, the patroness of abundance, rice and foxes. One of the magical abilities of kitsune is the ability to turn into people. As a rule, these are seductive beauties. In their fluffy fur coats, foxes are really very good)

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The friendship between the fox and an employee of the Voronezh reserve, Sergei Sapelnikov, received an unexpected continuation, worthy of a film adaptation.

Friendly relations between the zoologist and the predator began at the end of October. The scientist was clearing trap-lines in the forest, preparing to count small mammals, and suddenly noticed a fox behind the trees. Sergei slowly lay down on the ground, so as not to frighten away the animal, and treated him to a treat. The fearless fox accepted the treat. Since then, this ritual has become daily.

Predator named Ryzhik. He recognized his friend by his voice and looked forward to him, but at some point the friendship between the fox and the man was called into question.

When counting small mammals it was decided to temporarily isolate Ryzhik: otherwise, the predator could interfere with knowing the exact number of mice and other animals.

The fox was lured into an enclosure built next to the registration trap line for 10 days. During the isolation, scientists were able not only to carry out a routine census of small mammals, but also to observe the behavior of the animal, which was limited in movement.

- Fox Ryzhik did not know about our plans - he responded to a kind attitude without "ulterior motives" and took goodies from his hands. And every day it was more and more difficult for a zoologist to fulfill his plan: when among people human understanding is already worth its weight in gold, you involuntarily begin to cherish the warmth of sincere feelings, even if these are the feelings of a forest animal, - noted in the Voronezh reserve.

On the last day of counting, Ryzhik was released from the enclosure. It was noticeable that the fox was offended by the people he trusted so much. The predator slowly moved away, and a man walked behind him for quite a long time. He said something to him, as if explaining that it was impossible to do otherwise.

A few days later, the scientists returned to the forest to clean the enclosure, and, just in case, took a treat for Ryzhik with them. As it turned out, the fox forgave the man: he ran to the car that arrived.

The fox followed the zoologist on his heels and then kept spinning around and taking treats from his hands. Finally, he allowed himself to lie in the snow next to the zoologist and pose for the final photo. Friendship has been restored.

In the reserve, they came to the conclusion that there are animals that differ from their counterparts not only in curiosity and a tendency to communicate, but also in a quality that people characterize as “the ability to understand and forgive.”

Something foxes began to rapidly approach the man. They show initiative, they become sociable and curious, they become easier to get along with people and other pets. If it goes on like this, then in a few years we will have a new pet :) I wonder if we are ready for this?

Cognitive about domestic foxes:

1. Foxes smell bad;


2. Foxes living in a family where they are taken care of, play with them and raise them like dogs, quickly get used to the owners and become domestic;


3. If properly trained, a domestic fox will never bite;


4. Fox cubs are very gentle and playful creatures, just like dog puppies;


5. Foxes act like both dogs and cats;


6. Foxes love sweets, especially fruits;


7. Foxes love to jump;


8. Foxes are afraid of heights, just like dogs, and if they are picked up, they stop resisting and become almost completely defenseless;


9. Foxes are afraid of loneliness and cannot be without a person for a long time if they are already strongly attached to him;


10. Foxes are very smart and quickly learn to use their strength, agility and dexterity;


11. Foxes are easily accustomed to the tray;


12. Foxes quickly get used to the collar;


13. With foxes, it is not necessary to go for a walk twice every day, as with dogs;


14. Domestic foxes should be closed at night in a cage: foxes are nocturnal animals, and if you don’t want your pet to turn the room upside down from loneliness while you sleep, then you will have to put it in a cage in the evening to accustom it to a daytime lifestyle;


15. Foxes are very fond of fish;


16. Foxes need to be bathed at least once every six months;


17. Foxes love to play in the water;


18. Foxes love sausages and sausages, but be careful not to feed them extra chemicals!


19. Foxes, like dogs, run after a stick and a ball;


20. Foxes, like cats, love to play hunting;


21. Contrary to all myths about foxes, they get along great with other animals, especially dogs;


22. The best relationship develops with the fox, which, when buying, will choose you yourself (behave differently from others, reach out to you);


23. Foxes are practically omnivorous, and specialized dog foods, although tasty, can shorten your pet's lifespan, so it's best to feed homemade food;


24. Foxes wag their tails to show their joy;


25. Foxes need to be brushed like dogs;


26. Foxes cry, just like little children, when they are sad, scared, hurt or lonely;


27. If the owner does not pay attention to the fox cub, the baby lies down next to him, touches him with his paws, bites so that he is finally remembered;


28. Not all foxes can have dairy products - for some, lactose can upset the stomach;


29. Foxes see themselves in the mirror, but not every fluffy will understand that it is him, and not another fox;


30. Foxes should not be given cakes or waffles: foxes can lose their hair from sweets, and they can vomit from chemicals added by manufacturers to sweets; if you want to please your pet, give him sweet fruits or berries (if a little, then jam is also possible);


31. You can’t play aggressive games with foxes, like tug of war, you shouldn’t make them angry on purpose; so that the fox will be gentle in the future, play chasing a mouse with him or throw him a ball;


32. To tame a fox and teach him to touch, you need to start stroking on the third day after you met and at the same time feed something tasty; the fox must see the hand, otherwise it will only be frightened; do not worry if he does not allow himself to be stroked for a long time: foxes, like cats, are animal moods, and until love for you, as for their master, awakens in them, he will not be given into his hands; it is better to start stroking from the tips of the ears, slowly and carefully, so that the fox gets used to new sensations;


33. It is necessary to take the fox out for a walk not on a leash riveted to the collar, but on a harness, so that the animal does not exactly escape and get lost;


34. Train your fox to the command "Fu!" from the very beginning: does something wrong - shout Fu!, so that in the future there will be no problems with training;


35. Strange dogs can attack your fox in the same way as cats, so make sure that there are no dog walkers where you walk your friend;

The Voronezh Reserve published a continuation of the story of friendship between the zoologist Sergei Sapelnikov and the fox Ryzhik on Friday, December 16. The animal's trust in man was shaken when he lured him into the enclosure, however, once free, the fox forgave the zoologist.

A young male fox to Sergei and Inna Sapelnikov when they were clearing trap lines in the forest in preparation for counting small mammals. Sergei noticed the animal, lay down on the ground so as not to frighten it away, and began to treat the fox with sausage. He was not afraid and confidently approached for a treat. Zoologists noted that the timidity and similar atypical behavior of foxes may be one of the signs of rabies - however, the behavior and appearance of Ryzhik, as the staff called the fox, indicated that he was healthy. The reserve suggested that the animal had not yet had a negative experience of contact with a person. The staff of the reserve realized that a brave beast could disrupt the registration of mammals and decided to try to tame it and temporarily isolate it for the period of registration.

Preparations for the experiment lasted more than ten days, during which time we managed to establish contact with the fox and lure him into a small enclosure next to the counting trap line.

- By feeding and taming the fox, we pursued our goals - to conduct a census of animals, and for this, to remove the factor that interferes with our work. Fox Ryzhik did not know about our plans - he responded to a kind attitude and took goodies from his hands. And every day it was more and more difficult for the zoologist to fulfill his plans, - said the staff of the reserve.

Ryzhik took the behavior of Sergei Sapelnikov as a betrayal. All the days of isolation, he unfriendly met the zoologist who brought him food, although he did not refuse food. Sapelnikov himself was very upset by the break in "friendship" with the animal.

After 10 days, when the count ended, the fox was released. On this day, before leaving the forest, the zoologist left a treat for Ryzhik. The next day the food disappeared, there were fox tracks in the snow nearby, but Ryzhik himself did not show up.

At the cordon Proletarsky in the reserve "Bryansk forest" a very sociable guest settled - fiery red fox. He came to the cordon in the summer. But for a couple of months he was embarrassed to show himself, apparently, he got used to people and animals.

Now, as Yekaterina Pilyutina, deputy director of the reserve for environmental work and tourism, says, the fox considers himself the master of these places. The staff of the reserve nicknamed the guest patrician.

The red-haired guest is interested in everything that happens around. Patrikey has become so accustomed to the cordon that he personally "inspects" the arriving cars. The fox had already eaten several pairs of shoes standing on the porch of the cordon, scattered vegetables left unattended. Sometimes he argues with a local over food. the cat Smoky.

Most likely, this is a young, this year of birth, animal, - says the deputy director for science of the Bryansk Forest Reserve Elena Sitnikova. - Like any fox, Patrickey is cunning - he hides from camera traps and is very thieving. Not because he is bad, but simply because he is a fox!

At first, the fox was very shy...

And then he got used to people so much that now he is no longer afraid to take food from his hands.

The local cat Dymok and Patrikey like to "inspect" the cars of the guests of the reserve.