A strange video is going viral in England. Filmed by a resident of Derbyshire County, it shows a seemingly healthy fox perusing a backyard garden. But when the animal starts to walk, it does so with the aid of just two legs. The fact that it’s missing both of its hindquarters doesn’t seem to phase the fox. It just walks through the yard—snout to the ground, tail pointed skyward—while the homeowners film in disbelief. See it for yourself below.
The video was recently shared in an article published in the BBC. It was filmed by Phil and Jane Carter of Ilkeston, Derbyshire. According to British wildlife expert Mike Dilger, the fox’s fore-legged feat is an example of “nature conquering all” and “an amazing survivalist story.”
“I think it’s probably a genetic abnormality or disorder – so it’s probably happened from birth rather than as a result of an injury,” Dilger told the BBC. “The reason I think that is because it’s so adept. Its poise, balance, and control are astonishing—the way it can go up on those two forelimbs and actually still eat.”
Phil Carter told the Derby Telegraph that the two-legged fox showed up in his garden around 3 p.m. on December 17 as his family was putting up their Christmas tree. “We have foxes come here all the time, but never a fox like that,” Carter said. “It blew my mind. It was so strange to just see him go vertical with his tail, just put his head forward, and walk off like that. And when he ran off, I’ve never seen anything move so fast.”
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Red foxes are a common sight in the English countryside, and the small canines are often spotted wandering through urban areas as well. According to the Natural History Museum of London, they’re “the most recognizable wild animals in Britain.” A recent estimate of “fox abundance”, produced by Natural England and the Mammal Society, puts red fox numbers right around 357,000 across the entirety of the United Kingdom.
