Injured Red Fox Roams Roadside Near Pangong Tso, Internet Reacts | Watch Video

What

began as a moment of appreciation for wildlife transformed into a lesson on conservation for many. A tourist was stunned to encounter a red fox during his trip to Ladakh, which he captured on video and uploaded to his public Instagram account.Vibhor Srivastava, who maintains a personal blog account on Instagram, posted a video to his account four days ago showing how he and his party, along with a tour guide, encountered a wounded animal near Pangong Tso. While the group was initially unclear whether the animal was a wolf or a hyena, they were able to ascertain with the help of viewers online that it was actually a red fox.

In the caption accompanying the video, Srivastava wrote, “When Ladakh surprises you with its wild beauty. Stopped by Pangong Tso and met this beautiful red fox — a moment I’ll never forget. Nature always knows how to leave you speechless.”In the clip, the fox is seen trotting on three legs by the roadside, pausing as vehicles pass by against the backdrop of Ladakh’s stark landscape. The video has amassed over 27,000 views and more than 900 likes.Watch the video hereOne user commented, “The red fox is a beautiful animal. Our nation is truly blessed with diverse wildlife and I hope we strive to do everything possible to preserve these creatures.”Srivastava and his companions are heard discussing off-camera whether they could feed the animal, when the tour guide reminds them that it is forbidden by law to interact with Himalayan wildlife in such a manner.

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The video eventually made its way to the microblogging site X, where it caught the attention of IFS officer Parveen Kaswan. In a cautionary statement, Kaswan wrote, “Himalayan red fox, beautiful. But somebody has clearly given her food last time. That is why she is expecting and roaming on the road. I often say; sympathy-based conservation is an enemy of species.”His statement reflected the debate unfolding under Srivastava’s post. While many users were alerting Srivastava to the fox’s species, others raised concerns similar to Kaswan’s.A user wrote, “Good job by not feeding it. People need to understand that feeding a wild animal is not good for the wild characteristics of that animal.”These reactions to the rare encounter echo what wildlife conservationists have often reiterated in discussions surrounding human interaction with wildlife.

Human interference in cases related to injury and feeding breeds a variety of concerns. Some experts caution that interacting with wild animals can lead to the spread of unidentified communicable diseases, while others point to the impact such interactions have on the animals themselves.Wildlife experts say that when animals begin approaching roads or people, it is often a sign that they have lost their natural fear due to being fed by humans, a change that can alter normal foraging habits and increase the chances of accidents or dangerous encounters, India Today reported.Kaswan’s comment reflects these broader instructions on responsible tourism and interaction with wildlife in ecologically sensitive regions, including Ladakh.