Piper the Fox at Buttonwood Park Zoo

We've all heard about Piper, the 4 month old Red Fox and newest addition to the Buttonwood Park Zoo. Until June 10th, she was just an adorable kit we could admire through pictures on Facebook. But she got her big debut with the public that Wednesday, and WBSM was there with a couple friends to meet her!

We were told she was skittish, as most Red Fox's are by nature, but she seemed to be doing well for her first outing. Piper is blind in both eyes due to detached retinas. She would not be able to survive in the wild. She can become a little anxious when unfamiliar people touch her, not knowing if their intentions are good.

One of my favorite parts of our visit was the interaction between one of the handlers, Carrie, and a little girl in awe of the cute little fox. The little admirer asked Carrie why Piper needed grown-ups in her pen, and Carrie explained it was "to make her feel safe and comfortable" if she started to get nervous. With complete determination, the little girl said "Someday I want to be a vet so I can take care of animals that look like dogs too!" She could not have been more than 4 or 5 years old, and it was adorable to witness that.

The zoo is working to acclimate the kit to people so she can be considered as an animal ambassador. That means she'll be able to leave her enclosure at the zoo and educate children about nature! Can't wait to see what else is in store for this little critter. Best of luck Piper!