Red Fox Exhibit!
At this time, the afternoon sun was intense, so the foxes weren't very active.
Xiaoqiao, the most popular red fox, had also left her usual spot on the large rock and was hiding in the shadows near the wall with Youyou. The sister duo formed a circle, coiled around a lump of white ice that exuded a chill.
Her deep, mysterious silver-black fur made for an interesting contrast with the stark white ice.
All of a sudden, she raised her head, pricked up her ears, and squinted her eyes into thin slits, casting an icy glance colder than the ice lump at the loudly shouting children outside, crying out "Fox, fox."
Don't they know it's annoying to disturb someone sleeping?
Youyou glanced at Xiaoqiao and noticed she seemed on the verge of losing her temper. With a shiver, she quickly lowered her head timidly and buried it in her tail, with only her eyes peeking out cautiously.
The red fox exhibit used piano wire barriers. The advantage was that visitors could hear the foxes' unique "yiyiyi" calls, but the downside was the lack of soundproofing, allowing visitors' voices to disturb the foxes inside.
Xiaoqiao really hated being disturbed while sleeping!
And she would wake up in a terrible mood.
Glaring at that particularly annoying child who kept shouting, she suddenly leaped like a silver bolt of lightning to the barrier and screeched, "Yi aaaa! Yi aaaa! Yi aaaa!" as she began to cry out fiercely.
It seemed as if she was saying: You are so annoying! Can't you see you're disturbing me? Keep it up and watch out, I might bite you!
When foxes are gentle, their "yiyiyi" cries are enchantingly melodious, making one itch to hold them close and rub them vigorously, until the fox goes limp from the pampering.
But when they are angry and emotional, their "yiyiyi" cries carry a hysterical frenzy, like a child throwing a tantrum, screaming fiercely while smashing things around, highly irritating!
The child, originally very happy, suddenly found themselves under the furious, sharp gaze of Xiaoqiao and was fiercely rebuked, leaving them stunned. Then they immediately burst into tears and complained to their parents, "The fox scolded me!"
The parents couldn't help but laugh and cry!
How could the fox take a child so seriously?
But Xiaoqiao was very good-looking, her silver fur sleek and shiny. Even when she snarled and showed her anger, she looked like a haughty little princess throwing a fit, which made it impossible for anyone to feel annoyed at her.
The parents took the initiative to explain on Xiaoqiao's behalf: "You were the one who disturbed the fox's sleep. That's why she got mad at you. Say sorry to the little fox, okay?"
After a few digs, Sugar Pack would lift its head cautiously, sneak a peek at its siblings, especially at the sleeping crown prince.
Xiaoqiao seemed to notice Sugar Pack's little movements, gave it a glance exuding speechlessness, then turned back to continue licking Youyou.
Once Sugar Pack confirmed the crown prince was still asleep, its entire head burrowed into a sand hole, with its bottom in the air, like a mini excavator, sending sand flying from the hole with each movement of its front paws.
Occasionally, it lifted its head and shook it to rid the sand from its fur.
After a while, it emerged with its face coated in grime, its mouth holding something dirty and dusty.
Tang Xiaoxin exclaimed in surprise, "Huh? What has it got in its mouth?"
Qian Keke was unsure, "It looks like a half-eaten chicken leg, but it's so dirty!"
With one paw pinning the chicken leg down, Sugar Pack lowered its head and started tearing at the chicken leg with its teeth, devouring it deliciously.
It seemed that a bit of sand didn't affect its appetite at all.
"What's with the foxes' behavior?" a visitor questioned.
The animal keeper replied, "This is the food hoarding behavior of foxes!
Foxes have a strong possessiveness over food. After they catch their prey, they will immediately consume the tastiest parts. The rest that can't be finished will be taken away and hidden for later consumption when they get hungry in a day or two.
Although the foxes in our zoo are never at risk of going hungry, hoarding food is in their nature.
When foxes hide their food, they do not put all the eggs in one basket, but rather scatter their food across various locations within a large area. This way, even if a competitor discovers some, they would not lose all of their stored food.
It's a bit like how we humans invest and manage our finances, thinking ahead for the future.
Ever since moving here and having this sandy area, our foxes gradually began to hide things inside it!
This chicken leg, for instance, was actually a part of their meal this morning, but they fuss over digging a hole to hide it and covering the traces, only to dig it up later when they feel like eating. Maybe this makes the eating experience more joyful for them."
After finishing the chicken leg, Sugar Pack licked its lips, tired yet satisfied, then it went over to the water basin at the edge of the exhibit to drink some water, before returning and sprawling next to the crown prince, basking in the cool comfort of the ice.
The two little girls had witnessed the red fox's food hiding behavior and thought the foxes were really fun! Both cunning and adorable.
They then arrived at the wolf exhibit.
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