Rare black fox spotted in Halifax garden - have you seen the mysterious creature?

Black fox spotted in Halifax. Picture: Margaret and David NewsomeBlack fox spotted in Halifax. Picture: Margaret and David Newsome
Black fox spotted in Halifax. Picture: Margaret and David Newsome
A rare black fox has been spotted in Halifax.

Margaret and David Newsome shared some pictures of a black fox taken in their garden in Wheatley.

The mysterious creature was spotted snooping around after the couple put a wildlife camera in the garden.

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"We put the camera out the night before last and caught a glimpse," said Margaret. "Then we set it up again last night and that's when we got the pictures.

Black fox spotted in Halifax. Picture: Margaret and David NewsomeBlack fox spotted in Halifax. Picture: Margaret and David Newsome
Black fox spotted in Halifax. Picture: Margaret and David Newsome

"I've never seen one before and was really excited."

David added: "We get a lot of foxes and badgers. To see a black fox is the crowning glory."

The fox is considered to be one of Britain’s rarest animals, as it gets its dark colouring from a super-rare genetic defect and has only been spotted a few times in recent history.

According to campaign group Black Foxes UK, they make up less than 0.1 per cent of the fox population here.

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Black fox spotted in Halifax. Picture: Margaret and David NewsomeBlack fox spotted in Halifax. Picture: Margaret and David Newsome
Black fox spotted in Halifax. Picture: Margaret and David Newsome

There have been a handful of sightings over the years and back in 2017 it was thought that there was a breeding pair following four sightings in the space of just a few months.

Back in 2015 a retired farm worker from Boothtown, Robert Burn – aka ‘Black Fox Bob, hit the headlines was thought to be the first person ever film a black fox when he shot a video of it from his kitchen window.

Mr Burn spent nine months filming black fox and his red vixen galavanting in his garden and surrounding countryside.

Have you spotted the mysterious black fox in and around Halifax?

We love seeing your pictures from across Calderdale. Email your snaps of wildlife or scenic views to [email protected]

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