The internet has no shortage of funny animal videos. From screaming goats to grumpy cats, animals win the web. Sometimes, though, our instincts to share cute animal videos actually do more harm than good. Take for instance the recent viral video of Archer, an Arctic fox, who on first glance seems to have the best sense of humor ever as his howls sound like high-pitched laughter. However, when we recognize that Archer is one of thousands of animals in the exotic pet trade, his laugh doesn’t seem so funny.
To fuel the demands of this trade, animals are either stolen from their families in the wild or bred in captivity, before being sold to individuals who keep them in completely unnatural surroundings. In the wild, Archer would live in the cold, snowy tundra where his thick fur and excellent burrowing skills would keep him warm. In this person’s home, Archer is seen living among piles of clothes in a bedroom – a far cry from his natural habitat. Worse yet is the fact that these foxes in the trade are taken from their mothers at just a few weeks old so that they form bonds with their human caretakers.
This video has been shared more than 29 million times, with most viewers completely oblivious to the perils of keeping wild animals. We can only hope that this video doesn’t encourage others to go out and buy wild foxes just so they can have their own “laughing” animal. The very best thing we can do for wild animals is keep them in the wild. Share this article and help spread awareness of the exotic pet trade. (Source : http://www.onegreenplanet.org/news/viral-video-of-laughing-arctic-fox-is-not-funny/)
