A fox named Rambo, residing in Australia’s Pilliga Nature Reserve, has been evading capture and relocation for a span of three years, causing hindrances in the process of relocating other animals.
Despite nearly 3000 bait attempts and camera traps, Rambo has managed to elude capture. The aim is to relocate him to allow for the presence of rare marsupials in the reserve.
Environmentalists have dedicated 465 hours in search of Rambo, but even tracking dogs have been unable to pick up his scent, leading to three weeks of fruitless searching in the woods.
As the sole carnivore in the Pilliga Nature Reserve in northwestern NSW, Rambo thrives due to the decrease in other fox populations and ample food and water resources.
Presently, he is confined within a fenced area spanning 5800 hectares, intended to serve as a secure habitat for Australia’s rare marsupials. However, Rambo’s presence has impeded the introduction of these new residents.
Despite the successful relocation of other animals within the fenced area, Rambo remains a challenge to capture. He sporadically appears on the 97 scattered cameras in the forest, seemingly posing for photographs.
Conservationists discovered in early 2021 that Rambo was aware of the camera locations and actively avoided them. Human encounters with the elusive fox have been limited, with only two live sightings. Rambo has become a master of evasion and camouflage.
