Rare white fox cub is alive and well a year on

A white fox cub rescued from Flackwell Heath a year ago is flourishing at a wildlife hospital - but has lost his rare coat. 

The youngster, named Casper by staff at St Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital in Haddenham, has turned a normal reddish colour.

He was found alone and starving in the village in May last year and had probably been abandoned by his mother.

At the time Tiggywinkles staff said they could not release him into the wild because pelt hunters might shoot him for his rare fur.

Les Stocker from Tiggwyinkles said: "He got through all his x-rays, MRI scans, physio and hydrotherapy and has moved out into a pen with two other fox cubs.

"He was still a bit wobbly on his back legs and did get some sores from dragging them but is since walking almost properly now the sores have healed. 

"The only major setback was that his tail had to be amputated

"But he doesn't worry and now gambols around with his colleagues."

Casper was born with leucism - an unusual condition where pigmentation cells fail to develop properly.

This can result in unusual white patches appearing on the animal, or, more rarely, completely white creatures.

Picture 2 by Jeff Moore.