ANIMAL RESCUE: Nathan Bowes, of Wetheriggs Animal Rescue Centre, with Hunter the fox cub, which will visit schools in Teesdale
ANIMAL RESCUE: Nathan Bowes, of Wetheriggs Animal Rescue Centre, with Hunter the fox cub, which will visit schools in Teesdale

A RESCUE fox cub that thinks it’s a human is to be used for education purposes at schools around Teesdale.

The six-week-old cub was initially found abandoned in Sunderland and brought to Wetheriggs Animal Rescue Centre, near Greta Bridge, by the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA) charity.

Animal sanctuary owner Terry Bowes believes the little animal was dropped by a vixen after it was startled.

He said: “It was a tiny baby and its eyes were only opening. It thinks it is human because it was with humans for two days before it came here.

“It is completly imprinted. It has no fear.”

Had the animal not been imprinted, Mr Bowes said it would have been raised wild and later released in the north of Scotland so as not to impact on farming activities in Teesdale.

The female cub has been called Hunter, in line with the sanctuary's policy of giving all animals that arrive, or are born, at the rescue centre this year names that begin with the letter H.

Mr Bowes said the animal will be taken to schools and other centres to help educate people about foxes.