It\u2019s a lighthearted way to remind park visitors of a serious matter \u2014 keeping wildlife wild and people safe, Grand Teton spokeswoman Emily Davis told Cowboy State Daily.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOn June 26, we posted attention-grabbing signs in the area, asking campers to store shoes and other belongings inside vehicles, bear boxes or occupied tents,\u201d she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWildlife managers have documented a collared fox in the area, but it\u2019s unclear which fox or how many foxes are responsible, and we don\u2019t yet know where the shoes are being taken,\u201d Davis added.\u00a0<\/p>\n
There\u2019s no way of knowing for sure why foxes might steal shoes, retired biologist Franz Camenzind of Jackson told Cowboy State Daily.\u00a0<\/p>\n Since canines are naturally curious, reports of the Grand Teton shoe thefts\u00a0don\u2019tsurprise Camenzind, who studied coyote behavior in and around the National Elk Refuge near Jackson.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cCanines will carry strange things back to the den to chew on,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n It\u2019s also possible that mother fox with kits (baby foxes) might haul things back her den for the kits to play with, he added.\u00a0<\/p>\n He recalled seeing bits of leather and all sorts of other chewable things stashed around coyote dens,\u00a0so it\u2019s not too much of a stretch to suppose foxes would engage in similar behavior, he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n It could be possible that the shoe-stealing fox is looking for fun new toys, Davis said.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe fox may be attracted to the scent or taste of shoes, or it might simply be treating them like toys,\u201d she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cInterestingly, in another example of playful or curious fox behavior, park staff discovered a Kong dog toy last year at a fox den in a different part of the park,\u201d she added.\u00a0<\/p>\n While the fox might be motivated by fun, wildlife getting too used to people can end badly for the animals.\u00a0<\/p>\n Park managers differentiate between wild animals that are habituated, or used to humans, and those that are food-conditioned, or hooked on human-provided food sources, Davis said.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe campground fox is habituated, which differs from being food-conditioned,\u201d she said. \u201cHabituation occurs when a wild animal loses its natural wariness of humans, while food-conditioned animals actively seek out humans for food, increasing the risk for a negative human-animal interaction.<\/p>\n \u201cFood-conditioned wildlife might be removed from the park, which can include being humanely killed by park managers to protect public safety.\u201d<\/p>\n As in Yellowstone National Park, visitors to Grand Teton should stay at least 100 yards away from bears and wolves, and 25 yards away from other wildlife, including foxes.\u00a0<\/p>\n To keep the shoe-stealing fox from ending up in serious trouble, Davis said people should try spooking it away if it gets too close.<\/p>\n \u201cIf it approaches you, clap your hands or make noise to encourage it to leave,\u201d she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Shoe-fox-theft-7.18.25.jpeg\")
The National Park Service has put up lighthearted signs warning people of a fox, or foxes, stealing shoes from the Lizard Creek campground in Grand Teton National Park. (Courtesy National Park Service)Toys For The Little Ones?<\/strong><\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Shoe-fox-theft-3-7.18.25.jpeg\")
The National Park Service has put up lighthearted signs warning people of a fox, or foxes, stealing shoes from the Lizard Creek campground in Grand Teton National Park. (Courtesy National Park Service)Habituated Animals<\/strong><\/p>\n