This unusual fox keeps being spotted in Yellowknife

Photos of a strange-looking fox circulating on Yellowknife social media have a lot of people asking: what the heck is that?

The fox is much smaller than a regular one, with short hair and what appear to be huge ears. 

Some have dubbed the creature Anubis, referring to the ancient Egyptian god usually depicted as a canine or a man with a canine head. 

James Hodson, a wildlife biologist with the N.W.T. government, said he was initially surprised when he saw the photos. 

"I thought it was pretty strange-looking. I've never seen one quite like that before," Hodson said. 

He said one possibility is that the fox could have a recessive genetic mutation. Foxes with that mutation are usually called Samson foxes.

The guard hairs — the longer hairs that provide insulation and water-resistance to the fox's coat — don't develop on Samson foxes, so they only have the shorter undercoat which is curly instead of straight, Hodson said. 

But why are its ears so big? 

Hodson said he wasn't sure if the ears are actually bigger than normal or they just appear that way because the fox doesn't have any guard hairs.

He also said the mutation is pretty rare, and he has only heard of a few cases in North America.

As for how the fox will fare as winter unfolds in Yellowknife, Hodson said "time will tell."

"I don't think we really know. He seems to be in good condition otherwise, from the pictures that I've seen," he said. 

He also said the condition can actually reverse itself — meaning it's possible the fox could start to grow its guard hairs in the future.

Alison Buckland, who took several photos of the fox, said she was driving when she saw what she thought to be a small dog getting chased by a fox. 

She quickly realized the dog was actually another fox.

"It was about half the size of the fox it was playing with," Buckland said. 

"It kind of has a weird smirk." 

She said it's been nice to see others post photos of the fox as it makes its way around Yellowknife — partly because it means the fox is still alive. 

"It's nice to have the community following this animal," she said.

Hodson said although the fox is cute, people should not feed wildlife and should let "nature run its course."

"It's definitely a curious case," he said.