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Tourists left ‘speechless’ as rare red fox appears near Pangong Tso; IFS officer flags conservation concern

Identified by its sharp ears and bushy tail, the animal was confirmed to be a Himalayan red fox, as tourists wisely stopped others from feeding it, citing wildlife safety rules.

3 min readNew DelhiDec 27, 2025 01:07 PM IST

Many viewers praised the tourists for resisting the urge to feed the animal

What began as a regular sightseeing drive in Ladakh turned into an unforgettable wildlife moment when a group of tourists spotted a rare red fox near the banks of Pangong Tso. The encounter, caught on camera and shared on Instagram by Vibhor Srivastava, quickly went viral. The short clip shows the fox calmly approaching the travellers’ vehicle, a sight Srivastava said left him completely awestruck.

“Nature and travel vibe. When Ladakh surprises you with its wild beauty. Stopped by Pangong Tso and met this beautiful red fox – a moment I’ll never forget,” he wrote alongside the video, adding, “Nature always knows how to leave you speechless.”

The animal, easily recognised by its sharp ears and thick, bushy tail, was confirmed to be a Himalayan red fox, even though a few tourists initially mistook it for a wolf. When someone suggested feeding the fox, others in the group immediately stepped in, noting that feeding wild animals is strictly discouraged by authorities.

Watch the video:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Vibhor Srivastava (@vibhor_srivastava)

Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer Parveen Kaswan also weighed in on the viral clip. “Himalayan Red fox, beautiful. But somebody has clearly given her food last time. That is why she is expecting and roaming on road. I often say; sympathy based conservation is enemy of species,” he commented.

Himalayan Red fox, beautiful. But somebody has clearly given her food last time. That is why she is expecting and roaming on road. I often say; sympathy based conservation is enemy of species. https://t.co/hJwcOO2U2n

— Parveen Kaswan, IFS (@ParveenKaswan) December 22, 2025

Online reactions poured in soon after, with many viewers praising the tourists for resisting the urge to feed the animal. One user noted, “Good job by not feeding it. People need to understand that feeding a wild animal is not good for the wild characteristics of that animal.”

However, several viewers also expressed concern after noticing that the fox appeared to be limping. “Please watch it. It is limping. Left rear foot seems injured. It should be allowed to go back to the forest,” one comment read. Another added, “Poor animal is injured and is running on limping. Hope it’s not injured by some vehicle already.”

Others used the moment to highlight a larger issue in the region. “Worst is people feeding packaged food to Himalayan Marmots & posing for pics on the way to Pangong Tso,” a user pointed out, calling attention to the growing impact of tourism on Ladakh’s fragile wildlife.