If you're visiting Grand Teton National Park sometime soon, you'd better keep a close eye on your shoes.
Earlier this month, officials sent out a warning on social media that at least 32 pairs of footwear had gone missing from campsites around the park. The culprit? Foxes were sneaking up to the tents and night and running away with shoes.
"What does the fox do with the shoes? We still don’t know," the post reads. "Maybe it’s a toy. Maybe it’s a nesting material collection. Maybe it’s fashion."
The post continued: "Whatever the reason, one thing is clear: the more time this fox spends around humans, the more dangerous things get for the fox."
Unfortunately, instead of heeding the warning, some boneheaded visitors reportedly started leaving their shoes out on purpose, hoping to lure the mischievous foxes for a photo op.
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Rangers posted lighthearted "Wanted for Grand Theft Footwear" posters with a sketch of a fox around the park. But on a serious note, the park also shared reminders for campers when it comes to interactions with wildlife:
While foxes are cute and usually harmless to humans, feeding or baiting any wildlife can cause them to become habituated — meaning they lose their fear of humans. That's dangerous to both animals and humans.
So if you find yourself in the Tetons this summer, keep your boots in your tent and your eyes on the trail. And if you see a fox strutting around in a pair of Chacos, mind your own business.
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