Clever and furry thieves are outsmarting campers and cottagers at Great Blue Heron Provincial Park, located approximately 50 kilometers north of Prince Albert. Sonnet McGuire, the park manager, started receiving reports of missing shoes in early July. Visitors discovered single shoes abandoned in bushes, along the roadside, and even at the boat launch. The culprits behind these thefts are a group of cunning foxes, known as a skulk, with a penchant for footwear.
According to McGuire, the park has five foxes roaming the campground that seem particularly fond of pilfering people’s shoes. Although this behavior is not new, the frequency of thefts has increased this year. Initially, the park stored the lost shoes in the campground office, but due to the sheer volume of missing footwear, they had to upgrade to outdoor storage bins to accommodate them all.
McGuire mentioned that on a recent day, there were around 70 shoes in the bin, but she suspects that over 100 shoes have passed through it this summer. This unexpected situation has turned into a sort of scavenger hunt for visitors at the campground, as shoes are continuously being found around the area.
One camper, Brenda Andres, recounted an encounter with the thieving foxes, witnessing one with a shoe in its mouth crossing the road. She emphasized the need to keep shoes indoors during camping trips to prevent further thefts.
Meanwhile, cottager Rachelle Kelln shared a different perspective, finding the foxes’ antics somewhat amusing. She noted an increasing number of shoes on her property near Emma Lake, with various types of footwear, including expensive ones like Adidas Sambas, being taken. Kelln has returned several shoes to their owners, who were relieved to be reunited with their missing footwear.
McGuire advised park visitors to keep their shoes indoors to avoid falling victim to the sneaky foxes, who continue to roam the campground.