The Guardia Civil have successfully rescued a live fox that had fallen into a well between three and four metres deep on a private plot of land within the municipality of Aspe, Alicante.
Following a painstaking operation, officers managed to extract the animal, which was returned to its natural habitat without any significant injuries, the armed institute detailed in a press release.
The alert was received at around 8.15 pm on Thursday, 2nd July, when a local neighbour contacted the main station in Aspe to report that a fox had become trapped at the bottom of a well located on her land and was unable to escape by its own means.
Once at the scene, the officers attempted to rescue the animal using a box and several ropes. The depth of the well, combined with the fear and resistance shown by the fox, made the task remarkably difficult. As a result, one of the patrol members left to obtain a capture loop, which they ultimately used to immobilise the animal and lift it safely to the surface. The fox was extracted alive and, after officers confirmed it was in good health, it was released back into its natural environment.
The Guardia Civil explained that the red fox is the only wild representative of its genus in Europe and one of the most widespread carnivores across the Iberian Peninsula. This animal plays a fundamental role in keeping ecosystems balanced, acting as an opportunistic predator with a highly varied diet that includes small mammals, rabbits, insects, worms, reptiles and fruit.
Its diet, which relies heavily on small rodents and rabbits, makes it an effective natural regulator of these populations, helping to control pests that impact crops. By consuming a large amount of fruit, it also acts as a seed disperser and supports the regeneration of vegetation. Furthermore, its role as a scavenger helps to remove dead animals from the environment, providing a health benefit to the wider ecosystem.
The Guardia Civil have reiterated the importance of conserving wild fauna and encouraged members of the public to report any injured animals or wildlife in danger by calling the 062 emergency number.
