Kenneth Glad
Wild animals are being harmed by trash left in public spaces. Experts say many incidents are never discovered or officially reported.
Denmark’s animal welfare organization received 626 reports last year involving live animals injured by trash, according to figures cited by Danish broadcaster TV 2.
The organization said the real number is likely higher because many cases are never discovered.
A recent discovery on the outskirts of Hvidovre, a suburb of Copenhagen, put the issue into sharp focus.
According to TV 2, a resident found a dead fox floating in a canal near a housing area. An empty energy drink can was stuck between its teeth.
The fox was later recovered and brought to Johnny Johnsen, a retired animal technician and former zookeeper who previously worked with Copenhagen Zoo as well as Dyrenes Beskyttelse (Denmark’s animal welfare organization).
The fox likely could not eat
Johnsen, who now restores animal skeletons and skulls as a hobby, examined the remains and shared photos online to warn about discarded waste.
After cleaning the skull, he concluded that the can had become trapped around the fox’s canine teeth.
“I think it died of thirst or drowned. But if it had not fallen into the water, it would have died of starvation. That is fairly certain,” he told TV 2
He believes the animal may have become exhausted after struggling to free itself and then gone toward the water.
“It is terrible that it ended that way. It must have been painful for it,” he said.
The case points to a wider issue
Peter Gravlund Nielsen, a biologist with Dyrenes Beskyttelse, said the explanation was plausible.
“A can can get locked around a tooth. Nobody saw exactly what happened, but I interpret it as the fox biting into the can and then becoming trapped,” he told the broadcaster.
Metal cans, food cans, plastic packaging and discarded fishing line are among the most common hazards for animals. They can trap wildlife, cut into skin or be swallowed.
The organization encourages people who find injured wild animals to contact a local animal emergency service for advice or assistance.
Post drew strong reactions
After Johnsen shared the fox’s story in a local Facebook group, the post quickly drew thousands of reactions and hundreds of comments.
Many commenters described the discovery as heartbreaking and blamed careless littering. Others thanked Johnsen for examining the fox and explaining what likely happened.
One person recalled helping another fox that had been running with its head stuck in a chip bag, while another argued that more trash cans were needed in public areas.
“It’s crazy. But it’s good, because it gets people talking about pollution and how casually we throw trash around,” Johnsen said.
He now hopes the story makes people think twice before leaving waste outdoors.
Sources: TV 2, Facebook comments
