An Arctic fox rescued from the illegal pet trade was this week happily playing in his new enclosure.

Footage shows the white animal roaming around its temporary shelter.

The young fox, weighing around 7lbs (3kg), arrived at the Oregon Zoo on November 8 from the Bird Alliance of Oregon, which had cared for her since mid-October.

She will soon be relocated to Ochsner Park Zoo in Baraboo, Wisconsin, where she will be joined by a male companion named Apollo.

Staff discovered she had been kept illegally as a pet, making her unfit for survival in the wild.

Kate Gilmore, who oversees the zoo's ambassador animal area, said: 'She's been very curious and interested in her surroundings. We're glad we can provide care and enrichment for her until she's ready for her next chapter.

'While it's wonderful to see her thriving, this fox should never have been a pet.'

Arctic foxes are small, white-furred foxes native to the Arctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere.