Hi friends, Reef the fox here with your weekly “Reef’s Report.” My buddy Kai had the chance to go to college last week. That’s right, while I was back at the sanctuary perfecting my scream by yelling at Ridley, Kai was out there making academic history.
Kai accompanied our human mom, Nicole Navarro, to the University of Miami, where she was invited to guest lecture at the School of Communication for an interpersonal communication class. The students learned all about how foxes communicate nonverbally, both with each other and with humans. From ear twitches to tail flicks, subtle body shifts to eye contact, we’re basically fluent in silent language.
But the lecture didn’t stop there. Mom also talked about how Pawsitive Beginnings uses storytelling as a form of healing. She shared how the stories of our survival, from cages and cruelty to care and compassion, are woven into animal-assisted therapy sessions for people who have experienced trauma. Our stories help people find hope again. It’s deep stuff. (Deeper than the hole I dug in the enclosure last week, and trust me, that was impressive.)
And of course, Mom made sure to highlight something she always reminds our visitors: wild animals are not pets. No matter how charming, fluffy or clever we seem (I personally check all three boxes), we belong in sanctuaries, not on sofas. We’ve come from tough pasts, and we deserve lives that honor our wild nature, not ones that put us at risk for exploitation again.
What made the trip even more meaningful was that a young lady from the Florida Keys Children’s Shelter was able to accompany them. She’s been dreaming of attending the University of Miami, and this visit gave her a glimpse of what that future could look like. Sitting in on a college lecture and walking the campus made her dream feel just a little closer, and we couldn’t be prouder to have her as part of the experience.
Anywho, that’s all for this week. Keep up with all things fox by following our social media pages linked in the footer of our website at pawsitivebeginnings.org.
Until next time. Reef, over and out!
