The animation film "Zootopia"?has stimulated?demand for the fennec fox as pets in China.

The fox features as one of the main characters in the movie. Named Wilde, he's a con artist who eventually partners up with a bunny police officer.

In reality, the cute large-eared creature's natural habitat is the Sahara desert.

An employee of an animal import-export company in Liaoning Province says they have received quite a few phone enquiries since the film hit screens.

Although the sales are prohibited, the animals are reportedly being sold for about US$2,400 each.