Tail-blazing architect sketches 90-metre fox into frozen lake

Aerial footage shows the 90-metre drawing of a fox cut into a frozen lake

A nature-loving artist has sketched a 90-metre fox into a frozen lake using nothing but a shovel to "make people happy" and encourage hiking.

Architect-designer Pasi Widgren took to Lake Pitkajarvi, just north of the Finnish capital Helsinki, to carve the image into the ice in just four hours earlier this month.

It was his sixth year braving the ice for the sake of art in a row, having previously etched a bear and owl into the same lake.

“Of course, I had ice awls with me, around my neck,” he said, in case the lake cracked and he had to rescue himself.

“Then I sketched the contours of the figure by walking and thinking it to match my image of fox at the same time and then I started to draw by using the snow shovel."

The idea for the came a few years ago when "I realised I may have a special ability of coordination".

The fox is already less visible because of snowfall, but Widgren said that's part of the point.

“It’s very important to me also that making this kind of art doesn’t leave any marks to nature.”