Photo: Extremely Rare Red Fox Sighted in Yosemite
OutdoorHub Reporters 02.03.15
Officials with the National Park Service (NPS) confirmed last month that remote cameras in Yosemite National Park have captured images of a Sierra Nevada red fox, one of the most rare and endangered mammals in North America.
Sierra Nevada foxes are so rare that every discovery of these small critters is cause for excitement. This is especially true in Yosemite, where the fox has been absent for nearly 100 years. Fewer than 50 of these foxes are believed to still exist in North America. The largest concentration of Sierra Nevada foxes remain near Lassen Volcanic National Park, although several foxes have been spotted by remote cameras across the West Coast.
“We are thrilled to hear about the sighting of the Sierra Nevada red fox, one of the most rare and elusive animals in the Sierra Nevada,” stated Don Neubacher, Yosemite National Park Superintendent, in a press release. “National parks like Yosemite provide habitat for all wildlife and it is encouraging to see that the red fox was sighted in the park.”
Park officials said that the fox was first spotted within Yosemite in December, and then again in early January. The park’s carnivore team has already begun setting up additional cameras and snare stations—non-harmful devices that obtain hair samples—in the area in the hopes of spotting more Sierra Nevada foxes. Park biologists say it is likely that the fox seen last month arrived from the Sonora Pass area north of the park, although genetic testing is needed to be sure.
“Confirmation of the Sierra Nevada red fox in Yosemite National Park’s vast alpine wilderness provides an opportunity to join research partners in helping to protect this imperiled animal,” stated Sarah Stock, wildlife biologist for Yosemite National Park. “We’re excited to work across our boundary to join efforts with other researchers that will ultimately give these foxes the best chances for recovery.”
Historically, the Sierra Nevada fox came from the high mountain habitats of its namesake, and were once found widely from Mount Shasta to the Sequoia-Kings Canyon. Over the years the fox’s population has dwindled dramatically and in many areas, has become locally extinct.
