Have you seen a Sierra nevada red fox?

[Harlen]

Hey Cameron, thanks for the heads up re Sierra Nevada Red Fox. I read the links, and then sunk 2 full hours into research. Prospects for the SNRF look bleak, even under the most moderate climate change situation. Here is the best Scientific Study I found:

https://ecos.fws.gov/ServCat/DownloadFile/169289 I hope that comes through, it is long, but fascinating-- a very comprehensive look at the species.

Twice I have had the good fortune to meet Todd, one of biologists working on this project; you might recall this description of mine:

We even met a nice young family, with a 3 year old boy and a dog friend for Bearzy. Todd, the local wildlife biologist, remembered our meeting once as I skied out over Alpine Col, and he was skiing in. He combines work and pleasure- collecting red fox scat, and footage from the motion-sensitive cameras they place on high ridges/travel routes. Great animal stories and knowledge- great to see him with his family this time.

As for sightings,
Carleton, Lizzie and I saw those 2 foxes (we thought they were Gray Fox) on our way back from our most recent Emigrant trip in May of 2022. They were around the Cherry Lake area:

For mammals, the usual rodents were all about, minus the Marmots and Pikas. For all of the fresh Deer and Bear signs, we saw just one lone deer. On the drive out though, we were lucky to see 2 Gray Foxes along the road.

[kpeter]

This is fascinating! Looking at the sightings map, it looks like there have been a string of sightings right along the northern Yosemite boundary--perhaps the Cherry Creek canyon? It looks like nearly all of them that are left are in Emigrant. I will certainly keep my eyes open. But perhaps only 10 left? That is a devastatingly small number.

[Shawn]

I wonder if any of you have been following the quest of Randy Robbins on YouTube? He has a goal to get the best photograph ever of a SNRF.
It has been fascinating to watch, and in his second video he kind of strikes gold. Fast forward to 11:20 in the video.
https://youtu.be/u8mqs-rm3Hk

[kpeter]

Good news! The LA Times had an article, reprinted in the SJMN this morning, that leads as follows:

The sleek and tenacious Sierra Nevada red fox — once thought to have disappeared from the mountain range that bears its name — has been detected near the eastern boundary of Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks. The discovery by scientists from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife gives them hope that the population of the small carnivore could be expanding, or at least occupying a broader range than previously believed, increasing the fox’s chance of survival.

An interesting article, I recommend you all to look it up and read it. Four sightings near Taboose Pass last spring, between 11,400 and 12,000. That is high! The pass itself isn't quite 11,400.

And thank you Shawn for that Randy Robbins youtube link! Very interesting stuff, up there in Lassen. And nice to know that some are collared so we are learning a little more about them.

[cgundersen]

Ian, Shawn & kpeter,

Thanks for the heads up guys! I get a tenuous sense from that detailed report Ian refers to, and a more-optimistic tone from the video in Lassen that Shawn shared. Still, it's clear that these elusive creatures are walking a fine line and hopefully more will be done to help them recover. What are the odds they'll be sighted further south than Taboose? I know I'll be keeping my eyes open! Cheers, Cameron

[kpeter]

I also learned that they are affectionately known as "snurfs." Even the nickname is cute.

[Shawn]

It seems the deck is stacked against them, yet they continue to be seen. Really remarkable by any measure.

[Harlen]

Here is a positive sounding excerpt from an LA Times article from last week (is this the same one you found Peter?)

In 2018, remote cameras detected foxes at six sites within the Mono Creek watershed, southeast of the town of Mammoth Lakes. Researchers collected scat samples, indicating the presence of two females and one male. The samples also helped determine that the male had traveled more than 70 miles south from Sonora Pass to the Mono Creek area.

The California wildlife agency collaborated on the study with the UC Davis Mammalian Ecology and Conservation Unit, the California Department of Water Resources, Southern California Edison and officials in multiple national parks and national forests.

“These new detections are very personally gratifying and are a real payoff for all the hard work our staff has put in,” said Fish and Wildlife biologist Brian Hatfield, lead author on the research. “From a conservation standpoint, this shows that the Sierra Nevada red fox is more widely distributed than previously believed.”

Lawson said that wider distribution “means that they’re more resilient to a catastrophe or disease — something that could wipe out a population in one place. With populations scattered throughout the mountain range, you have a better chance of the species surviving.”

The reference in the first paragraph above is promising; that is the same story about the long-traveling fox, that I was told of by the Research Biologist Todd, whom I met in 2020 by Golden Lake. Todd also shared with me the fascinating facts captured on the remote cameras he places, and monitors. For instance, that in mid-winter, they have caught images of not only the expected Coyotes, but also Black Bears, and Badgers crossing the high passes!
And hopefully, there will be more and more Red Fox sightings.

[grampy]

interesting thread !

While looking for info on Pterodactyl Pass, I found a 2015 TR (posted by @Bluewater that mentions seeing/hearing numerous SRFs near Lonely Lake … photo included. Pretty cool stuff

[kpeter]

Here is a positive sounding excerpt from an LA Times article from last week (is this the same one you found Peter?)

Yes, it is the same. It took the SJMN a few days to reprint the LA Times article.