There within the Canid family of the animal kingdom can be found the Vulpes vulpes, commonly known as the Red Fox. Found throughout the subalpine meadows of the Cascade Mountain Range in Washington, only the lucky few are honored with witnessing the Red Fox in its natural habitat. Primarily found within the boundaries of Mount Rainier National Park, the Red Fox population struggles, so much so that it was placed on the Endangered Species List. But, if you travel to a small remote island along the western edge of the state, you will find a booming population with no natural predators, plenty of hunting opportunities, and protected spaces to roam.

In the spring, as the flowers begin to bloom, new life enters the world, hundreds of photographers flock to this tiny island to bear witness to the newest generation of foxes. As these fox kits start exiting their dens to experience what the world has to offer, the best way to describe them is as small tufts of fur with pearly grey eyes that can be ever so piercing.

The first couple of weeks after emerging, the kits will stay relatively close to the den and only venture our under the watchful eye of either mom, dad, or their older siblings from the previous year’s litter. If they are so lucky, as was this family, they will have plenty of brush and trees to climb and scamper through, exploring every nook and cranny, and emulating their parents.

When it comes time for the fox kits to take a break after playtime, they are escorted back to the den to rest, and for the adults to get some chores done. One chore in particular is hunting because those kits gotta eat.

Once everyone has a full belly and the kits are off to rest, it is time for the older siblings to go and play. This sibling pair was working on building another den. We were not sure if this was to transport this years litter of kits to and from, or if it was for one of them to build their own families in the coming years.

Not only did the older siblings get a chance to unwind, but the parents did as well. Sometimes they would climb trees to stretch their legs, or go down to the water’s edge, or just bask in the sun in the tall grasses.

In a neighboring meadow, another fox family can be found that definitely isn’t red. But that is ok. Red foxes can be found in a multitude of colors, such as red, silver, black, cross, cinnamon, tawny, etc. The silver foxes are what I have found commonly around the island, except for this visit, as this was the first time I had seen the traditional red fox. And there was a multitude of them!

Unfortunately, these Red Foxes are considered an invasive species on the island as they are not naturally found here. Back in the late 1800s, European rabbits were introduced as a form of sustenance for the lighthouse keepers as shipping food from the mainland was costly. But without any natural predators on the island, the rabbits ran rampant, devouring the natural plants, causing the ecosystem to crash. Sometime around 1930, the Red Fox was introduced to bring a balance to and maintain the population of European rabbits. This method of game management worked so well, that the ecosystem was able to bounce back with no negative impacts thus far. As such, the Red Fox population on this island is now a protected species, as they play a vital role in an otherwise unorthodox situation.

The Subtle Life of Foxes

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