The Cascade Red Fox is a rare subspecies of Red Fox that lives only at high elevations in the Cascade Range of Washington State, specifically in Mount Rainier National Park. They are small, weighing between 8-15 pounds. Though some have a bright red coat, they can also be tan, silver, and black in coloring. Regardless of the dominant color, the tips of their large bushy tails are always white, while the forelegs are black. What beautiful animals they are.
According to park staff, Foxes are opportunistic hunters, pouncing or ambushing small rodents, birds, and rabbits. They will also eat berries, eggs, and insects. Foxes will also take food from people, and can sometimes be seen begging for food around roads and developed areas in the park.
I took these photos near Paradise this past weekend. Unfortunately, despite the warnings, people continue to feed them and this beauty was not at all concerned when I stopped to snap his picture. Just looking for a handout. He/she looks so very healthy despite the long winter.
If you happen to see one during a visit to the park, you might see it equipped with a collar being used to monitor their wanderings and habits. And common sense tells us, please don't feed the animals.
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