Our New Cascade Red Fox Study
We have exciting news and want you to be the first to know. We have captured and collared our first two Cascade red foxes as part of a collaborative study between Cascades Carnivore Project, Mount Rainier National Park, and the University of Washington to track these elusive Cascade red foxes.
Our field team, led by Nate, a M.Sc. student at the University of Washington, has been honing their trapping skills and experimenting with different baits, and were successful in capturing these two individuals after two months of work. In early November, they captured a young male cross-phase Cascade red fox nicknamed Shadow and two weeks later were successful in capturing a red-phase female.
Cascade red fox.
A fox’s view of the attractant - sheep’s wool with skunk scent - at the back of the trap.
After several years of fundraising, together with our partners, we were able to raise the initial funds to launch this three year study. We are thrilled to have our first field successes! This ambitious effort has the ultimate goal of determining how coyotes affect Cascade red fox survival and what are the critical habitat requirements for this endangered fox.
One of the study foxes during Summer 2023. Photograph by Susan Wepking
Each fox will be outfitted with a light-weight, high tech GPS-collar to track their movements over the next year or so. While no fox likely enjoys spending time in a trap, the field crew is diligent in visiting each trap twice a day so no animal is left for more than a few hours. The traps are also outfitted with a trigger that remotely notifies the field crew by cell or radio signal that the door has closed. The field heads out with a collar, sample collection supplies, blankets, and heaters to keep the animal warm while measurements are taken and the collar is put on.
This project represents a significant milestone in our ongoing efforts to understand what is causing the precipitous decline of this rare subspecies. The project enables us to gather data that will help develop the most effective, collaborative recovery plan to manage their habitat and their populations for future generations. We hope to collar eight, and possibly more individuals to build a robust dataset and a more detailed understanding of this mysterious mountain fox.
Graduate student Nate listens for a signal that notifies him if a trap door has been triggered.
Jocelyn and CCP field crew leader, Heather hike in a trap to set in Mount Rainier National Park.
As we continue to make progress, we will keep you updated on our discoveries. We are grateful for those who contribute to the recovery of the Cascade red fox. You are a big part of supporting this work.
With gratitude, Jocelyn and the Cascades Carnivore Project team
