Where there were fox kits, there were bunny kits too.❤️ It’s still hard to believe that these rabbit and fox families would share the same network of dens, living side by side, raising young side by side. It really made me realize how different rabbits were, not as cognitive as I hope assumed, since they don’t find reason to not live beside your predators.
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Cottontail Rabbits
Age: approx 4-5 week old
Date: April 2018
After my first sighting of Salty in the fall of 2016, I was fuelled up in wanting to follow and learn as much as I could about Red Foxes and observe them in the wild. I had done a fair bit of research to learn about when they tend to have young and calculated when I would likely to see young kits first coming out of their dens. I was rewarded for my research.
After we took a break from observing Salty on this visits first morning, we went to a different spot to give privacy back to where he was. We didn’t want to be too much of a distraction to his life.
After hunkering down in a new spot (somewhat camouflaged), we quietly waited. After maybe an half hour we were treated to seeing this from a safe distance, a vixen, who I named Bella, with her 4-5 weeks old kits popping out of what looked like a rabbit den ❤️. I was elated. Our safe distance had allowed mom to feel safe and allow kits to come out with any distress to go about their daily lives.
We also witnessed Salty coming by with a fresh kill, a rabbit, which was stored down into another den entrance just beside, there seemed to be a food cache there – more to research… This would my first time learning that these fox would often share the same den area with rabbits. Such a unique coexistence. When the fox kits went back down into the den and mom left to hunt, the rabbits would come out of the other den entrances, part of the same den network. They would sit right he their entrance and watch or feed close by. When the fox came close, they’d duck right back down to safety.
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Nickname: Bella with her kits
Age: approx 2 years of age with 4-5 week old kits.
Character: cautious, graceful, amazing mother
Date: April 2017
N.A. Red Fox: Male – Salty
In spring of 2017, we went back to see if we could find Salty and observe his life in the wild, to see how he fared after a winter, possibly his first… We managed to spot him out hunting for rabbits and voles with a couple of hours. Later that day we saw his mate for the season, a beautiful vixen whom I nicknamed Bella.
I began to observe their personalities and body featured to help me better recognise/I’d them in the field and in photos.
Salty has a slightly rounder, shorter jaw, with his upper canines peeking through just a bit to make him look like he has a cute over bite. He likes to sit and watch people. His facial fur colouration is also distinctive, which helps to I’d from another red rox. A highly curious affable fox. He unfortunately will go up to cars where there are humans to look for handouts, which means people have been feeding them. I’ve seen him walk into the road waiting for cars to drive by… I worry for the day some doesn’t see him or gets spooked and it will incur or kill him.
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No matter how many signage there are, a few people defy this for their own selfish reasons of feeling fun to feed or bait a fox for photo ops. Feeding them habituate them to not work hard to hunt and be well fed, wanting unhealthy human food, and being less afraid of humans and running into roadways, many young adult foxes have been killed on the road due this behaviour caused by humans.
Please think beyond your own moment of satisfaction, think about how your actions will change them and affect them and their safety.
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North American Red Fox – Red morph
Sex: Male/Dog
Nickname: Salty
Age: approx 1-2 years of age, young adult
Character: chill, curious, & cheeky
Date: April 2017
Then on the morning after our very first sighting of Salty back in 2016, we stopped by for one last peek before making our way home, and who should show up trotting by and coming up close to me once again, Salty. Thanks for saying hello Mr Salty 🦊.
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If you like this shot, I have a limited edition canvas print of this on sale. Info in bio link or DM me.
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North American Red Fox – Red morph
Sex: Male/Dog
Nickname: Salty
Age: approx 1-2 years of age, young adult
Character: chill, curious, & cheeky
Date: Sept 2016 @wildlife__perfectio @wildlifeplanet @wildlife.hd