Quick Facts

Latin Name: Vulpes vulpes necator

Status: Endangered

Population: About 50 in California, Oregon, and Nevada

Diet: Rodents and mule deer

Weight: 4.5-9 pounds

Length: Up to 41 inches

About the Sierra Nevada Red Fox

The Sierra Nevada red fox lives in the subalpine regions of the Sierra Nevada mountains. With only about 50 individuals remaining, it is highly endangered.

The Sierra Nevada red fox is a subspecies of the red fox (Vulpes vulpes), which has a narrow pointed muzzle, long thin legs, and a thick bushy tail with a white tip. The Sierra Nevada red fox is the only red fox that occurs naturally in the high mountain habitats of the Sierra Nevada and southern Cascade mountains of eastern California. They live in the open conifer woodlands and mountain meadows near the treeline.

The Sierra Nevada red fox is probably the most rare and endangered red fox subspecies in North America. A population is known to occur in the Lassen Peak region, where they are occasionally seen or photographed.

Relatively little is known about the Sierra Nevada red fox, as they are very hard to study. They live in remote, rugged mountain habitats. They are generally solitary and so do not occur in groups or herds. Like other red foxes, they are nocturnal, and they usually avoid people. Their remote rugged habitats, low population density, and elusive habits make them very difficult for biologists to study.

For more information: USDA Forest Service
Photography: Image #1 – Keven Law, British Wildlife Centre, Image #2 – USDA