In early 2015, with support from a Conservancy donor–funded project, biologists reported the first sighting of a Sierra Nevada red fox in Yosemite in nearly a century. Now, scientists need to learn more about the foxes living in the area, in order to develop plans to protect the species, one of the rarest mammals in North America.

In 2019, with your support, researchers used remote cameras to search for the fox in southern Yosemite, where the species had not yet been detected. By the end of the year, the cameras had collected more than 50,000 photos of 47 different wildlife species. They also worked with detection dogs in southern Yosemite, as well as in the northern part of the park, where the fox has been detected in the past, to conduct scat surveys and collect valuable genetic material.

Your gifts helped biologists conduct important research that will help them learn more about a rare species and will shape conservation efforts within and beyond Yosemite.

Completed in partnership with Yosemite National Park; California Department of Fish and Wildlife; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; and University of California, Davis.

Travis Espinoza

Wildlife Biologist, Yosemite National Park

Project Notes

This project provides park managers and researchers with a snapshot of the status of a variety of high-elevation species in a remote section of the park. We will have vital information for taking proactive steps toward population recovery of the Sierra Nevada red fox.