Red fox Vulpes vulpes
These catlike canines are elegant predators of the undergrowth. In the spring and summer, I observe red fox kits exploring the banks of the Shenandoah and sometimes wrestling with each other in the forested slopes. Occasionally, if I’m quiet and lucky, I’ll see a fox pad down the rocky outcrops to take a drink from the river.
A red fox’s cat-like vertical pupils are indicative of a low-to-the-ground ambush predator.
A juvenile red fox crosses a log over a small stream that feeds into the North Fork of the Shenandoah.
Portrait of a red fox
A red fox makes it way down a rocky outcrop to drink from the Shenandoah.
A fox kits exploring its riverine world
A fox kit observes the kayaking photographer from the safety of the woods.
Long legs make easy work of rough terrain.
