Foxes, red foxes
A wonderful experience
It was my second day of looking for the Red Foxes that have been spotted in the middle of the city. My first day was obviously not a successful one, so I asked for help from the Utah Wildlife Photography group that I am a part of.
It took almost 12 hours before anyone reached out to me on where to find them, and when they did it wasn’t a pin drop, or the exact location. It did set me in the right direction. When I was in the area I was told to go, I felt like I was being fooled. I was right in the middle of a busy intersection, and was told to go behind a bank. I did that, and all I could see was wall. I looked at the instructions again, and decided to drive around a few times to see if I could figure it out.
I drove up and down the street a couple of times. And all of sudden the light came on, and I saw the dirt road they were talking about. I drove down it. No Parking. So turned around, and parked on the street. I saw the horse pasture they were talking about, but started to feel like this wasn’t the place. I walked a little further, and was feeling defeated. I turned around, and out the corner of my eye. I see a FOX! It was amazing. The first thing I remember seeing is it beautiful red coloring, and it big bushy tail. I started snapping pictures. Through the fence. And then another appeared. I had butterflies. I had never seen a fox that close, or even the whole body of one. I had seen a couple of before (on the run). I just watch in awe, and continued to take pictures.
I turned for a moment. I can’t remember why, but when I turned back. One was less than 20 feet from me. I was nervous but not really. I watch it for a minute, and started snapping pictures. I became less nervous. I felt blessed. It had decided to share with me a little bit of itself. I stopped taking pictures as it coming a little be closer, but it was sniffing the ground, keeping its eyes on me. It was so beautiful. The color, the fluffiness of its fur. Its eyes that can pierce right through your soul. It was a truly magical moment.
I decided to follow it a little bit. Slowly, and very cautious of its space. As I look up I see another person with a camera. And I try to point to him the way the fox was. I for sure thought that he was also on the hunt to capture photos of the foxes. The gentlemen did not see my pointing, and also didn’t seem that excited. He walked over to a clearing between trees to take some pictures. I continued to walk towards him, and as I look over to where he was standing. I saw one of the foxes standing there. It was like he was posing for me. I stopped in my tracks, and starting snapping as many pictures as I could.
It was perfect. After I got a couple 100 pictures. I walked to where the gentlemen had been. He asked if I was here for birds, or the foxes. Which I replied the foxes.
We had a brief conversion and he pointed out to where there were some others laying down. He walked away, and I took about 100 more photos. There were about 5 foxes in this area. Most of them laying down, and unafraid of my presence there.
The gentlemen returned. We talk a little bit more. He mention Bohemian waxwings, and how there really wasn’t any birds out. Then he told me some awful news. He said that there were people feeding them. My heart sank.
Feeding Wildlife isn’t illegal in Utah, except in some cities. But it can be harmful for the wildlife by introducing the wrong food to the digestive system. It is also imprinting on them, which makes them more depend on humans. Which makes them trust humans, which could lead to all kind of trouble.
Utah DWR Article on Feeding Wildlife
As someone who takes photos of wildlife, I also think it immoral to feed the wildlife you are taking pictures of so they will do some kind of posing for you. I believe it is better to take raw unscripted photos of wildlife. I believe we need to not invaded any living creatures space just for the sake of a picture.
I hope that these foxes can continue to live in this space in harmony, and we as humans can learn from our mistakes and just let them live.