Grand Teton National Park was home to a bit of a “showboat” fox in January and February of this year. I use the word “was” instead of “is” because it appears her activity in the park is largely over for this year.
In contemplating how to write this post, it became clear there were three story lines: A Fox in the Park – A Male or Female? – & What Happened to It?
If you happen to be the impatient type, here’s the punch lines right up front: Yes, we had a beautiful, somewhat battle scarred Red (Cross) Fox hanging around the Moose-Wilson Road. I believe it was a female. Lastly, there are several reports of her showing up south of the Park, begging for food, and with a broken leg. The rest of this post will be devoted to filling in the three topics with more information.
The Cross Fox
Lacking biologist’s numbers, it seems many people like to name a commonly seen animal. I never heard a name given to this one…only “The Cross Fox”. Some of the grizzlies have local name like Blondie, Ashes, and Raspberry, while others are known as 610 or 399. Another Cross Fox was seen last summer near Jenny Lake and some of the nearby buildings, but numerous people tell me this one is not the same fox. I’ll take their word for it. Aside from it’s color markings, this particular fox has a scarred, ragged right ear, a scar on the right side of it’s muzzle, and is missing a few teeth.
A Cross Fox? I searched around on the Internet for an authoritative site to explain the facts about cross foxes. I expected to find a good site by Audubon or National Geographic, but didn’t find one. Interestingly, this site by the National Trappers Association contains a lot of useful information.
Addition March 9th: Michael Seiler saw my original post and supplied me with some additional information on fox genetics:
Wild Mammals of North America: Biology, Management, and Conservation, edited by Feldhamer, Thompson and Chapman. The Johns Hopkins University Press. Baltimore, 2003.
“The polychromatism in red foxes is genetically based and is determined by three alleles (…) that produce the three color phases (red, silver/black, and cross) observed in red foxes. All three color phases can occur in the same litter (…). There are (…) behavioral traits that appeared to be consistently associated with each color phase. For example, red-phase individuals appear to be more wary than silver/black- or cross-phase individuals.”
Michael Seiler adds, “The latter is quite interesting, as it might explain why the cross fox did serve you guys well as a wildlife model. I had the same experience with a cross fox that we saw up in Jasper last year. Fascinating that a gene that determines color also seems to have behavioral effects! The book also mentions that the dark color phases are more common in the colder regions and up to 25% of individuals can have it. Also interesting to note that the name cross fox does not stem from “cross” as in “crossbreed”, but because there usually is a dark cross pattern on the shoulders.
Cross Fox 2009: Over the years, I’ve seen and photographed several Cross Foxes in Jackson Hole. This one was near Teton Science School between Jackson and Wilson. Notice the white tip on its tail, common to all of our “red foxes”.
Cross Foxes 2008: This is an old image, taken along the outskirts of Wilson. It is tightly cropped in an attempt to show the color variables. The kit in this shot is almost all black, but would still be considered a red fox. I have a few very old digital photos of a Cross in the Aspens, on the west bank of the Snake River. Another one roamed the residential area at the end of Pacific Creek for a few years. In other words, they don’t seem to be limited to just one area or zone of the valley. Adult foxes shed their long fur as summer approaches. They are not particularly photogenic as they come out of the dens with their kits, but winter never seems to be that far off.
My first shots of this Cross Fox were taken on January 22nd, 2016 (The one at the top of the page in which she is curled up on the snow). The image above was the last one I took of “her” on February 13. A few photographers got images a day or two before and a day or two after my captures.
The Cross Fox apparently cached the wing of a Mallard Duck. The two of us there that day watched it dig into the snowbank and pull out the prize.
The fox was active a few days, then disappear for a few days. That’s my experience anyway. Some people cruised the area for long hours daily. I typically went during the morning hours, then occasionally for an hour or two in the afternoon. Mornings were generally better and more dependable.
This fox was a model citizen! I never saw it beg for food from tourists or visitors—and I never saw it jump into the bed of a truck in search of food. It used the roadway for quick access, but would move to the snow to hunt for ducks and small critters.
The Sex of the Cross Fox?
The Cross Fox regularly marked objects as “scent stations” and often hiked its leg in the process. Like many other photographers and viewers, I would have assumed the fox was a male as a result of the behavior.
One morning, a few of us got a lot of shots of the fox after it jumped into the creek in an attempt to catch a Mallard duck. The image above and the one below might suggest this is a female? I’ll admit I am not a biologist, and I could easily be wrong. (I can, and will, change this post if that turns out to be the case.)
For now, I am considering this to be a female. I’ve read where others have reported seeing male genitalia. Same fox? I don’t know.
This image shows a fox marking a sign post in Grand Teton National Park. It is obviously hiking its leg while urinating from an opening far to the back side of it’s body. I’ve seen the same fox squat to urinate, and most people consider it to be a female. The male in that area is larger and darker red.
Status of the Cross Fox?
Since my last photographs of the Moose-Wilson Cross Fox, I’ve driven up and down the road many times hoping for more images. It has been quiet, and there have been almost no footprints in the normal hunting areas. On March 6th, Lisa Wan posted two photos on Facebook of the fox on her back porch. She lives a fair distance south of the entrance station near the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort at Teton Village. I don’t know exactly where Lisa lives, but it is outside the boundaries of Grand Teton National Park. One of the wildlife preservation groups has reportedly been involved in trying to live trap the fox, and if successful, hopefully can rehabilitate the creature. I am sure they will also be able to positively determine the sex.
My Sentimental Comments
It is doubtful anyone knows what kind of critter the fox tangled with to get the torn ear, scratch and lost teeth. It is seen in the image above running from some sort of danger—probably coyotes we heard that morning. We’ll probably never know if the fox was hit by a car, much less whether that happened inside or outside of the Park. Only time will tell if she can be helped and if we ever see her hunting again. I was deeply saddened to hear she was seen with a broken leg, yet there’s still hope. We’d be much more saddened if someone found her dead beside the road. We’re lucky she turned up outside the Park. The GTNP policy is to let Nature take its course—a hands off policy. She is a beautiful creature, with tons of character. Many of us spent a lot of time with the fox and a lot more time waiting for the possibility of seeing it. I’d like to hold on to the notion “she’ll be back”—and better yet with a litter of kits.
“Don’t it always seem to go? You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone.” Anyone following this blog should have already noticed I tend to move from subject to subject throughout the year, concentrating on a few of them in short bursts. My time with this fox came and went all too quickly! I have lots of “keeper” photos of this fox. I know…I’m lucky to live here and have a chance to see the world of Nature on a daily basis. It is difficult to keep from becoming emotionally involved with some of the creatures, but it is inevitable with some of them. If you never saw it, check out: Elvis—King of the Gros Ventre
Additional Links:
Facebook: Bernie Scates
Facebook: Lisa Wan
Facebook: Mike R. Jackson
National Geographic: Red Foxes
National Trappers Association: Red Foxes