NPS
A Sierra Nevada red fox was seen in Yosemite National Park for the first time in 100 years.
Yay!
The rare fox was captured on two different occasions by a motion-sensitive camera planted in the far northern part of the park. The first sighting was on Dec. 13, 2014, and the second sighting was on Jan. 4, 2015.
"They are extremely cute little animals," park spokeswoman Kari Cobb told The Los Angeles Times. "When you see them, they are pretty majestic."
According to the park, the Sierra Nevada red fox is one of the rarest mammals in North America. Fewer than 50 are thought to be alive today.
The last sighting of a Sierra Nevada fox was in 2010, in an area north of Yosemite called Sonora Pass. Before that, biologists had not seen a fox in the region for two decades.
Biologists have set up hair traps where the cameras are located. Hair that gets left behind will be used to extract genetic material and to learn more about the animal.
Here's a closer picture of a Sierra Nevada red fox photographed in 2002. They are very fuzzy and adorable.
