Photographer Uses A Whole Season To Observe And Capture A Red Fox Family As They Grow Up
A red fox family turned a simple terrace shed in Lansing, New York, into a season-long wildlife story, and photographer Melissa Groo was determined to document every stage of it. What started as a tip about foxes in a backyard quickly became months of quiet observation, as she followed the kits from their first days above ground to the moment they were nearly grown.
Groo set up a spring blind near the den and kept her distance while the family went about its routine. The result is a rare look at fox kits, their parents, and the small daily moments that made the story feel so personal.
By the end of the season, the family had changed in ways she could not ignore. Read on.
A family of red foxes had set up a home in a backyard shed
One was killed by a car; a similar fate may have befallen the others, as the nearby road was very busy. However, there are a host of other threats to foxes as well. The average lifespan of a red fox in the wild is only one-and-a-half to two years.
She then made it her mission to photograph them
She spent an entire season with the family
Groo observed as the baby foxes became more adventurous, venturing further and further from the den.
She watched the kits as they grew up right before her very eyes
Groo hid herself by setting up a pop-up blind near the family
She would quietly sneak into the blind to take her shots
They would hear the camera clicking and would look in its direction
Groo was particularly intrigued by the mother's frequent absence and the fact that the father primarily cared for the kits. She was aware that the mother hunted part of the time, as she had once captured her bringing home prey.
"But apparently, this is a common division of labor once the kits leave the den after the first five weeks or so of life. The father was constantly grooming the kits, and his tender way with them was very touching to me," Groo added.
This is similar to the wildlife sanctuary forcing a man to test living with fox urine.
The average lifespan of a red fox in the wild is only one-and-a-half to two years
The photographer noticed that their behavior resembled that of puppies
Groo watched the baby foxes become more and more adventurous
The kits would be completely ecstatic and leap all over the adult
They are always happy when the father or mother returns
Hey, what's your name?
The kits leave the den after the first five weeks or so of life
I See You!
The father was the one who mostly cared for the kits
The kits, on the other hand, are typically overjoyed when their mother or father returns from a trip, as they "would be completely ecstatic and leap all over the adult." If this isn’t one of the signs that the kits love their parents, then I don’t know what is.
Do leave a comment below on what you think about these photographs, and check out Melissa Groo's website as well.
Want more chaos with “strays”? See how Craig shared boxed “puppies” after rescuing them.
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