One of the most endangered mammals in the world has escaped from a California wildfire

Wildlife officials say the Sierra Nevada red fox, one of North America’s most endangered mammals, escaped from California’s jungle and wildfires this summer.

The little fox is one of the rarest mammals in the world, living in the high peaks of Sierra Nevada and in the southern Cascade Mountains of California and Oregon. Although experts do not know the size of its population, it is estimated that there are only a few dozen people living in Sonora Pass, north of Yosemite and Mono Creek, ranging in age from 18 to 39.

California wildlife experts say Lawson Volcano National Park and the National Forest and its area are home to less than 15 people, where a summer fire has burned about one million acres.

The animal was declared an endangered species in California in 1980 and received federal protection under the Endangered Species Act this summer.

Foxes are not unfamiliar with fire, they are well suited to seasonal fires. The Los Angeles Times says they can hide from them or leave their territory temporarily, but experts will not be able to escape by themselves as more and more fires will be extinguished faster and hotter than has happened in recent years. .

Since 2018, researchers have provided multiple individuals with satellite surveillance. Based on these symptoms, at least four people have already been identified as survivors of the catastrophe.

One of the individuals, a woman named Thule, maintained at least two cubs when the jungles of the national forest were threatened by wildfires.

The observer pointed out that Thule moved north when the fire reached its habitat and returned when the fire was extinguished, said Jennifer Carlson, an environmental researcher at the California Fish and Wildlife Service.

Carlson says fox cubs also have a better chance of survival. Otherwise, the biologist explained, “Dulee’s maneuvering room would cover a very large area.”

His other three comrades were found alive after a fire engulfed two-thirds of the national park. However, it is not certain if their puppies are alive and the burned area has not yet been examined by experts.

Despite their names, foxes are not all red. They are black and reddish brown in color. The dense fur on their soles allows them to move safely even in deep snow. They can reach 5,000 meters in summer and 2,500 meters in winter. They are active throughout the year, living on small mammals, sometimes insects and berries. (MTI)