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Rare Red Fox Sighted For First Time in Nearly 100 Years

Motion-sensitive cameras document rare Sierra Nevada red fox on two occasions inside Yosemite National Park.
In this Dec. 13, 2014 image provided by the National Park Service from a remote motion-sensitive camera, a Sierra Nevada red fox walks in Yosemite National Park, Calif.
In this Dec. 13, 2014 image provided by the National Park Service from a remote motion-sensitive camera, a Sierra Nevada red fox walks in Yosemite National Park, Calif. National Park Service via AP

Officials at Yosemite National Park confirmed the first sightings of a rare Sierra Nevada red fox in nearly 100 years on Wednesday. Motion-sensitive cameras deployed in the northern part of the park documented the fox on two separate instances since December.

"We are thrilled to hear about the sighting," said Don Neubacher, Yosemite National Park Superintendent in a press release. "National parks like Yosemite provide habitat for all wildlife and it is encouraging to see that the red fox was sighted in the park."

The Sierra Nevada red fox of California is one of the rarest mammals in North America, likely consisting of fewer than 50 individuals.