Produced by: Mohsin Shaikh
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In the high peaks of New England, biologists have uncovered a fox species never cataloged before—an elusive predator roaming above 2,500 feet, where few researchers have dared to look.
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Wildlife photographer Elaine Westbrook unknowingly captured the first known image of the Highland Fox in 2021. Her photos ignited a scientific hunt that confirmed an entire unknown population.
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With rust-colored fur streaked by silver-gray "saddle" patches and a black-tipped tail, this fox doesn’t match any known species. And its DNA says it hasn’t for nearly 100,000 years.
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Testing reveals this fox shares ancestry with red and kit foxes—but is genetically distinct. Scientists believe it diverged during the last Ice Age, surviving in isolation ever since.
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Its thick neck ruff, rounded ears, and shorter legs make it built for the cold. This isn't a fox that hunts meadows—it owns the mountain ridges above 3,000 feet.
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With fewer than 2,000 known individuals and shrinking alpine habitat, the Highland Fox may disappear before it’s formally named. Biologists say climate change is its fastest-moving threat.
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GPS tracking shows these foxes don’t roam far—just 3 to 5 square miles. Their “mountain island” lifestyle keeps them genetically and geographically isolated from other foxes.
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The fox lives in zones too rugged for regular surveys—forests laced with cliffs and meadows inaccessible by road. If not for camera traps and local sightings, it might still be a myth.
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New England wildlife agencies are scrambling to protect this fox’s habitat. But the race is tight—warming temperatures, fragmented forests, and low numbers mean there’s no margin for delay.
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