RECENT WORK – Fox Kits


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Red fox Kits playing & exploring and growing up to be healthy and strong foxes.

It must have been about four years ago when I met my first red fox and it was love at first sight.
I had always been fascinated by fairytale foxes, so well known for their slyness and intelligence.
I’d never have dreamt though, that a real red fox (kit) could be even much more beautiful, social, creative and surprising than his fictitious version.

Since that day I immersed myself in red fox behaviour.
I’ve seen them crawling, hugging, fighting, eating and hunting.
I admired them in their pretty winter fur and in their rumpled summer coat full of ticks.

Two summers ago, on one of my fox ‘hunts’, I stumbled upon a little red fox cub.
The cub was very shy, the harsh  light ruined my photos, but…it sure was an unforgettable moment!
Of course I tried to find them at a better time, but the next day the foxes had moved. (Later on I learned that red fox families tend to do that during the first weeks.)

This encounter made a big impression and I decided to test my luck again this spring.
That turned out to be a little trickier than expected.
To put it shortly: I must have walked more than 200 miles, spent two full weeks in a train to get there and waited two very boring days staring at a (abandoned) red fox den.

And then, on yet another ridiculously hot day, after another 20km of trudge, I plopped down on the grass, all sweaty, hungry, tired and pretty effing frustrated.
I just decided that it was about time to end this chance-less mission, when a white silhouette came walking towards me: The White Indian! (a remarkable person, always wearing white clothes and long white braided hair)
He friendly asked me how I was doing….

Me: “Well….I’m completely fed up with these Foxes.
I’m trying so hard, but I just can’t find them.
And even when I almost found them,  I seem to loose them again..”

WI: “You know…..you’re just way too eager.”
Me: “Maybe, but how could I not be eager….?
This is my mission, these are my favourite animals, how can I not …?”

WI: And yet….you just have to let go…”
Me:Easier said than done, but I guess you’re right.
I ‘ve waisted so much time and energy: Enough is enough. I’m done. I give up. I ‘m letting go NOW!.

“Good”. The WI said.
“And you’ll see from the moment you let go, you will find exactly what you were looking for.

Me:“Yeah Right, in a Perfect World! ;)”

And -I’m not lying- at that precise moment, a vixen came running by.
The way she walked somehow triggered my last bit of energy.
“I put you on Hold White Indian, I’ve got one last fox thing to do….”
So I carefully followed the fox, expecting her to disappear in the prickly bushes to leave me behind like a fool who doesn’t know when to stop…

Just when I was about to joggle back,  I saw something red wriggling in the bushes.
So I moved a little closer and to my big surprise I found these three tiny cubs being suckled by the mother red fox…d’awwwww!
Needless to say that my heart skipped some beats….so close, so beautiful…
A moment I will never forget.
I was too close to take a decent picture and in order not to disturb them I just made one photo and sneaked away from the den.
Outside stood a the White Indian, grinning like crazy: “I told you so… just let go …”