WASHINGTON CASCADES 46°42’29.5”N 121°40’19.8”W
She didn’t know that today was our last goodbye. Winter has arrived, and her eyes were wet with worry, but she held hope that we would meet again after the snow. I didn’t have the heart to tell her how frail I had become, or how my aging senses have led to failed hunts and starvation. My winter coat is a fine mask. Curled up with the roots of my favorite hemlock, I listen to the blusterous storm raging above. A lullaby of muffled wind sings me to sleep as family memories from this very den fill me with joy and hope. A serene warmth rushes over me, and as I let go, I’m comforted by the thought of my friend and our shared purpose. I give thanks for the moments where our worlds—human and wild—intersected. As I take my last breath, the mountain tells me that my story has only just begun. Echoes of my existence will continue to resonate and stir hearts to protect and cherish life on Earth. Amidst the fiercest blizzards, when most species seek the shelter of forested valleys, the endangered Cascade red fox ( Vulpes vulpes cascadensis ) remains in the high elevations of Washington State’s Cascade Range—unfazed by winter’s wrath. These elusive mountain foxes cling to existence within isolated populations, their survival imperiled by habitat loss, human recreation, and the relentless march of climate change. My encounters with Whitefoot—the voice of this story pictured with the brown cross-coat—made the conservation of Cascade red foxes a lifelong mission, driving me to spend several months each year embarking on solitary treks into the remote subalpine wilderness. Camera in hand, I track and document the lives of these elusive foxes with the goal of illuminating their plight through visual storytelling, and contributing vital data to the biologists who share my quest and love for these fragile native carnivores. Seeking to unveil the secrets of coyote predation, prey competition, and the remaining habitat most crucial for Cascade red fox survival, biologists have begun a GPS collaring project. The first three foxes collared are already revealing clues to their conservation needs. With the arrival of spring, my heart blooms with hope. Last autumn, I documented a male courting the red-coated female pictured in this story. Is new life stirring beneath the boulders and subalpine soil? With eager anticipation, I look forward to uncovering what—and who—awaits.
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MOTHER VOLUME THREE
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