Critters on Joppenbergh

January 15, 2026

Meet Vulpes vulpes fulva also known as the northeastern Red Fox on our 118-acre Joppenbergh Mountain in Rosendale. 

Fun Facts the Red Fox 

• Not always red: Despite the name, red foxes come in several color variations, including silver, cross (a mix of red and dark markings), and even nearly black.

• Excellent listeners: Red foxes can hear small mammals moving under snow and will pounce with pinpoint accuracy—a hunting move called mousing.

• Built for winter: Thick fur, furry foot pads, and a long bushy tail (called a brush) help keep foxes warm during cold northeastern winters.

• That fluffy tail has many uses: Foxes use their tails for balance, warmth (they wrap it around themselves like a blanket), and communication.

• Mostly nocturnal—but not shy: Red foxes are most active at dawn and dusk, but they’re adaptable and may be seen during the day, especially in quieter areas.

• Omnivorous and opportunistic: Their diet includes small mammals, birds, insects, fruit, and even berries—helping control rodent populations and disperse seeds.

• Great jumpers: Red foxes can leap up to six feet in the air and dive headfirst into snow to catch prey.

• Family-oriented: Fox kits are usually born in spring and stay with their parents through the summer while learning to hunt and survive.

  

• A wide-ranging traveler: A single red fox may roam several square miles, depending on food availability and habitat quality.

• A sign of healthy habitat: Seeing red foxes on protected lands like WVLT properties is a good indicator of intact ecosystems and abundant wildlife.

 

 

Coordinator of Land Stewardship Cara Gentry has a real knack for selecting the perfect locations for our game cameras on WVLT-protected lands. She seems to instinctively know where wildlife travels—well away from “human” trail systems. We regularly move and check the cameras to better understand the activity happening on these conserved properties, and this past month, the cameras on Joppenbergh Mountain did not disappoint.

These cameras where installed with Cara supporting our SUNY Intern, and they captured a fisher, two raccoons, a weasel, an owl, lots and lots of squirrels—and an absolutely adorable red fox. We zoomed in on one image so you can see the fox sticking out its tongue—perhaps it was catching a snowflake.