Flash Of Silver

The Silver Fox is actually the same species as the Red Fox, but has a genetic mutation that results in a darker pigment. As a result, instead of having the classic red coloring with black legs and feet, silver foxes are predominately black, with tinges of silver on their fur and white-tipped tails. Foxes that are red in color can have offspring that are black-and-silver colored. Historically the pelts of the silver fox were prized as most valuable, and worn by royalty in Russia and China. In the wild, 15 percent of red foxes used to be black-and-silver colored, but due to hunters targeting silver foxes specifically that percentage has fallen. This handsome wild Silver Fox was seen in the mountains of Colorado in late May on the road between Idaho Springs and Echo Lake. Photos by Reid Neureiter