Red fox sighting could ignite political fight
By Michael Doyle, McClatchy News Service
WASHINGTON — The rarely seen Sierra Nevada red fox could be the next candidate for federal protection, and perhaps political controversy, now that one has been photographed prowling around Sonora Pass.
State law currently covers the fox. The federal Endangered Species Act does not. As scientists pick up the animal’s elusive trail, regulatory and political choices will become more pressing.
Rare red fox. Photo/CDFG
“It looks like it may be an excellent candidate for listing,” Lisa Belensky, senior attorney with the Center for Biological Diversity, said Tuesday. “We’re considering it.”
John Buckley, director of the Twain Harte-based Central Sierra Environmental Resource Center, agreed Tuesday that “there is justification for listing (the fox) and having a recovery plan.”
