Colorado Ranger Thinks He Sees A Stray Dog, Then Realizes It’s Something Extremely Rare
Lane Fahrenbruch, a senior ranger at the Larimer County Department of Natural Resources in Colorado, was sitting in his office when he noticed movement outside.
At first glance, it looked like a stray dog wandering through the snow near the reservoir. But something about the animal caught his eye and he couldn’t look away.
Curiosity got the better of him, so he took a closer look. And what he saw made his jaw drop. It wasn’t a dog at all…
It was a fox, but not just any fox. This one had a coat unlike anything he had seen before. Lane shared in an interview:
“I thought that I saw a stray dog at first. Then, after looking closer, I could see that it was a fox with a very unique coat.”
Dark, glimmering with silvery tones, the fox stood out against the white snow like a living work of art.
Lane quickly called a colleague to make sure he wasn’t imagining things, sharing:
“I was in awe. I’ve seen plenty of foxes before, but never one of this color.”
He quickly called a colleague and together, they confirmed it: it was a rare silver fox, a melanistic variation of the red fox.
These stunning creatures are incredibly uncommon, making up only a small fraction of the fox population. Seeing a silver fox is a real treat, and Lane felt lucky to witness it up close.
The fox moved gracefully through the snow, sniffing around bushes and trees, seemingly unaware of its human spectators.
It paused long enough for the rangers to snap a few photos, capturing every shimmering strand of its extraordinary coat.
Then, just as mysteriously as it appeared, it disappeared into the wilderness, leaving behind only footprints and amazement.
The rangers posted their photos on Facebook, eager to show others this rare sighting, sharing:
“We love our wildlife! Check out this rare silver fox sighting near Horsetooth Reservoir yesterday. Note that silver foxes are the same species as red foxes. According to Colorado Parks and Wildlife, genetic variations result in four recognized color phases: red, cross, silver, and black. All have a white-tipped tail, just as this one does.”
People marveled at the silver fox, fascinated by its beauty and rarity. Even though Lane hasn’t seen it again, reports from neighbors suggest the fox is still roaming the area, thriving in its natural habitat.
Moments like this remind Lane why he loves his job so much. Every day is different, full of surprises and encounters that you can’t plan for, as he shared:
“I love the variety of work I get to do. Every day is different, and you never know what you will see or what calls you will go to. This was one of the cooler wildlife sightings I’ve seen.”
The wild is packed with tiny surprises if you just keep your eyes open. Lane’s going to remember this sighting forever, and it’s a perfect reminder of why getting out in nature is always worth it.
