Watch: Translocation effort returns swift foxes to reservation

The swift fox (Vulpes velox) disappeared from the landscape of the Fort Belknap Indian Community in Montana over 50 years ago, due largely to poisoning as part of a coyote (Canis latrans) eradication effort. Colorado, however, is home to a thriving swift fox population. This year, Colorado Parks and Wildlife contributed 30 foxes to help the community restore a self-sustaining swift fox population.

It’s part of a project led by the Fort Belknap Indian Community and the Smithsonian Biology Institute. Watch the video below to see how biologists capture these animals and restore them to the Montana landscape.