Trail camera captures unbelievable glimpse of 'notoriously secretive' creature: 'This is something you never see'

Red foxes are "notoriously secretive," so getting a glimpse of one is rare.

However, CBS News has shared a report about a trail camera set up in the Pittsburgh area by PixCams, which not only offers the chance to watch a family of red foxes — including six kits — live their lives, but also caught part of the foxes' den collapsing.

PixCams wrote on Facebook, where it shared the video: "This is something you never see. Part of the top of the rocks at the den collapsed this morning while the kits were out. All the kits are safe!"

This is the first time in seven years PixCams has been able to catch a fox family on one of its cameras. The company has been attempting to set up a camera near a fox den since 2016, but it only recently succeeded when a previously set-up camera just happened to be near the den these foxes chose as home. 

PixCams has a multitude of other wildlife streams going, too, adding to the prolific wildlife monitoring happening in and around Pittsburgh. Many of the area's wildlife streams are used in classrooms, with teachers comparing them to virtual field trips. 

A West Mifflin Area School District kindergarten teacher told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, "It's been a good way to integrate science and the environment in everyday lives."

Trail cameras and wildlife streaming don't only offer educational value, though. 

These types of cameras can be powerful tools in conservation efforts, as they can help wildlife experts determine the population health of endangered species. Trail cameras, such as those used by PixCams, are also excellent for documenting and retaining evidence from rehabilitation efforts. 

Smart management of wildlife and nature via the use of technology, such as trail cameras, can aid in the survival of more species, which is beneficial in keeping ecosystems balanced. This ultimately helps humans, as healthy biodiversity can boost our food supply.

As for the foxes PixCams is filming, the company told CBS News it will continue to follow the kits being raised to adulthood, allowing viewers to watch "one of the most intimate parts of a red fox's life."

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