The Sierra Nevada red fox—one of the rarest mammals in the U.S.—was recently caught on camera in Yosemite National Park for the first time in a century.

The fox, one of what experts estimate to be less than 50 left in the wild, was spotted by a wildlife camera set up by researchers in Yosemite's backcountry, according to a National Park Service news release published Wednesday. 

“We are thrilled to hear about the sighting of the Sierra Nevada red fox, one of the rarest and most elusive animals in the Sierra Nevada,” said Yosemite National Park Superintendent Don Neubacher in the release. 

In a phone interview with Sierra, Yosemite Park Ranger Kari Cobb said the last confirmed sighting in the park was in 1915. 

That's not to say the foxes haven’t been in the park during that time because they're known to be "extremely elusive creatures,” Cobb said.

The Sierra Nevada red fox was actually spotted just north of Yosemite in the Sonora Pass area as recently as 2011, an event depicted in the video below compiled from a series of Central Sierra Environmental Resource Center wildlife camera stills.

Why the Sierra Nevada red fox population is so low is still somewhat of a mystery, but two contributing factors are cattle grazing and winter recreation.

Cattle grazing can drive out moles and voles, the foxes’ primary food source, and winter activities like snowmobiling pack down the snow, making it harder for the foxes to dig through for food and providing their natural predators—coyotes, for instance—easier access to the high-altitude areas the foxes favor. 

Since Wednesday, the story of the red fox’s sighting has been picked up by ABC, NBC and CNN  and widely shared on social media. "The publicity is good," Cobb says. 

“The attention on the Sierra Nevada Red Fox is beneficial because it tells the story of the red fox,” Cobb said. “It brings up something that most people don’t know about and it allows people to learn more about the Sierra Nevada Red Fox.”

But why is this one picture picking up so much momentum online? Well, besides the once-in-a-century rarity there’s another obvious answer: As Cobb put it, "They're super cute!" The furry, flame-colored critter loping along against a backdrop of snow is picture-perfect.

Anyone wishing to get involved in the effort to research and protect the red fox can make donations to the Yosemite Conservancy. Just be sure to specify you’d like to see your donation go toward protecting this rare and beautiful animal.