The tragic story of a young wildlife photographer and a very special fox has come to a heart-warming conclusion, thanks to the legendary Chris Packham, who recently invited the talented Shelby Grant (@shelby.photography__) to the set of the BBC's British wildlife series Springwatch. The Instagram post, shared via @protectthewild__, follows Shelby’s heartbreaking admission that the red fox he’d been tracking and photographing for months had been found in a field, dead, and with a gunshot wound.
The 15-year-old wildlife photographer shared the tragic news via an emotional video on Instagram (below), where he said: "He wasn’t just a wild animal to me. He was part of a lot of my mornings. My evenings and my peace (...) Shooting wildlife like this isn’t just cruel. It’s unnecessary. And it robs us all of something so beautiful.”
Shelby’s video went viral and has garnered 2.4 million views, 287,635 likes, and 19.5K comments and counting. While nothing will bring Shelby’s fox friend back, it’s a real treat to witness some of the frankly stunning photographs at the end of the video that the young photographer captured, ensuring that this beautiful animal's memory lives on.
In a final act of kindness, Chris Packham asked Protect the Wild if it could sort out a special gift for the young conservationist. They settled on a lovely little ceramic fox from British wildlife sculptor @sarahbrabbinart, a fitting tribute indeed. Make sure you visit Shelby’s Instagram page to browse through his exemplary selection of wildlife images. It might look like the home of a seasoned wildlife photography veteran, but at the tender age of 15, Shelby's only getting started!
You might also like...
Want to start capturing stunning wildlife photos like Shelby? Here is the best camera for wildlife and the best lenses for bird photography. But you don't have to have the best kit around. I can’t believe I nabbed this shot of birds in midair with a cheap mirrorless camera.
