The Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes are leading the effort to restore the swift fox in Montana.

The fox was declared extinct in the state in 1969. The animals are now finding new homes on the reservation.

"It's thanks to these tribes that we have the swift fox population growing in this state," said Jonathan Procter of Defenders of Wildlife told The Billings Gazette. "The tribes have really been the leaders in the restoration of swift foxes across the Northern Plains."

The swift fox plays an important role in tribal history, having brought warm weather to the Assiniboine people. "I just think they're an awesome animal," tribal wildlife technician Leonard Bighorn told the paper. "It's a thrill in the springtime to see them and see how they've reproduced."

Get the Story:
Batch of swift foxes moving to Fort Peck reservation (The Billings Gazette 8/17)
Tale of the swift fox and the amazing bag (The Billings Gazette 8/17)