After having been given a columbian ground squirrel by the adult, the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) kit ran off with it and hid the prey somewhere away from the den. Coincidentally I received the latest issue of BBC Wildlife Magazine (July 2012) last week with lots of information about red foxes and how they rear their young. The larger male cubs receive more food than their smaller sisters. Interestingly, size matters for male foxes a great deal when it comes to successful reproduction later in life; large males can drive off competitors far better than small males. Weight does not affect female red foxes very much over the course of their lives though, provided they have enough food to live, of course. The kits are very possessive about food. Not only will they fight over it, but they will also run off with it and hide it, not sharing it with their siblings even after they may have had enough themselves. It appears the images capture this behavior. Click here to view more images of the kit carrying away the prey.
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Red fox (Vulpes vulpes) kit carrying away and hiding prey (columbian ground squirrel), Montana, USA