Our second home is in a small town near one of the entrances to Yellowstone National Park. The town is home to a resident red fox population that is constantly under threat from visitors… not intentionally, but tourists have been known to feed them from their cars. And of course, too many people zoom in and out of there at high speeds, either eagerly trying to reach the park or to start a long road trip home. As a result, our resident foxes (and other wildlife) are killed in vehicular collisions each year.
I made this discovery on an October morning on the edge of town. A snow storm had actually closed the park roads (a rare occurrence), and we had already checked the park gate once that morning. A half hour later we drove back to check again, and this fox was lying in the middle of the highway, probably killed only minutes before. It’s one of my more disappointing moments in the field, but also rather symbolic of what happens when animals and humans are forced to coexist on the fringes of wild areas.
Yes, Max, the carnage done by vehicles, especially under conditions that should make avoiding a road kill is very discouraging. This does an excellent job of telling the story. Sadly the folks who need to see it won’t!
Great shot of a sad story, Max. Who are the fox’s natural predators?
I also photograph dead animals whenever I can and have a couple of decade’s worth now. Some are predatory kills, some road kills, some from who-knows-what. I’ve even exhibited 3 images in a juried show. Some day perhaps I’ll publish them, or show them here on NPN to gauge a response.
Matt, in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem their primary threat comes from larger canids (coyotes and wolves). Something like a cougar or wolverine could certainly be another possibility, but due to different habitats, I doubt their paths cross too often. Also, I did see a video online recently showing a fox chasing a fisher. That behavior seemed rather playful, but even though the fox was doing most of the chasing, I think a fisher would be capable of taking a fox in the right circumstances. They’ve been known to kill and feed on lynx. One other option is the Golden Eagle, which is present in Yellowstone. A friend has photographed one attacking a coyote there. I think Golden-on-fox predation is common in Europe and Asia, so it’s definitely a possibility.
I have also documented an American Badger attacking a fox den, but in that case we’re talking about kits being the prey. The badger held its own against the adult fox (and managed to invade the den despite the fox’s vicious defense), but I think it’s highly unlikely a badger would prey on an adult fox.
Oh, and I should add that there have been instances of foxes cannibalizing other foxes. Earlier this year someone photographed a red fox picking apart another red fox carcass in the Grand Tetons. However, I’m not sure if predation was confirmed, or if it was simply a matter of scavenging.
Great photojournalistic image that tells a story in one image without any interpretation. Most might see the “average” fox image in an anthropomorphic way but your image as well as the details of what makes their life difficult, including other foxes is enlightening. Thank you.
