First Fox to Hunt Fish for Food Observed by Scientists in Spain

The first fox to hunt fish for food was spotted by scientists in Spain. The very rare incident was caught on video that shows a male red fox (Vulpes vulpes) reportedly grabbing a carp during spring spawning season in the European country.

This makes red foxes, along with wolves, to be the only canids known to engage in fish hunt, which is potentially a common behavior than we have previously expected.

The fox fishing event occurred in shallow waters, which still portrayed the intelligence of the animal, often depicted as a pest due to its notorious reputation of killing pets and livestock.

In light of the new research, growing evidence show that some members of the canid group, which also include dogs, are capable of such hunting strategy. The report theorizes this is not the first the fishing fox engaged in such activity.

Fishing Fox Video

(Photo : PATRICK PLEUL/DPA/AFP via Getty Images)

In a YouTube video published by Science News on September 17, it can be seen that the fox hid most of its catch, which was likely to be shared with a female fox, believed by scientists to be its mate.

The scientists were also uncertain if the incident is linked to a related case before where fish remains were seen in a scat of foxes before. During that time scientists speculated whether foxes caught the fish themselves or they were just scavenging for dead fish.

Also Read: The Fox and the Wolf: an Unlikely Duo

Story Behind the Video

Observations of the fishing behavior of the red fox was published in the journal Ecology on August 18, where researchers Jorge Tobajas and Francisco Diaz-Ruiz explored if whether the fox fishing phenomenon is an opportunistic-caching behavior or surplus killing.

The duo researchers in Spain initially took the footage of the fox stalking and catching 10 carp in a matter of several hours back in March 2016.

Tobajas from the University of Cordoba and his colleague Diaz-Ruiz from the University of Malaga were on a different project at that time when they stumbled upon the fox, who remained still and did not reacted to them. They then decided to hide and wait what the animal was up to.

Both men admitted that they have never expected such behavior in their years of studying the fox species.

What is the Red Fox?

Vulpes vulpes is reportedly considered to be the largest of the true foxes and one of the most abundant and well-distributed members of the order Carnivora. The fox species' preferred prey are rodents and rabbits, as well as amphibians and birds.

They have a presence across the Northern Hemisphere, including most parts of North America, Asia, Europe, and North Africa, according to the National Wildlife Federation (NWF).

Characterized to having long snouts and red fur throughout their bodies, red foxes have a lifespan of three to four years in the wild, can weigh up to 14 kilograms, and grow up to 50 or 90 centimeters.

The red fox is listed as "least concern" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).