Red Fox Predation on Wolf Pup – Canid Specialist Group

Encounters between carnivores are often difficult to observe directly, especially when they involve rare or unexpected behaviours. In May 2025, while monitoring a wolf den in central Italy, Buelli et al. recorded what appears to be the first video-documented case of a red fox (Vulpes vulpes) attacking and likely preying upon a grey wolf (Canis lupus) pup.

The observation took place in the Castelporziano Presidential Estate, a protected area on the Tyrrhenian coast near Rome that was recolonized by wolves in 2016 and hosts a dense community of wild ungulates. As part of a study focused on wolf movement ecology, GPS data from collared individuals revealed repeated use of a forested area, indicating denning activity. The authors deployed camera traps around the den that revealed the presence of two wolf pups.

Footage showed a red fox repeatedly moving around and exploring the den entrance over multiple visits. During the night of 16 May, when no adult wolves were present nearby, the fox entered the den cavity and dragged a live pup (approximately one month old) outside; the pup briefly escaped and re-entered the den. Moments later, the fox re-entered the den and captured a pup, dragging it outside, after which the video recording stopped.

Following the event, only one pup was detected despite intensive camera-trap monitoring, supporting the predation hypothesis. After the event, camera traps also recorded subsequent adult wolf activity around the den. The pack moved to a new location shortly afterward, and the surviving pup was repeatedly observed over the following months.

Although foxes typically coexist with wolves and may even benefit from carrion availability generated by wolf predation, direct antagonistic interactions between the two species are extremely rare. This case highlights the opportunistic feeding behaviour of red foxes and suggests that even mesocarnivores may occasionally influence wolf pup survival. More broadly, it underscores the importance of field-based monitoring in capturing rare behavioural events that would otherwise remain undetected and helps refine our understanding of carnivore interactions.

Reference

Camera-trap sequence showing a red fox approaching a wolf den and capturing a pup in May 2025 in the Castelporziano Presidential Estate, central Italy. For the full video please see the online version of the published article: https://doi.org/10.1093/cz/zoag009.