dob Posted December 10, 2015 Report Share Posted December 10, 2015 Does any body know why foxes don't hunt in packs like wolves or coyotes , they must be related to dogs so why not? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old'un Posted December 10, 2015 Report Share Posted December 10, 2015 First ask yourself why they would need to hunt in packs (sly old fox..) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dob Posted December 10, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 10, 2015 Just curious really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WGD Posted December 10, 2015 Report Share Posted December 10, 2015 They can stalk, catch, kill and carry their prey on their own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotslad Posted December 10, 2015 Report Share Posted December 10, 2015 Evolution. Wolves and even some of the africain running dogs or dingo's tend to hunt fairly large game so need the numbers to bring it down. Foxes have evolved stalking smaller game so can handle it themselves.U could ask similar question about big cats, some hunt singularly and some in packs Althou barren vixens can help a cubbed vixen feed her cubs or act as a surrogate if vixen is shot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
islandgun Posted December 10, 2015 Report Share Posted December 10, 2015 Ah but what part of evolution stopped foxes from forming a pack to bring down larger game such as deer or sheep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpha Mule Posted December 10, 2015 Report Share Posted December 10, 2015 Ah but what part of evolution stopped foxes from forming a pack to bring down larger game such as deer or sheep Man. Find any wolves in the UK? Big Cats? Bears? Any decent sized predator or small pack that could pose a threat? Other stuff too, but I blame us. That and you don't need or want a pack, for a rabbit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickologjam Posted December 10, 2015 Report Share Posted December 10, 2015 They filled a niche. Evolving stealth and agility to hunt smaller animals that other predators such as wolves couldn't. Wolves already existed hunting larger prey in packs so foxes couldn't and didn't need to compete. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dougy Posted December 10, 2015 Report Share Posted December 10, 2015 I have heard of it being done, not seen it myself so unsure. What I have seen is a fox chasing Fallow deer, bloody thing chased it off from near my high seat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
islandgun Posted December 10, 2015 Report Share Posted December 10, 2015 (edited) Man. Find any wolves in the UK? Big Cats? Bears? Any decent sized predator or small pack that could pose a threat? Other stuff too, but I blame us. That and you don't need or want a pack, for a rabbit. they evolved not to form packs because of man,? has anyone any knowledge of two or more foxes hunting together ? perhaps in a hen coop or either side of a hedge. how about a family group i think nickolojam is more on the money filling a niche Edited December 10, 2015 by islandgun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotslad Posted December 10, 2015 Report Share Posted December 10, 2015 But thats wot evolution is, different animals/birds evolve different ways to fill different niches in the environment/ecosystems and exploit all the foood sources. They're was no point in foxes trying to attck large game as in past would of been competeing with wolves, bear and possibly lynx, but both bear and lynx are solo hunters. Wolves will track chase will lynx will ambush more as well as stalking. Thats why non natives can do so much harm as natives have no evolved protection from them. In NZ there was no native mammals (other than bats and mice) so almost all niches filled by birds which were also ground nesting as no need to roost/nest up trees, so the release of predators rats,stoats etc is really having a massive impact on them In scandinivai they're was a bout of distemper? which wiped out foxes in local areas and the roe population shot up due to lack of predatation, be mainly of kids/calfs. Not sure if it is as normal here, possibly to much other easier food about? as most roe generally have twins, unless far more are having triplets and 1 is predated? But i doubt it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rovercoupe Posted December 10, 2015 Report Share Posted December 10, 2015 I have seen 4 foxes hunting together on more than one occasion and 2 foxes together round here for the last couple of years, its alot quieter now the farm next to me has a pack of hounds........ only seen one this summer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluesj Posted December 10, 2015 Report Share Posted December 10, 2015 Foxes and dogs are not the same genus foxes are vulpini wolves are Canis as are dogs they are all the same family Canidae. Another way to look at it is foxes wolves and dogs are the same make but different models. Its a bit like saying why don't we live in trees and eat leaves Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince Green Posted December 11, 2015 Report Share Posted December 11, 2015 Urban foxes appear to exist in family groups, that not the same thing as a pack but rather them adapting to the conditions they live in. They suffer from overcrowding in the same way the humans do Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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