EoinGalway Posted July 6, 2007 Report Share Posted July 6, 2007 Being discussed in General Banter ... An amateur wildlife photographer has managed to capture images of the vixen swimming backwards and forwards from an island, gently cradling the eggs of a Canada goose in her mouth. The photographs show the extraordinary lengths a mother will go to to feed her young. advertisement Unable to carry more than one egg at a time, the vixen undertook the 80-yard return trip from the bank to the island four times until the nest was empty. After each raid the eggs, which had been retrieved unbroken, were fed to her cubs waiting in their den. On the final trip, the fox retrieved a fifth egg that she had hidden on the island, then ate it herself. The naturalist and BBC wildlife expert Chris Packham, 46, said it was the first time he had seen a fox behave in this way. "These pictures tell a great story and are quite an insight into the fox's world. I have never seen this before and I have spent a lot of time watching them," he said. "It shows how resourceful foxes can be and is a great example of how animals can appear to display intelligence. "It also shows how much time and effort they put into raising their offspring." Foxes will only swim if they really need to, he said, or if there is a good reward for doing so. "The fox realises that the egg is a big packet of protein which is just what her cubs need. She's basically delivering a packed lunch for each of them. "She knows she can't get that back to them if she breaks the shell so she has to be very careful. Foxes, like dogs, can have very gentle mouths when they want to. "This fox has probably learnt through trial and error how best to raid a nest of eggs and has become very adept. Finding this store of eggs was probably like going to the supermarket." Tom Melton, 47, took the pictures early in the morning on marshland at a wildlife reserve near his home in Warwickshire. He said: "The whole thing went on for about an hour and a quarter. I was stunned. When the Canada geese came back they were honking and hissing and making a real fuss - they were clearly very upset." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BSA Shaun Posted July 6, 2007 Report Share Posted July 6, 2007 Amazing that really! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vegeta Posted July 6, 2007 Report Share Posted July 6, 2007 who's a clever girl then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holland&Holland Posted July 6, 2007 Report Share Posted July 6, 2007 That is a coincedance ! In the latest issue of "Wild und Hund" a.k.a. Game and Dog, a german magazineabout hunting and shooting there are the same pictures, but of a different fox. These photo's are made by Walter Tilgner. Because of her holding the eggs in the mouth while swimming over, one of the eggs breaks and shows an almost full grown chick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazza Posted July 6, 2007 Report Share Posted July 6, 2007 brilliant Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tikkamark Posted July 6, 2007 Report Share Posted July 6, 2007 Yeah same pics were in the sun today as well they are amazing really for it to have such a gentle grip on a fairly hefty egg and not brake it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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