May 19, 2015 Red Fox With Prey, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA
Red Fox With Uinta Ground Squirrels
Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA
Canon EOS 1D X, 600 f4 IS II & 1.4x III, 1/750 sec, f5.6, ISO 800
Image taken on May 18, 2015.
Yellowstone National Park is also good for animals other than bears, and yesterday I had a great encounter with a Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes or Vulpes fulva) carrying two Uinta Ground Squirrel (Urocitellus armatus) prey. I first spotted it as it entered a paved parking area, so I rushed ahead to get in front of it when it returned to a natural setting. I got a few shots before it went out onto the road so I rushed ahead again. When I passed it, I saw it sitting and resting at the top of a small rise, and I set up to photograph it as it continued its journey. When it came back into view, it no longer had its prey and promptly laid down in some shade and rested some more. It got up and went back for the prey, then continued its journey straight towards me (above) — fantastic!