The activity of rodents never stops, not even during the winter. The fast metabolism and the rapid loss of body heat due to the small size, in fact, require them to continuously search for food. Under the layer of snow, voles and mice move around digging tunnels, looking for the plants they feed on. Their movements are impossible to see because they are protected by the thick white coat, but the noises of their comings and goings certainly do not escape the refined hearing of a hungry fox.
Once it realizes that something is moving under there, the predator stops and tries to perceive – by moving its head slowly – the exact spot where the small, fast prey are. Then it sprints upwards with a nice jump, which allows it to acquire the right speed to sink into the snow with its front legs and snout, until it reaches the unfortunate prey.
But it is not always good for the fox, on the contrary, the success rate is not very high and in many cases the rodents get away with it.
In the present case, however, it ended well for the fox who resurfaced with a fat, dark vole in her mouth, seconds after plunging into the soft layer.
The winter season is very tough for all wild animals and being able to catch a few prey can make the difference between life and death.
