Traces in the snow
Who was that?
Several other animals have also made visits to the carcass. In the snow you can see traces of a well-known fellow– the prints of rounded paws, and a yellow spot of urine with its scented message. Note also that the roe deer's head is gone. Who was that fellow?
It was…
The red fox has been snooping around here! Like the eagle, it is a carrion-eater which also hunts. Voles and mice are the fox's most important source of food during winter. Those small prey usually stay beneath the snow, where they are difficult to locate and catch.
Headless
With larger prey such as roe deer, the fox often gnaws off the head which it then carries away and buries in the ground. It is always useful to keep a supply of food in reserve, but it is not known why the fox buries the head of a carcass in this way. Most likely, the brain with its high fat content is a desirable food.
Visit the den!
Now, visit the fox's den in the evergreen forest. Look carefully at the remains of prey that are spread about on the ground. What do you see, if not… Yes– the skull of a roe deer!
