Images show for the first time a red fox attacking a wolf cub

While it had been assumed that these two species of wild canids coexisted fairly peacefully, a camera trap set in an Italian reserve revealed an unexpected predation behavior involving a red fox and a wolf cub.

Unexpected Footage

This unusual scene was filmed within the Castelporziano estate, near Rome. Since their reintroduction in 2016, the region has hosted substantial gray wolf (Canis lupus) populations, with access to a wide range of prey, primarily ungulates.

In April 2025, researchers had identified two den sites thanks to GPS collars worn by the wolves. The footage from a camera placed near the entrance of one of the dens subsequently revealed the presence of two cubs, as well as several adults nearby.

On May 14, a red fox (Vulpes vulpes) was seen exploring the entrance to the structure. Two days later, at night, the same individual apparently attacked one of the two cubs, while no wolf adult was present.

The footage shows the fox dragging the wolf cub out of its den. The cub manages to escape once and return inside. The fox slips in and yelping is clearly audible. The next day, only one juvenile is filmed in the area. If the fox was subsequently seen near the den, the pack of wolves quickly left the area. The surviving cub was observed months later.

An Opportunistic Act

According to the authors of the new study, published in the journal Current Zoology, this would be the first documented case of a red fox attacking, killing, and presumably devouring a wolf cub. The abundance of potential prey at Castelporziano suggests more of an opportunistic act than a matter of subsistence.

Further similar observations could help determine how frequently such events occur and illuminate interactions between wild canid populations belonging to different species.

Overall, these findings once again underline the importance of camera traps for our understanding of wild animal behavior.

A few months ago, footage filmed in Canada revealed an astonishingly sophisticated behavior among wolves, potentially the first known case of tool use by this species.