Eagle and fox captured on film in incredible battle over prey
THE fight for survival is an everyday reality for
animals in the wild, but it’s one we, as humans, don’t often get to
see. But these incredible images by nature photographer Kevin Ebi have
captured the exact moment a bald eagle steals the prey right out of a
fox’s mouth at San Juan Island National Historical Park in Washington
state, USA.
After spending the day
photographing a group of young foxes playing in the grass, Mr Ebi said
he continued to observe the scene as the sun began to set and the
animals turned their attention to hunting.
Before long, one of the foxes managed to capture a rabbit, but the experienced photographer was surprised by what happened next.
“I panned my camera with it to capture the action. Then behind me, I heard the cry of a bald eagle,” he wrote on his blog.
“I turned around and saw it approaching fast. I knew it wanted the rabbit. I intently trained my camera on the fox bracing for a split second of action.”
However,
instead of the fox dropping the rabbit as expected, Mr Ebi looked on in
disbelief as it held on tight to its prey as the bald eagle swooped
down and grabbed hold — lifting both rabbit and fox about six metres
into the air.
The battle over the rabbit lasted about eight seconds, the photographer said.
“The eagle transferred the rabbit to its right talon and eventually let the fox go. The fox fell from enough height to trigger a small dust cloud when it hit the ground.”
Remarkably the fox was unharmed by the fall.
oth
rabbits and red foxes are introduced species at the national park. Mr
Ebi said foxes rarely prey on rabbits — instead preferring to eat
berries, insects and voles (small mouse-like rodents).
A
red fox runs with a rabbit it caught in the prairie of San Juan Island
National Historical Park in Washington. Picture: Kevin EbiSource:Supplied
“I panned my camera with it to capture the action. Then behind me, I heard the cry of a bald eagle,” he wrote on his blog.
“I turned around and saw it approaching fast. I knew it wanted the rabbit. I intently trained my camera on the fox bracing for a split second of action.”
A bald eagle and a red fox tussle in midair over a rabbit. Picture: Kevin EbiSource:Supplied
The battle over the rabbit lasted about eight seconds, the photographer said.
“The eagle transferred the rabbit to its right talon and eventually let the fox go. The fox fell from enough height to trigger a small dust cloud when it hit the ground.”
Remarkably the fox was unharmed by the fall.
The fox is dropped and the eagle flies away with the rabbit. Picture: Kevin EbiSource:Supplied
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