Fox Hunts Prey Deep Under Snow

The fox's quarry lies deep under the snow. It's a meadow vole. And this snow cave is its igloo. The snow forms an insulating layer, protecting the vole from the harshest winter weather and keeping him safe from predators. Well, almost. Although he may lack experience, this fox has all the tools he needs. Foxes have incredible hearing and can detect prey under more than three feet of snow. The tiniest movement can set the fox in motion. He's located the vole. And with a pounce, he strikes. A miss. This technique is called mousing, and it's something foxes are supremely good at. The rest is just practice. But there's far more going on here than meets the eye. It's believed that foxes can see magnetic north. And by aligning their prey in a northward direction, along with the sound of the prey, they can triangulate the precise distance of their attack. He's off to a good start, but he'll need more than a single vole to keep him fed. For more UN videos visit www.un.org