Report from 24 to 26 January 2024

La Cassinazza might not be the African savanna, but it too hosts its own carnivorous predators.

The Wolf has put in two or three confirmed appearances, but several years have passed since the last. The Badger leaves evident traces, and is occasionally seen. The other mustelids – the Beech Marten, Pine Marten, European Polecat and Least Weasel – are very difficult to observe, and may have been more common in the past. Weasels, for instance, were regularly seen during the day, but they seem to have disappeared of late, and we have not seen one in years.

The Red Fox, on the other hand, seems to have significantly increased in numbers; I suspect this may have been facilitated by the population explosion of Cottontail Rabbits. These non-native rabbits are small and helpless, easy prey for foxes, and as the prey species increase, so do their predators.

In January, Red Foxes are engaged in courtship. This will be followed by mating, and the pair will stay together until the cubs have been weaned; after that, they all go their separate ways. In the early morning light I ran into this pair of foxes: the brash and hopeful male, his tail cocked, was hot on the heels of the female, who did her best to project indifference and continued on her way.