title: "Reversed" intraguild predation: red fox cubs killed by pine marten.
abstract: Camera traps deployed at a badgerMeles melesset in mixed pine forest in north-eastern Poland recorded interspecific killing of red foxVulpes vulpescubs by pine martenMartes martes. The vixen and her cubs settled in the set at the beginning of May 2013, and it was abandoned by the badgers shortly afterwards. Five fox cubs were recorded playing in front of the den each night. Ten days after the first recording of the foxes, a pine marten was filmed at the set; it arrived in the morning, made a reconnaissance and returned at night when the vixen was away from the set. The pine marten entered the den several times and killed at least two fox cubs. It was active at the set for about 2 h. This observation proves that red foxes are not completely safe from predation by smaller carnivores, even those considered to be subordinate species in interspecific competition.
authors: Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, 02-097 Warszawa, Poland.
authors: Marcin
authors: M
authors: Brzeziński
authors: Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, 02-097 Warszawa, Poland.
authors: Lukasz
authors: L
authors: Rodak
authors: Mammal Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, Waszkiewicza 1, 17-230 Białowieża, Poland.
authors: Andrzej
authors: A
authors: Zalewski
keywords: Carnivores; Competition; Interspecific killing; Martes martes; Vulpes vulpes