Thread by @Mammals_Suck

Last Up: #3-seed Wolverine (Gulo gulo) vs. #6-seed Bat-Eared Fox (Otocyon megalotis) #2023MMM

With more research projects of wolverine in North America, evidence is accumulating for male parental visits to dens of females with young in their territory, with the most visits occurring in March (Copeland et al. 2017) #2023MMM

Whether male wolverines are engaging in direct behavioral care is unknown, but researchers speculate that increased visits of male may deter predators or stranger wolverines from approaching the dens (Copeland et al. 2017). #2023MMM

In the Pacific Northwest, the Cascades Wolverine Project monitors the population & distribution through elaborate bait, camera-trap, and hair sample set-ups #2023MMM cascadeswolverineproject.org/winter-spring-…

While mom forages for termites to sustain lactation, Bat-Eared Fox Dad stays home to tend the pups, spending time cuddled in the den with young, grooming their ecto-parasites & cleaning their ears. (Wright 2006). #NationalPuppyDay #2023MMM

Bat-Eared Fox Dads will carry very young pups gently in their mouths to move pups to new dens if predators encroach too closely & these dads forage near the den, bringing back small birds, rodents, large insects when the pups begin to consume solid food. (Wright 2006) #2023MMM

On the Laikipia Plateau of central Kenya, Bat-Eared Fox Dad is chaperoning his pups on a termite-foraging excursion beyond the den, vigilant for any threats to his kin from black-backed jackals and African wildcats #MesopredatorCompetition (Wright 2006) #2023MMM

Bat-Eared Fox Dad has previously co-reared 3 litters of pups in his adulthood.
This 4th litter was born last fall, & the time is fast approaching when they will be fully weaned & disperse into
"wide open spaces, room to make some big mistakes."
(Clark 2005). #2023MMM

One pup, "she trots this home range in the wild, wide-eyed & grinning, she never tired."
She scampers over playfully to Dad...
#2023MMM

Just as the #MMMagic Portal opens.... #DaddyPrecedes #AndPuppyWillFollow
#2023MMM

& transports Bat-Eared Fox Dad *and* daughter to the Rocky Mountains of Colorado...
"Scene takes the shape of a place out West, but what it holds for her, she hasn't yet guessed."
#2023MMM

Wolverine has been surveying the landscape of his home range looking for carcass to scavenge... a new scent drifts on the wind suggesting easy pickings may be at paw #SNIKT #2023MMM

Wolverine are "opportunistic feeders and respond quickly to temporarily abundant or easily procurable food" including FOX!
(Pasitschniak-Arts & Lariviere, 1995) #2023MMM

Bat-Eared Fox Dad spots the Wolverine coming in their direction & utters a soft contact call vocalization to bring his pup closer to him...
(Clark 2005). #2023MMM

But the bat-eared fox daughter is scampering after a recently returned fluttering mountain bluebird & doesn't hear her Dad's contact call.
"Who doesn't know what I'm talking about?"
(Clark 2005). #2023MMM

With greater urgency, Bat-Eared Fox Dad vocalizes a high-pitched warning call that travels farther than the contact call, to warn his daughter of an approaching predator (Clark 2005). #2023MMM

BUT WOVERINE IS CLOSING IN FAST AND THE WARNING CALL GIVE THE DAUGHTER ONLY ENOUGH TIME TO LOOK UP AND JUMP BACK!
"She sees new faces. She knows the high stakes."
#2023MMM

Daughter's haunches are backed up against tumbled rocks with a smattering of pines growing from them on the hillside... as Wolverine closes in...
"A young pup's fears no longer callow"
#2023MMM

BAT-EARED FOX DAD RUNS IN SNAPPING AT WOLVERINE!
in a valiant solo attempt to mob the mesopredator intent on making his daughter fox Wolverine dinner
(Kamler et al. 2013). #2023MMM

Aged Bat-Eared Fox Dad has read his life history theory & knows that as an organism's prospects of survival decrease, the organism increases effort in reproduction #TerminalInvestmentHypothesis #ResidualReproductiveValue (Duffield et al. 2017) #2023MMM

Sike. Foxes don't read life history theory. But having successfully survived to this age, Bat-Eared Fox Dad is both older & experienced, & is shaped by adaptations for clutch investment toward kiddos at this life stage (Cameron et al. 2000) #2023MMM

But as far as Wolverine is concerned, Bat-Eared Fox's prospects of survival have dropped to zero #SNIKT #2023MMM

The Wolverine chases the Bat-Eared Fox Dad, who now rapidly switches directions to increase chances of escape... (Clark 2005) #ZigZagDad #2023MMM

Bat-Eared Fox Dad has successfully distracted Wolverine while the daughter finds a safe den-like hidey hole amongst the jumbled rocks...
(Clark 2005). #2023MMM

But the 4-kg Bat-Eared Fox Dad is no match for the massive mustelid Wolverine at 18 kg (#StoatsAsMeasurement conversion 18 stoats vs. 81 stoats, BIGGEST STOAT AMONG STOATS) #2023MMM

Bat-Eared Fox Dad's last sight is his daughter scampering back through the MMMagic portal to her siblings, safe from the Wolverine. #2023MMM

"But now Dad won't be
coming back to the rest,
if these are life's lessons,
she'll do her
beeeee-eee-eeee-eeeest!"
#2023MMM

WOLVERINE DEFEATS BAT-EARED FOX!!!!!
#2023MMM