Foxes have a unique power in finding food
Using Earth’s Magnetic Field To Navigate
A sea turtle uses the earth’s magnetic field to navigate.
So think about sea turtles using a compass to find their way thousands of miles to lay eggs on the same beach where they were born. Of course, they can’t read compasses but they sense the earth’s magnetism or pull. It is a mind-boggling feat.
What Other Animals Use Magnetism
But have you ever heard of magnetism being used to pinpoint food? So far only one animal appears to use the earth’s pull to locate and capture their prey. They use it to judge distance, depth and direction. But how can that be? They can’t read a compass.
So what animal possesses this superpower? The fox, and only the fox! To learn more about foxes, read our Explore & Learn “Red Fox”.
Foxes are the only animal known to use the earth’s magnetic field to find food.
The Fox’s Superpowers
First, you might think the fox smells it’s prey. Well yes. How about listening? Also yes. But how does the fox find the exact location of a small mouse or animal under a pile of snow or leaves?
Ah, here comes the superpowers. They use the earth’s magnetic force. Wow.
Foxes posess a superpower to find food.
One, Two, Three
When they align to the north, they successfully pounce on their prey 74% of the time. If they align in any other direction, they are only successful 18% of the time.
So while other animals use the earth’s magnetic field to judge distance, foxes use it to judge distance, depth and direction. Pretty darn cool. A true superpower.
The fox listens
It calculates how far & deep to jump
Plunging into the snow, a mouse is caught
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