Pine Marten chases down snowshoe hare

Footage believed to have been shot somewhere in Northern Quebec. Those pine marten's are fast runners (look at the leg strides compared to the hare).  The hare made a move like a wide receiver (American football terminology) to evade the pine marten tackle.  I won't spoil the ending.  Looks to have been shot with a dash cam.  Awesome footage.

https://www.facebook.com/james.loon.3/videos/10205553550269791/

PS.  Pine Marten's can be seen coming to feeders at Algonquin Park.  One of the best places to photograph this species.

Wow! It wraps round the hare just like a snake. Awesome footage.

WillN wrote:Wow! It wraps round the hare just like a snake. Awesome footage.

This is the kind of wildlife experience I like to see.  Nature at its rawest.  Some people who saw the video were thinking maybe the snowshoe hare had a better chance if it had run on top of the snow in the first place instead of on the hard surface of the road where the pine marten had an even chance of catching up.  Mind you, if the snow was hard and crusty, that would not have given the hare much of an advantage. But it does have those big "snowshoes" for feet.

Algonquin Park is one of the best places to see and photograph pine martens in the winter months.  These mammals hang around the feeders (including at the visitor centre) and upwards of 3 have been photographed at Algonquin Park this winter.  People just sit there and wait for them to show up. 

OntPhoto wrote:

WillN wrote:Wow! It wraps round the hare just like a snake. Awesome footage.

This is the kind of wildlife experience I like to see.  Nature at its rawest.  Some people who saw the video were thinking maybe the snowshoe hare had a better chance if it had run on top of the snow in the first place instead of on the hard surface of the road where the pine marten had an even chance of catching up.  Mind you, if the snow was hard and crusty, that would not have given the hare much of an advantage. But it does have those big "snowshoes" for feet.

Algonquin Park is one of the best places to see and photograph pine martens in the winter months.  These mammals hang around the feeders (including at the visitor centre) and upwards of 3 have been photographed at Algonquin Park this winter.  People just sit there and wait for them to show up. 

We had a visit from the BBC's Gordon Buchanan at our university last year. I remember him saying to us that the wildlife film industry is changing; everyone is armed with a camera, whether it be on their phone or a DSLR, and that means we have millions (if not billions) of potential cameramen out there. It's just a matter of time until someone catches something phenomenal, just like this, on camera. Whilst it may not be a big blue-chip wildlife documentary quality, it still makes for incredible viewing.

Seinfeld had it right (for me anyway). If I'm watching a documentary about Pine Martens I root for the Marten. If I'm watching a film on snowshoe hares I pull for him to escape.

prairiewing wrote:Seinfeld had it right (for me anyway).  If I'm watching a documentary about Pine Martens I root for the Marten.  If I'm watching a film on snowshoe hares I pull for him to escape.

I must have missed that episode or just didn't remember it.  Festivus   Soup Nazi.  But if I am watching a documentary of a certain period in German history......

WillN wrote:

OntPhoto wrote:

WillN wrote:Wow! It wraps round the hare just like a snake. Awesome footage.

This is the kind of wildlife experience I like to see.  Nature at its rawest.  Some people who saw the video were thinking maybe the snowshoe hare had a better chance if it had run on top of the snow in the first place instead of on the hard surface of the road where the pine marten had an even chance of catching up.  Mind you, if the snow was hard and crusty, that would not have given the hare much of an advantage. But it does have those big "snowshoes" for feet.

Algonquin Park is one of the best places to see and photograph pine martens in the winter months.  These mammals hang around the feeders (including at the visitor centre) and upwards of 3 have been photographed at Algonquin Park this winter.  People just sit there and wait for them to show up. 

We had a visit from the BBC's Gordon Buchanan at our university last year. I remember him saying to us that the wildlife film industry is changing; everyone is armed with a camera, whether it be on their phone or a DSLR, and that means we have millions (if not billions) of potential cameramen out there. It's just a matter of time until someone catches something phenomenal, just like this, on camera. Whilst it may not be a big blue-chip wildlife documentary quality, it still makes for incredible viewing.

Very true.  Same with the news business.  If something is happening anywhere in the world, someone is probably documenting it with a camera phone, p&s or DLSR.  That someone more often now can be just your average citizen.

OntPhoto wrote:

prairiewing wrote:Seinfeld had it right (for me anyway).  If I'm watching a documentary about Pine Martens I root for the Marten.  If I'm watching a film on snowshoe hares I pull for him to escape.

I must have missed that episode or just didn't remember it.  Festivus   Soup Nazi.  But if I am watching a documentary of a certain period in German history......

I think it was part of his standup routine, can't recall for certain but I do remember laughing at the time because it was true for me.