How wolves feed many animals in the forest
Wolf kills provide substantial food for many animals in winter—as you can see in this footage from a fresh deer kill we found a couple weeks ago. Unfortunately, the camera only lasted 12 hours before it filled up on footage of ravens, which were at the carcass when we arrived and shortly after we left.
The wolves came back that evening and cleaned up the kill. We have footage of them on another camera that we had set-up near the kill but not on the kill. When we came back to grab our cameras, the deer had been totally consumed—all that was left was fur.
While the video highlights how wolves create substantial food for scavengers, it also shows how wolves are in competition with all these scavengers for their own kills.
Wolves have to eat their kills as quickly as they can to avoid losing large amounts of their kills to ravens, eagles, foxes, etc. But obviously, there is a limit to how much wolves can eat and digest in one sitting…so wolves often lose a sizable chunk to scavengers. Estimates indicate wolves, on average, likely lose upwards of ~10-20% of the biomass of their deer kills to scavengers.
Also, 99% sure that the one eagle was a golden eagle (the other was obviously a bald eagle) but will let some more skilled birders confirm that one for us!
Learn more about the Voyageurs Wolf Project:
Website: http://www.voyageurswolfproject.org
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/VoyageursWolfProject
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/voyageurswolfproject/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/VoyaWolfProject
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@voyageurswolfproject
@GummyWyrm
June 26, 2026 at 6:17 am
I'm surprised not to see coyotes feeding, do you remove videos of them (perhaps to avoid confusion) or just not see them in that area. I know coyotes are in the vermilion river area but they never show up on the footage you share.
@VVynia
June 26, 2026 at 6:17 am
Thanks for this awesome educational content!
@starleafdance
June 26, 2026 at 6:17 am
Thank you for this beautiful footage! It's amazing to witness animal interactions, within their own species and with different ones. It felt like the first time I was able to hear so many raven vocalizations, you can tell how intricate their language is. Always a pleasure to see a fox, and the eagle so close to camera – wow. This is the perfect nature film, no music no narration, thank you for keeping it this way 🤍
@MrBlackbutang
June 26, 2026 at 6:17 am
Great ❤ never break the food Chain!
The real version of fast and furious food ❤
@CAN43714
June 26, 2026 at 6:17 am
Wolves do not feed many animals. More like the deer. Nice try though
@ryannelson6524
June 26, 2026 at 6:17 am
Meat looked super fresh was this a actual wolf kill or staged roadkill for video ? Wolves didn't eat much or do researchers chase wolves off their kills forcing them to have to hunt and kill again ?
@JeanJohnson-BWB
June 26, 2026 at 6:17 am
..ah, so that's where my raven friends have been..😊
@CAN43714
June 26, 2026 at 6:17 am
Why did you turn off comments on your latest video with Tom Gable talking about wolf deer relationship? The video was very biased and that now seems exasperated by turning the comments off.
@btbesquire5
June 26, 2026 at 6:17 am
The eagles and ravens seemed to have figured out, shout to the red fox, trying so hard to get their share
@TedWulf
June 26, 2026 at 6:17 am
A golden eagle in Minnesota. Awesome! Is the video camera setup in the northeast part of Minnesota?
@jacobwilliams1285
June 26, 2026 at 6:17 am
Wonderful video to see. Foxes and bald eagles so beautiful
@CAN43714
June 26, 2026 at 6:17 am
Better title would be 'how deer feed many animals in the forest'.
@WolfMage888
June 26, 2026 at 6:17 am
The fox was determined to get at every last morsel – plus was doing a bit of a booty dance to tear the meat off – lol
@thaily1977
June 26, 2026 at 6:17 am
Helo ❤❤ ❤
@petrad.8795
June 26, 2026 at 6:17 am
❤
@rebelscum7605
June 26, 2026 at 6:17 am
So many Ravens and a Golden Eagle!
@terrified5.7
June 26, 2026 at 6:17 am
love seeing the fox trying so hard to tear the meat XD
@blaiddwyn
June 26, 2026 at 6:17 am
date time stamp please!
@sunset6010
June 26, 2026 at 6:17 am
INCREDIBLE footage ! 🎉
@julialuminasalsa
June 26, 2026 at 6:17 am
That was so cool
@filomenaregan1537
June 26, 2026 at 6:17 am
The death of one feeds many, that fox is really enjoying his dinner. I wonder, why didn’t the wolves stand guard over that deer carcass
@ronsamborski6230
June 26, 2026 at 6:17 am
Thank you, VWP, for another interesting video. 👍🏼
@TobiasUnterweger
June 26, 2026 at 6:17 am
Cool Video cool YouTube 🦊👍🏻
@alanolander9983
June 26, 2026 at 6:17 am
Golden eagle, wow!
@DaleFord-obs
June 26, 2026 at 6:17 am
Buffet ?
@trailcamerasinnewengland0112
June 26, 2026 at 6:17 am
Loved seeing the bald eagles! 👍
@Bbbbubbabean
June 26, 2026 at 6:17 am
Thank you for leaving them all food
@MEdGrant
June 26, 2026 at 6:17 am
My first thought was Golden Eagle. Wrong time of year for immature Bald.
@Ludvig11
June 26, 2026 at 6:17 am
American Ravens seem even more vocal than European ones! Such goofy monkey-like noises.
@skunkape2
June 26, 2026 at 6:17 am
Did y'all take the head to test it for CWD or???
@camp44mag
June 26, 2026 at 6:17 am
I agree, Voyageurs Wolf Project, that is 100% Golden Eagle. 0:45
Thanks again for another great write-up and the footage.
@mattpelofske4632
June 26, 2026 at 6:17 am
Was that a golden eagle? Or immature bald?
@MarvinCanassa
June 26, 2026 at 6:17 am
This is cool to see, what naturally happens to the leftovers of a kill. In Africa, jackals, hyenas and vultures among other things will swarm a kill, in Na, it's eagles, crows, foxes, among others.
@kathleenanimator5736
June 26, 2026 at 6:17 am
Can never get enough of ravens! 🖤Such beautiful creatures!
@LizzieB4life
June 26, 2026 at 6:17 am
The fox wishing he could haul those 2 pieces home! He looked damned trotting away! He is so cute!
@Cosmicwolf_3780
June 26, 2026 at 6:17 am
Nature is so marvelous!!! ❤ thank you for sharing 😊
@SwordofTruth85977
June 26, 2026 at 6:17 am
dinner time…
@catfishhunter1984
June 26, 2026 at 6:17 am
The wolf project had to bring in a roadkill because theres no deer left to feed on naturally.
Lol
@maisoui62
June 26, 2026 at 6:17 am
Fascinating- nothing goes to waste.
@GeorgeC.Marshall
June 26, 2026 at 6:17 am
I love how when you watch carefully, each of those Ravens has a personality you can observe. The bashful one, the chatty one, the bully, the sneak, the curious. Such a remarkable bird
@longforgotten4823
June 26, 2026 at 6:17 am
All is interdependent in nature.
@edutainme7265
June 26, 2026 at 6:17 am
Humbling. Why do we take so much?
@xolivingnow
June 26, 2026 at 6:17 am
Clearly there’s plenty for all! Thanks for sharing this❤
@aloryt
June 26, 2026 at 6:17 am
W naturze nic się nie marnuje, to pomoże przetrwać zimę tak wielu.
@basicbreakfast
June 26, 2026 at 6:17 am
Amazing watch, thx💥
@dnk1870
June 26, 2026 at 6:17 am
A murder of crows and a very ambitious fox. #freshfrozen
@stuartrollings602
June 26, 2026 at 6:17 am
I swear that fox gained 10 pounds rt in front of our eyes!
@redWolf-r1t
June 26, 2026 at 6:17 am
OK
@noglenogle
June 26, 2026 at 6:17 am
nature is wonderful