Culpeo

Gallery: WildlifePosted June 30, 20171,367 views6 comments

I had a great time leading my recent Patagonia tour for some enthusiastic clients. Though we were there for the big cats, folks were up for just about anything, so it was pretty fun to photograph this culpeo wandering around amidst the lovely autumn colors in southern Chile.

Though commonly referred to as "red fox" down in Patagonia, the culpeo is a distinct canid species. It does look like a cross between a fox and a coyote in some respects (and is in between its two cousins in terms of size).

Canon 1DX
Canon 100-400mm
ISO 2000
1/400th
f/5

Max

Comments

6 comments

Comment posted by Richard Sandor on June 30, 2017 at 2:57 PM

Max: thanks for posting a species unknown to me. The photo is well composed and well lit. I like how the culpeo is posed high on the rock so as not to be blocked by the tall grasses. The Autumn colors are very complimentary to the subject. Richard

Registered on January 12, 2014, 453 Posts, 1625 Comments

Comment posted by John Tobias on July 1, 2017 at 8:37 AM

I like the colors in this image, as well as the position of the culpeo. Is this canid also called the Patagonian fox? Thanks for sharing.

Registered on September 12, 2009, 2120 Posts, 6455 Comments

Comment posted by Max Waugh on July 1, 2017 at 11:00 AM

Thanks, Richard and John.

John, I believe the animal you're thinking of is the South American gray fox. We also saw a few of those during the trip. Culpeos are noticeably reddish compared to those (which are a mix of gray and beige tones... here's a photo), and an adult culpeo is longer-legged and bulkier.

Max

Registered on September 26, 2008, 428 Posts, 2329 Comments

Comment posted by Jagdeep Rajput on July 2, 2017 at 1:32 AM

Great setting, lovely autumn colors and well placed subject...a wonderful frame!
Just wondering, if correcting magentas / blues would help the frame.

Jagdeep Rajput

Registered on April 29, 2008, 686 Posts, 2857 Comments

Comment posted by Max Waugh on July 3, 2017 at 5:40 PM

Jagdeep, I did make an adjustment to the Yellows/Blues and it seems to help a bit. Thanks for the feedback.

Max

Registered on September 26, 2008, 428 Posts, 2329 Comments

Comment posted by Lon Sharp on July 4, 2017 at 9:58 AM

It is a well trained subject that will climb up on the right rock for the pose to help lift from an otherwise busy surrounding! enlightened

The yellow and oranges of the foliage add much to the capture.

Registered on December 9, 2007, 258 Posts, 9892 Comments