Warning: incoming cuteness overload.

Nature photographer Victor Čech recently set up his motion-detecting GoPro outside a fox family’s den in Turiec, Slovakia and it didn’t take long for his choice in location to pay off.

The footage, posted on YouTube, starts with one little fox pup cautiously approaching the camera while its siblings play in the background. As it’s about to nose-boop the camera, it gets spooked by the unfamiliar object and hastily retreats out of view. It soon reemerges, however, crouching and stalking its new toy before launching into several playful pounces. After a brief pause to give the camera a sniff, the youngster zooms off. This comical curiosity continues with attempts at biting the camera causing it to fall over and attracting more inquisitive pups.

Dog-owners may recognise similar playful behaviour in their canine companions, and these adorable antics serve an important purpose in wild animals, too. Play is essential in developing social skills and preparing young animals with the necessary expertise to survive in the wild and deal with nature’s unexpected moments. Research suggests that play helps develop the motor skills required to dodge predators or hunt prey. Of course, sometimes fun can just be for fun’s sake.

Red foxes reproduce once a year during springtime, giving birth to litters of four to six kits. From around three weeks, the young foxes start leaving the den to explore the outside world. The lack of adult supervision in this video is likely because the parents are off hunting.

Although red foxes are common throughout Europe, witnessing playtime amongst the pups is a special sighting and the clip definitely warrants repeat viewing.