Comparison of methods to detect rare and cryptic species: a case study using the red fox (Vulpes vulpes)

2009 ◽  
Vol 36 (5) ◽  
pp. 436 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. J. Vine ◽  
M. S. Crowther ◽  
S. J. Lapidge ◽  
C. R. Dickman ◽  
N. Mooney ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Vulpes Vulpes ◽  
Hair Follicles ◽  
Rural Landscape ◽  
Camera Traps ◽  
Seasonal Effects ◽  
Specific Marker ◽  
Success Rates ◽  
Red Foxes ◽  
Hair Samples ◽  
Bait Stations

Choosing the appropriate method to detect and monitor wildlife species is difficult if the species is rare or cryptic in appearance or behaviour. We evaluated the effectiveness of the following four methods for detecting red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) on the basis of equivalent person hours in a rural landscape in temperate Australia: camera traps, hair traps (using morphology and DNA from hair follicles), scats from bait stations (using DNA derived from the scats) and spotlighting. We also evaluated whether individual foxes could be identified using remote collection of their tissues. Genetic analysis of hair samples was the least efficient method of detection among the methods employed because of the paucity of samples obtained and the lack of follicles on sampled hairs. Scat detection was somewhat more efficient. Scats were deposited at 17% of bait stations and 80% of scats were amplified with a fox-specific marker, although only 31% of confirmed fox scats could be fully genotyped at all six microsatellite loci. Camera trapping and spotlighting were the most efficient methods of detecting fox presence in the landscape. Spotlighting success varied seasonally, with fox detections peaking in autumn (80% of spotlighting transects) and being lowest in winter (29% of transects). Cameras detected foxes at 51% of stations; however, there was limited seasonality in detection, and success rates varied with camera design. Log-linear models confirmed these trends. Our results showed that the appropriate technique for detecting foxes varies depending on the time of the year. It is suggested that wildlife managers should consider both seasonal effects and species biology when attempting to detect rare or elusive species.

Diet reveals potential for competition and coexistence among coyotes (Canis latrans), red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), and gray foxes (Urocyon cinereoargenteus)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Henry Masters ◽  
Christine R Maher
Keyword(s):  
Vulpes Vulpes ◽  
Canis Latrans ◽  
Trophic Position ◽  
Stomach Contents ◽  
Isotopic Niche ◽  
Early Winter ◽  
Urocyon Cinereoargenteus ◽  
Red Foxes ◽  
Δ13c And Δ15n ◽  
Hair Samples

Species can alleviate competition by reducing diet overlap. Nonnative coyotes (Canis latrans (Say, 1823)) and historically native gray foxes (Urocyon cinereoargenteus (Schreber, 1775)) have expanded their ranges and may compete with native red foxes (Vulpes vulpes (Linnaeus, 1758)). To examine potential competition among canids in Maine, we compared δ13C and δ15N from muscle and hair samples to assess relative resource use, and we compared frequency of occurrence of prey items from stomach contents to assess diets. For these species, red foxes consumed anthropogenically-based foods the most in fall-early winter, gray foxes consumed anthropogenically-based foods the most in summer, and coyotes consumed anthropogenically-based foods the least in all seasons. Coyotes held the highest relative trophic position in fall-early winter, red foxes held the highest relative trophic position in summer, and gray foxes held the lowest relative trophic position. Based on stomach contents, gray foxes had the broadest diet and consumed the most plants, and coyotes had the narrowest diet. Red foxes were the only species to show isotopic niche overlap with both potential competitors across seasons. Thus they may be most susceptible to competitive exclusion among these canids, with implications for community dynamics as ranges shift due to human activity.

scholarly journals Foxes in trees: a threat for Australian arboreal fauna?

2018 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 103 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valentina S. A. Mella ◽  
Clare McArthur ◽  
Robert Frend ◽  
Mathew S. Crowther
Keyword(s):  
Vulpes Vulpes ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Camera Traps ◽  
Red Foxes ◽  
Invasive Predator ◽  
South Wales ◽  
The Impact

We document the first evidence of tree climbing by red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in Australia. Camera traps recorded foxes in trees on the Liverpool Plains, New South Wales. This finding prompts a reassessment of the impact that this invasive predator has on Australian fauna: from purely terrestrial to also potentially arboreal.

scholarly journals Experimental Rabies Infection of Non-nervous Tissues in Skunks (Mephitis mephitis) and Foxes (Vulpes vulpes)

1994 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 93-102 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Balachandran ◽  
K. Charlton
Keyword(s):  
Salivary Gland ◽  
Adrenal Medulla ◽  
Vulpes Vulpes ◽  
Chromaffin Cells ◽  
Secretory Granules ◽  
Hair Follicles ◽  
Submandibular Salivary Gland ◽  
Mephitis Mephitis ◽  
Red Foxes ◽  
Neural Tissues

Non-neural tissues, from three male and four female striped skunks ( Mephitis mephitis), 5 to 7 months old, and one male and two female red foxes ( Vulpes vulpes), 12 to 16 months old, experimentally infected with street rabies virus, were examined by light microscopic immunohistochemical and electron microscopic methods. This is the first report of ultrastructural lesions in rabies-infected adrenal medulla, cornea, and nasal glands. Using the streptavidin biotin peroxidase technique, antigen was detected in mucous cells and interstitial neurons and their processes in the submandibular salivary gland, in chromaffin cells of the adrenal medulla, in epidermal cells of the skin, in external root sheath cells of hair follicles, and in corneal epithelial cells. Electron microscopically, matrix (viral nucleocapsid), virions, and anomalous viral products were common in most tissues examined, but their relative proportions varied. The results suggested that replication with minimal accumulation of matrix and anomalous viral growth products was characteristic of growth in tissues (submandibular salivary gland) that frequently produce high titers of virus, whereas replication with large amounts of matrix and anomalous structures occurred in tissues (adrenal gland and nasal gland) that generally contained low or moderate titers of virus. Novel findings included viral budding into secretory granules, increase in microfilaments in infected mucogenic cells, and continuity of viral convoluted membranous profiles with rough endoplasmic reticulum of chromaffin cells and nasal glandular cells. The presence of viral antigen and developing virus in extra-neural tissues constitutes a potential risk of non-bite exposure to people in certain groups/occupations.

Modified M-44 cyanide ejector for the baiting of red foxes (Vulpes vulpes)

1998 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 209 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Busana ◽  
F. Gigliotti ◽  
C. A. Marks
Keyword(s):  
Delivery System ◽  
Mode Of Action ◽  
Vulpes Vulpes ◽  
Sodium Cyanide ◽  
The Other ◽  
Red Foxes ◽  
Brief Assessment ◽  
Bait Stations

Fox carcasses are seldom recovered after a 1080-baiting program, making analysis of efficacy difficult. Sodium cyanide was selected as an alternative toxin due to its rapid mode of action. A number of bait techniques were trialled in order to develop an appropriate cyanide delivery system that could be used as a buried bait. Techniques investigated included treated wax and gelatine capsules, a wooden capsule holder and a modified M-44 cyanide ejector. Subsequent trials showed that the modified M-44 ejector had greater efficacy in recovering fox carcasses at bait stations when compared with the other techniques trialled. This paper describes the range of baits trialled and the modifications that allow the M-44 to be used as a buried bait. A protocol for deployment of the M-44 in the field, together with a brief assessment of efficacy for each technique is also provided.

DNA genotypes reveal red fox (Vulpes vulpes) abundance, response to lethal control and limitations of contemporary survey techniques

2009 ◽  
Vol 36 (8) ◽  
pp. 647 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clive A. Marks ◽  
Frank Gigliotti ◽  
Steve McPhee ◽  
Maxine P. Piggott ◽  
Andrea Taylor ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Vulpes Vulpes ◽  
Control Technique ◽  
Red Foxes ◽  
Field Methods ◽  
Survey Techniques ◽  
Abundance Estimates ◽  
Dna Sampling ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Population Indices ◽  
Bait Stations

Context. Scat genotyping has not been routinely used to measure fox (Vulpes vulpes) abundance and our study sought to provide a benchmark for further technique development and assessment of field methods. Aims. This study sought to provide a comparative assessment of some common methods used to determine fox density and contrast their success with scat DNA genotyping. Methods. DNA recovered from fox scats was used to genotype individual red foxes and determine their abundance at four transects. Population indices were also developed from bait take, scat counts and sand plot tracks using index-manipulation-index (IMI) procedures on the same transects. Known samples of foxes were taken from two treatment transects using cyanide delivered in the M-44 ejector to manipulate the population and to recover foxes at the end of the trial. Key results. Replicated counts on a 41-km-spotlight transect at the field site before and after the population manipulation had low variance and good correlation (r2 = 0.79, P < 0.01). Scat genotypes revealed 54 foxes in eight days and, when combined with biopsy DNA from recovered foxes, a minimum known to be alive (KTBA) density of between 1.6 and 5 foxes km–1 was calculated for the transects. Overall, 15/30 (50%) of all recovered foxes had not been detected by scat genotyping, 23/53 (49%) of KTBA genotypes were detected only once and 5/54 (9.5%) of foxes were found to have moved between two transects. Conclusions. At transects where population manipulation occurred, surviving individuals contributed significantly more scats than at the control transects and some individuals were detected at bait stations at a much greater frequency. This strongly suggested that they had contributed disproportionately to some IMI density estimates that were probably influenced by a change in the activity of some individuals rather than changes in population density alone. At one transect, eight foxes were confirmed to be present by spotlight surveys and were detected by scat and KTBA genotypes, yet were undetected by scat, bait station and sand plot indices. Implications. Scat and other DNA-based survey techniques provide a great deal of information about the identification and movement of individuals and if DNA sampling methods can be made more efficient they have the potential to provide accurate abundance estimates that are independent of the control technique.

scholarly journals Use of Camera Traps Provides Insight into the Feeding Ecology of Red Foxes (Vulpes vulpes)

2017 ◽  
Vol 131 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Casey J. Wagnon ◽  
Thomas L. Serfass
Keyword(s):  
Feeding Ecology ◽  
Vulpes Vulpes ◽  
Camera Trap ◽  
Camera Traps ◽  
National Wildlife Refuge ◽  
Additional Insight ◽  
Red Foxes ◽  
Scat Analysis ◽  
Food Items ◽  
Insight Into

Red Foxes (Vulpes vulpes) often carry food items to caching sites and while making provisioning trips to litters. This behaviour provides opportunities to use camera traps to record Red Foxes carrying food that is likely prey. As part of a larger study using camera-trap surveys to monitor carnivore populations at Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, New Jersey, our cameras also recorded Red Foxes carrying food items allowing us to gain insight into the feeding ecology of this predator. Camera traps documented Red Foxes carrying food 71 times; items included mammals (78.9%), birds (19.7%), and fish (1.4%). Small mammals (unknown rodent or soricid species [23.9%] and voles [Microtus or Clethrionomys spp.; 5.6%]) were the most common groups of food items and Muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus; 15.5%) was the most common food item identified to species. Our surveys corroborate traditional diet assessments (e.g., scat analysis) of Red Foxes in North America, identifying them as a generalist forager that typically consumes smaller mammals. We also highlight the potential to apply camera trapping as a supplemental technique for gaining additional insight into the feeding ecology of this predator.

Variation in fur farm and wild populations of the red fox, Vulpes vulpes (Carnivora: Canidae) — Part I: Morphometry

2016 ◽  
Vol 96 (4) ◽  
pp. 589-597 ◽  
Author(s):  
Magdalena Zatoń-Dobrowolska ◽  
Magdalena Moska ◽  
Anna Mucha ◽  
Heliodor Wierzbicki ◽  
Piotr Przysiecki ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Vulpes Vulpes ◽  
Selective Breeding ◽  
Red Fox ◽  
Tail Length ◽  
Morphometric Traits ◽  
Red Foxes ◽  
Ear Height ◽  
Morphological Differences ◽  
The Right ◽  
Almost All

This paper demonstrates the influence of artificial selection on morphometric traits in the red fox [Vulpes vulpes (Linnaeus, 1758)]. Measurements and two proportion coefficients were analysed in 132 wild and 199 farm red foxes. The two groups differed significantly (P ≤ 0.05) on all but one of the measurements. Eight out of 11 measurements were significantly greater in the farm fox population, while only tail length, ear height, and length of the right hind limb were greater in the population of wild foxes. The opposite trend was observed when analysing variation in the measurements — the farm foxes were characterized by a greater variability only in the case of body weight, body length, and breadth of chest. When analysing the sexual dimorphism index in different sex and population groups, in almost all analysed traits, the greatest differences occurred between farm males and wild females. All of the traits examined in this study are important for survival of wild foxes. However, because importance of some traits was reduced during domestication and selective breeding (farm foxes do not have to fight for survival), the genetic relationship between them may have weakened. Other possible causes of morphological differences between the studied groups of red foxes are discussed as well.

scholarly journals Disseminated Mycobacterium bovis Infection in Red Foxes (Vulpes vulpes) with Cerebral Involvement Found in Portugal

2014 ◽  
Vol 14 (7) ◽  
pp. 531-533 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana C. Matos ◽  
Luis Figueira ◽  
Maria H. Martins ◽  
Manuela Matos ◽  
Márcia Morais ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mycobacterium Bovis ◽  
Vulpes Vulpes ◽  
Red Foxes ◽  
Cerebral Involvement
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