Home-Range Studies of Red Foxes (Vulpes vulpes)

1969 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
pp. 108 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ernest D. Ables
Keyword(s):  
Home Range ◽  
Vulpes Vulpes ◽  
Red Foxes

Home Range and Activity Patterns of Red Foxes in Nadgee Nature Reserve.

1991 ◽  
Vol 18 (6) ◽  
pp. 677 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Phillips ◽  
PC Catling
Keyword(s):  
Home Range ◽  
Vulpes Vulpes ◽  
Nature Reserve ◽  
Activity Patterns ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
Red Foxes ◽  
Wilderness Area ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Sclerophyll Forest ◽  
Male Activity

Three adult red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in a 20-km2 wilderness area of coastal south-eastern Australia were studied during pre-denning and denning. Home ranges were defined by geographic featues, but not by roads. The foxes occupied exclusive home ranges, and observations suggest that they were territorial and existed alone or, at most, in mated pairs. Home-range sizes were small (1.2-5.2 km2) compared with those in North America and Europe, but similar to those in England and Wales. During denning the female's activity became almost entirely diurnal. When not active, the vixen was with the cubs. Male activity during denning was nocturnal, but, as found for the female, inactive periods were spent near the suspected den-site in his home range. Habitats that were frequented most by all foxes were those with the highest abundance of either small or medium-sized mammals. Dry sclerophyll forest was used consistently by all foxes but heathland and the beaches were rarely frequented. Small and medium-sized mammals, which were abundant in all habitats except the beach and heathland, made up 52.6% of items in the scats.

scholarly journals The Ecology of Red Foxes, Vulpes vulpes, in Metropolitan Toronto, Ontario: Disease Management Implications

2009 ◽  
Vol 123 (3) ◽  
pp. 215 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rick Rosatte ◽  
Mike Allan
Keyword(s):  
Home Range ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Vulpes Vulpes ◽  
Significant Negative Correlation ◽  
Home Range Size ◽  
Dispersal Distance ◽  
Range Size ◽  
Residential Areas ◽  
Red Foxes ◽  
Rabies Control

During 1989-1992, 33 Red Foxes (Vulpes vulpes) were fitted with radio-collars in metropolitan Toronto to study their behaviour which would provide data to assist with the design of a rabies control strategy for urban areas of Ontario. Annual home range size for adult foxes (avg = 325 ha, SD = 207) was significantly larger than that of juvenile foxes (avg = 165 ha, SD = 176), but we could not detect any seasonal differences in home range size for foxes. Mean (SD) nightly ranges were 38.3 ha (48.3) in spring, 97.4 ha (115.4) in summer, 26.8 ha (28.5) in fall, and 16.3 ha (13.6) in winter. Movements by foxes during the period from June to November averaged 3.5 km (2.89). Eleven of the foxes were known to have dispersed (? 3 km from their home range), but we could not detect a mean direction of dispersal. Thirty-six percent (4/11) of the foxes dispersed in December and 18% (2/11) dispersed in August, with the remainder dispersing between February and November. Average dispersal distance was 19.3 km (15.6), and a significant negative correlation was detected between initial home range size and dispersal distance of foxes. Mortality of radio-collared foxes was caused by collisions with automobiles, predation, and shooting. Foxes made extensive use of ravines and other greenbelt areas, such as parks and golf courses. Residential areas were also used by some foxes. Knowledge of the habitats frequented by foxes as well as their movement potential assisted researchers in determining where vaccine baits should be placed for the control of rabies in Red Foxes in metropolitan Toronto.

scholarly journals Variation in home range size of red foxes Vulpes vulpes along a gradient of productivity and human landscape alteration

PLoS ONE ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. e0175291 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zea Walton ◽  
Gustaf Samelius ◽  
Morten Odden ◽  
Tomas Willebrand
Keyword(s):  
Home Range ◽  
Vulpes Vulpes ◽  
Home Range Size ◽  
Range Size ◽  
Red Foxes ◽  
Landscape Alteration ◽  
Human Landscape

Summer home range and habitat utilisation of the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) in a tundra habitat, northwest British Columbia

1982 ◽  
Vol 60 (5) ◽  
pp. 807-812 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donald M. Jones ◽  
John B. Theberge
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Home Range ◽  
Small Mammals ◽  
Vulpes Vulpes ◽  
Home Range Size ◽  
Ground Squirrels ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
Red Foxes ◽  
Spermophilus Parryii ◽  
Arctic Ground Squirrels

Eight adult red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) were radio tracked during the summers of 1978 and 1979 in an alpine and subalpine environment of northwest British Columbia. The spatial distributions of small mammals (mice, voles, and shrews) and arctic ground squirrels (Spermophilus parryii) were ascertained to complement the telemetric study. Summer home ranges averaged 1611 ha (range = 277–3420 ha) and were larger than vulpine ranges in temperate environments. Significant habitat selection was evident in five of the seven home ranges that were examined. Salix shrub communities were preferred habitats, whereas, open lichen – Empetrum and fen communities were avoided. Relative densities of small mammals and arctic ground squirrels varied significantly among plant communities. Possible explanations, considering the diet of the fox and the spatial distribution of its prey, are offered to account for the observed patterns of home-range size and habitat utilisation.

scholarly journals Foxes at your front door? Habitat selection and home range of urban red foxes (Vulpes vulpes)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Halina Teresa Kobryn ◽  
Edward J. Swinhoe ◽  
Philip W. Bateman ◽  
Peter J. Adams ◽  
Jill M. Shephard ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Home Range ◽  
Vulpes Vulpes ◽  
Wildlife Conservation ◽  
Movement Patterns ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
Golf Courses ◽  
Kernel Density Estimate ◽  
Significant Preference ◽  
Red Foxes ◽  
Close Proximity

Abstract The red fox (Vulpes vulpes) is one of the most adaptable carnivorans, thriving in cities across the globe. Understanding movement patterns and habitat use by urban foxes will assist with their management to address wildlife conservation and public health concerns. Here we tracked five foxes across the suburbs of Perth, Western Australia. Three females had a core home range (50% kernel density estimate; KDE) averaging 37 ± 20 ha (range 22–60 ha) or a 95% KDE averaging 174 ± 130 ha (range 92–324 ha). One male had a core home range of 95 ha or a 95% KDE covering 352 ha. The other male covered an area of ~ 4 or ~ 6 times this: having a core home range of 371 ha or 95% KDE of 2,062 ha. All five foxes showed statistically significant avoidance of residential locations and significant preference for parkland. Bushland reserves, golf courses, and water reserves were especially preferred locations. Foxes moved quickest (i.e. commuting) when they were in close proximity to roads and slowest (i.e. foraging) when they were further from roads. We compare these findings with a review of the literature for urban fox home ranges. The movement patterns we describe are likely to be common for urban foxes, with half of the published home range estimates for urban foxes (principally based on VHF data) excluding data for ‘lost’ individuals or animals that showed ‘excursions’. It is likely that the home range estimates for these urban exploiters have therefore been grossly underestimated to date. Further application of GPS trackers that allow remote download will vastly improve our understanding of the space use of urban foxes.

Spatial and behavioral changes by red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in response to artificial territory intrusion

2011 ◽  
Vol 89 (9) ◽  
pp. 808-815 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Arnold ◽  
C.D. Soulsbury ◽  
S. Harris
Keyword(s):  
Home Range ◽  
Vulpes Vulpes ◽  
Scent Marking ◽  
Total Activity ◽  
Territory Size ◽  
Dominant Male ◽  
Scent Marks ◽  
Red Foxes ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Marked Area

Urine marking is thought to play a pivotal role in territory demarcation by red foxes ( Vulpes vulpes (L., 1758)), but little is known about how individuals respond to alien scent marks, and whether there are sex-related differences in territorial defense. We radio-tracked dominant male and female urban foxes before and after synthetic fox urine was applied to approximately a third of their territories and compared spatial and behavioral reactions both before and after scent application and with foxes on territories where no urine was applied. Home-range boundaries of male foxes shifted towards the scent-marked area, but this change did not affect the total territory size. Larger males shifted their home ranges to a greater degree than small males. Scent application did not affect total activity, but males spent more time in the scent-marked area. Behaviors such as distance moved per night and speed of movement did not differ before and after application, but foxes searched a greater percentage of their home range each night following scent marking. Females showed no significant spatial or behavioral response to the synthetic scent marks. Overall, responses of foxes to synthetic scent marks were male-biased and related to changes in space use rather than movement behaviors.

scholarly journals Spatio-temporal movement patterns and habitat choice of red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and racoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides) along the Wadden Sea coast

2021 ◽  
Vol 67 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Philipp Schwemmer ◽  
Stefan Weiel ◽  
Stefan Garthe
Keyword(s):  
Home Range ◽  
Vulpes Vulpes ◽  
Wadden Sea ◽  
Habitat Type ◽  
Individual Variability ◽  
World Heritage Site ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
Nyctereutes Procyonoides ◽  
Population Declines ◽  
Red Foxes

AbstractWetlands such as the World Heritage Site in the Wadden Sea include important habitats for breeding waterbirds. Its saltmarshes and adjacent conservation polders are used by thousands of breeding birds. However, some alarming population declines have been recorded during recent decades and previous studies found indications that predation pressure from red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and more recently from invasive racoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides) played an important role. The current study aimed to assess habitat utilisation by foxes and racoon dogs along the coast of the Wadden Sea. We equipped 21 foxes and seven racoon dogs with GPS collars and recorded a total of 37,586 (mean: 2,088) GPS fixes during a total of 2,617 (mean: 145) equipment days for red foxes and 3,440 (mean: 573) GPS fixes during a total of 272 (mean: 45) equipment days for racoon dogs. Foxes showed high individual variability in Kernel 95% home range sizes, with a mean of 172.2 ha (range: 3 to 824 ha) and little overlap among territories. Males had significantly larger home ranges than females, and there were no differences in home range sizes between adults (n = 14) and young (n = 4). Racoon dogs had smaller home ranges than foxes (mean: 52.8 ha). The preferred habitat type of both predators during daytime was the conservation polders along the Wadden Sea, while foxes also selected saltmarshes during the night. In contrast, both species avoided farmland areas. Foxes showed 20% of their activity during daylight hours and spent this time largely in areas with dense vegetation cover. None of the tagged individuals entered areas with particularly high bird densities (i.e. Wadden Sea islands or Halligen). However, our data suggest that foxes and racoon dogs frequently make use of linear structures such as dykes and dams and patrol along the tide line for carcasses. This suggests that at least single individuals of both species are prone to enter islands that are connected by dams to the mainland.

Home-range size and selection of natal den and diurnal shelter sites by urban red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in Melbourne

2006 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 339 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clive A. Marks ◽  
Tim E. Bloomfield
Keyword(s):  
Home Range ◽  
Vulpes Vulpes ◽  
Home Range Size ◽  
Range Data ◽  
Canis Lupus Familiaris ◽  
Convex Polygons ◽  
Red Foxes ◽  
Resource Requirement ◽  
Public Park ◽  
Selection Of

Selection of natal dens and diurnal shelters by red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) was investigated within the metropolitan area of Melbourne. Of 72 natal dens, 61% were in residential, public park, school or industrial lands. Most dens were beneath buildings (44.4%) or in earth banks (30.6%). The habitat categories in which dens were sited did not differ significantly from those described for London. Dens were more common beneath weatherboard buildings and were associated with properties that did not contain domestic dogs (Canis lupus familiaris). Diurnal shelter positions for 20 radio-collared foxes were obtained, and home-range data collected for 11 foxes. Estimated areas of adult home-range, for 100% minimum convex polygons (MCPs), varied between 11.5 and 45.8 ha, with from two to five diurnal shelter sites used in each home-range. Foxes showed a consistent preference for diurnal shelters associated with exotic weed infestations over ornamental and native vegetation or built habitats. Within these categories a diversity of substrates were used, including buildings, drains, graves, cypress trees, ornamental rockeries and garden beds. A preference for exotic weed infestations is an identifiable resource requirement for foxes in Melbourne and its removal may assist in reducing the abundance of urban foxes.

Home Range Defense in the Red Fox, Vulpes vulpes L.

1975 ◽  
Vol 56 (3) ◽  
pp. 645-652 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. M. Preston
Keyword(s):  
Home Range ◽  
Vulpes Vulpes ◽  
Red Fox
Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document