Diet of red fox (Vulpes vulpes L.) cubs in relation to species litter distribution in Central Western Belarus

Sidorovich, Anna A.; Sidorovich, Vadim E.; Yanovskiy, Aleksander A.; Solovej, Irina A.

Diet of red fox (Vulpes vulpes L.) cubs in relation to species litter distribution in Central Western Belarus

2015

Sidorovich, Anna A. | Sidorovich, Vadim E. | Yanovskiy, Aleksander A. | Solovej, Irina A.

We studied feeding patterns of red fox (Vulpes vulpes L.) cubs and the distribution of their breeding earths in the Naliboki Forest (Central Western Belarus) and rural surroundings. Red fox earths (n = 110) were checked annually in 2004–2010, 902 scats and prey remains (from 22 litters) were collected. The data were analysed with respect to litter location and interannual dynamics of microtine voles. In all landscapes, red fox cubs fed on the vole genus Microtus , ungulate carrion, the bank vole (Myodes glareolus Shreb.), various medium-sized mammals and birds. In semi-natural and rural open landscapes, cubs primarily ate Microtus voles with high selectivity for this type of prey. In large forest fragments, their diet mainly consisted of wild ungulate carrion. Vixens preferred to rear cubs in open habitats where Microtus voles were more abundant, or in their vicinity. We considered the abundance of these rodent species to be the most important factor affecting denning site selection by vixens and cub feeding, ungulate carrion being the main alternative food available in poorer habitats. Our investigation contributes to a better understanding of the key factors driving red fox populations

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