Effects of temporary captivity on ranging behaviour in urban red foxes (Vulpes vulpes)

Tolhurst, Bryony A.; Grogan, Adam; Hughes, Heather; Scott, Dawn M.

doi:10.1016/j.applanim.2016.05.004

Cited by 18 publications

(27 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…Despite this, the reported success of rehabilitation varies considerably (Guy et al 2013;Mullineaux 2014) with few studies conducted into the survival of released, rehabilitated animals (Molony et al 2007). Given that, rehabilitated individuals are often considered to have a lower chance of survival compared to wild individuals as a result of reintroduction stress, impaired foraging ability and increased mortality risk (Molony et al 2006) and altered ranging behaviour (Tolhurst et al 2016), the lack of studies in this field needs addressing to provide evidence to inform rehabilitation practice.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Should rehabilitated hedgehogs be released in winter? A comparison of survival, nest use and weight change in wild and rescued animals

et al. 2019

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The rehabilitation of sick or injured wildlife and their subsequent release back into the wild is considered important, not only for the welfare of the individual animal but also for the conservation and management of endangered and threatened wildlife. The European hedgehog Erinaceus europaeus has declined by 25% in Britain over the last decade and is the most common mammal admitted to wildlife rehabilitation centres in Britain, with a large proportion of individuals admitted to gain body weight overwinter prior to release in the spring. Consequently, many thousands of hedgehogs are housed overwinter which incurs significant costs for rehabilitation centres, and has potentially animal welfare issues, such as, stress in captivity, reintroduction stress, increased mortality risk and impaired or altered behaviour. To determine if releasing rehabilitated hedgehogs during autumn and winter had an effect on their survival, body weight or nesting behaviour, we compared these factors between 34 rehabilitated hedgehogs with 23 wild hedgehogs across five sites in England over four different winters. Overwinter survival was high for both wild and rehabilitated hedgehogs, with a significant decrease in survival across both groups when hedgehogs became active post hibernation in spring. We found no differences in the survival rates up to 150 days post release, in weight change, or nest use between wild-and winter-released rehabilitated hedgehogs. Our results suggest that under the correct conditions, rehabilitated hedgehogs can be released successfully during winter, therefore avoiding or reducing time in captivity.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Should rehabilitated hedgehogs be released in winter? A comparison of survival, nest use and weight change in wild and rescued animals

et al. 2019

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“…On visual inspection, these range sizes of martens do show overall differences, with ranges being more defined and apparent in year two individuals who show distinct territorial formation akin to those typical of established populations (Balharry, 1993; Powell, 1979; Figure 1). This may potentially be a result of stronger territorial distinction by established individuals in their second year, when sex‐based differences in ranging become more apparent prior to mating and offspring being born in following years (Erlinge & Sandell, 1986; Powell, 1979; Sjoasen, 1997; Slough, 1989; Tolhurst et al, 2015; Yott et al, 2011). However, the density of martens in the recipient region thus far, approximately 0.03 martens/km 2 , is substantially lower than elsewhere across the species range in Ireland (1.25–4.42 martens/km 2 , Sheehy, O’Meara, O’Reilly, Smart, & Lawton, 2014) or Scotland (0.16–0.28, Balharry, 1993; 0.32–0.46, Halliwell, 1997; 0.28–2.0, Caryl, 2012).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Such exploratory movements by translocated individuals can be detrimental to survival, since extended periods of exploration and habitat searching are often erratic and extend over long distances, making them energetically costly (Robertson & Harris, 1995; Spinola, Serfass, & Brooks, 2018; Yott, Rosatte, Schaefer, Hamr, & Fryxell, 2011) and exposing animals to diverse hazards. Three major postrelease movement patterns have been identified: (1) immediate settlement, (2) dispersal followed by settlement, and (3) long‐distance dispersal or failure to settle (Broquet et al, 2006; Davis, 1983; Slough, 1989; Tolhurst, Grogan, Hughes, & Scott, 2015; Woodford, Macfarland, & Worland, 2013). Among translocated carnivores, these patterns have been described in American marten Martes americana (Davis, 1983; Slough, 1989; Woodford et al, 2013), otters Lontra canadensis (Sjoasen, 1997; Spinola et al, 2018), red foxes Vulpes vulpes (Tolhurst et al, 2015), and swift foxes Vulpes velox (Moehrenschlager & Macdonald, 2003).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Three major postrelease movement patterns have been identified: (1) immediate settlement, (2) dispersal followed by settlement, and (3) long‐distance dispersal or failure to settle (Broquet et al, 2006; Davis, 1983; Slough, 1989; Tolhurst, Grogan, Hughes, & Scott, 2015; Woodford, Macfarland, & Worland, 2013). Among translocated carnivores, these patterns have been described in American marten Martes americana (Davis, 1983; Slough, 1989; Woodford et al, 2013), otters Lontra canadensis (Sjoasen, 1997; Spinola et al, 2018), red foxes Vulpes vulpes (Tolhurst et al, 2015), and swift foxes Vulpes velox (Moehrenschlager & Macdonald, 2003). However, explanations for the ecological mechanisms driving among‐animal variation in the observed patterns remain ambiguous, with conspecific attraction, habitat suitability, and predation risk all thought to play a role (Davis, 1983; Letty et al, 2007; Sjoasen, 1997).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, explanations for the ecological mechanisms driving among‐animal variation in the observed patterns remain ambiguous, with conspecific attraction, habitat suitability, and predation risk all thought to play a role (Davis, 1983; Letty et al, 2007; Sjoasen, 1997). Reduction of problems arising from exploration, long‐distance dispersal, or attempted “homing” has most commonly been achieved through adopting a soft‐release protocol, allowing acclimatization of individuals to the release site in an enclosure provisioned with food for a short period of time prior to release (Moehrenschlager & Macdonald, 2003; Tolhurst et al, 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Postrelease movement and habitat selection of translocated pine martensMartes martes

McNicol

Bavin

Bearhop

et al. 2020

Ecology and Evolution

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Monitoring postrelease establishment and movement of animals is important in evaluating conservation translocations. We translocated 39 wild pine martens Martes martes (19 females, 20 males) from Scotland to Wales. We released them into forested areas with no conspecifics in 2015, followed by a second release in 2016, alongside the previously released animals. We used radio‐tracking to describe postrelease movement and habitat selection. Six martens (15%) were not re‐encountered during the tracking period, of which four undertook long‐distance dispersal. For the remaining individuals, we characterized two phases of movement, “exploration” followed by “settlement,” that differed between releases. In the first release, martens remained in exploration phase for a mean of 14.5 days (SE = 3.9 days) and settled at a mean distance of 8.7 km (SE = 1.8 km) from release sites, whereas martens released in year two, alongside resident conspecifics, traveled away from release sites at a faster rate, settling sooner, at a mean of 6.6 days (SE = 1.8 days), but further, at a mean distance of 14.0 km (SE = 1.7 km) from release sites. Animals released in year one did not exhibit habitat preferences overall but within forests they favored recently felled areas, whereas animals released in year two showed strong selection for forested habitat but did not discriminate between forest types. The presence of conspecifics appeared influential for settlement and site fidelity of translocated martens and was associated with more rapid but more distant dispersal of the later cohort. Releases of animals in close proximity appeared to promote site fidelity and rapid establishment of ranges in the recipient environment.

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Phase‐dependent red fox expansion into the tundra: implications for management

Wilkinson,

Vigués,

Stoessel

et al. 2024

J Wildl Manag

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Expansion of boreal species into tundra ecosystems is a consequence of climate change and human exploitation that threatens local species through increased predation, competition, and pathogen transmission. Under these circumstances, efficient control of expanding boreal species may be necessary, but the efficiency of such action depends on understanding the ecological influences of expansion. The red fox (Vulpes vulpes) is expanding into the tundra across the Arctic. In Scandinavia, red foxes threaten local tundra species and communities including the endangered Arctic fox (V. lagopus). The ecological dynamics in the tundra are influenced by small rodent cycles (classified into different phases based on seasonal abundance fluctuations), which can affect red fox expansion, distribution, and abundance. We used a 17‐year (2004–2020) dataset from the tundra in Sweden, consisting of raw snow track data, to test how cyclic prey influenced red fox distribution and abundance, and subsequently red fox control. The winter abundance of red fox was influenced by small rodent phase, with higher abundance during high prey availability (i.e., increased number of prey numbers) with no support for a time lag between red fox and small rodent abundance. This suggests that high prey availability attracts red foxes to the tundra and that higher immigration from the boreal zone can be expected in response to increased prey abundances. There was no relationship between red fox control and small rodent availability, but control was influenced by red fox abundance during the previous year, which highlights an opportunistic control strategy. We recommend an adaptive management strategy where authorities include small rodent dynamics in the planning and execution of red fox control.

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Effects of temporary captivity on ranging behaviour in urban red foxes (Vulpes vulpes)

Cited by 18 publications

References 31 publications

Should rehabilitated hedgehogs be released in winter? A comparison of survival, nest use and weight change in wild and rescued animals

Should rehabilitated hedgehogs be released in winter? A comparison of survival, nest use and weight change in wild and rescued animals

Postrelease movement and habitat selection of translocated pine martensMartes martes

Phase‐dependent red fox expansion into the tundra: implications for management

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