Food composition and feeding ecology of the Arabian Red Fox Vulpes vulpes arabica Thomas 1902 in Sakaka northern Saudi Arabia.

Abstract

The food composition and feeding ecology of the Arabian Red Fox Vulpes vulpes arabica inhabiting Sakaka city in the northern part of Saudi Arabia was studied using stomach contents analysis. The analysis of 32 stomach contents during February 2015 to May 2016 showed a great diverse of food like mammals, birds, reptiles, insects, scorpions, cooked rice, plants and carrion. Diet composition showed seasonal variations that associated with changes in the availability of different food items. The results clearly showed that the Arabian Red Fox is an opportunistic omnivore, capable of depending on a great types of dietary compositions. This is the first study for the food composition and feeding ecology for the Arabian Red Fox in Sakaka city and Al Jouf governorate in Saudi Arabia.