Prey Preference of the Red Fox, Vulpes vulpes schrencki KISHIDA (Carnivora: Canidae), on Small Rodents

Abstract

The prey preference of the red fox on small rodents was studied by faecal analysis of foxes and a census of rodents in Hokkaido, Japan. The study area included the home ranges of two fox families which were determined by tracking in the snow. The number of foxes, a maximum of twelve and a minimum of three, varied depending on the season. It appeared that, from the census of small rodents, Clethrionomys rufocanus was dominant and mice of the genus Apodemus were also fairly abundant in the study area. A total of 941 faecal samples of the foxes were analyzed and it was indicated that C. rufocanus constituted a very high percentage of the consumed rodents. Ivlev's index was calculated from the percentage of dry matter of each species in the feces and the biomass of each species in the study area. It was suggested that the red foxes preferred C. rufocanus to genus Apodemus. The factors affecting prey preference were discussed on the basis of the relationships between the habitats of foxes and prey rodents. © 1979, JAPANESE SOCIETY OF APPLIED ENTOMOLOGY AND ZOOLOGY. All rights reserved.