Demographics of a protected population of gray foxes (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) in South Carolina

Abstract

We studied demographics of a population of gray foxes (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) that has been protected for over 50 years on the United States Department of Energy's Savannah River Site, near Aiken, South Carolina. The percentages of individuals in the 10-, 22-, and ≥34-month-old age classes were 37.2, 10.3, and 52.6, respectively. This differed significantly from age structure at this same site in 1954-1956. Sex ratio was biased toward females (58.7%). Average litter size was 3.6 ± 0.2 SE, and the barren rate was 11.1%. The greater proportion of females, however, resulted in an overall per capita reproductive rate that was still comparable with populations subject to harvest pressure.