Home-Range Studies of Red Foxes (Vulpes vulpes)

Abstract

Home ranges of eight red foxes in south-central Wisconsin were studied by telemetry techniques in 1964 and 1965. Frequency-distribution graphs of activity radii revealed characteristics of ranges, but testing for kurtosis and skewness did not always reveal limits to range. a combination of mathematical analyses and subjective appraisal was used to draw range boundaries. Range sizes of 142 to 400 acres for seven foxes in an area of great ecological diversity were smaller than a range of 2 square miles for an adult male in a less diverse farming section. Shapes of ranges tended to be linear with linearity partially associated with habitat features. Patterns of home-range use were approximately described by the geometric distribution with deviation from the geometric caused by sectors of concentrated use. the time required to measure adequately the home ranges varied from 5 to 16 days depending on patterns of daily use. a suggestion of territorial behavior was noted between two adult females.