Activity Patterns of Urban Red Foxes (Vulpes Vulpes) Reduce the Risk of Traffic-Induced Mortality

This article reports on a study that examined traffic-related mortality of red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in the city of Bristol, United Kingdom, and the extent to which roads affected fox activity by comparing real and randomly generated patterns of movement. The authors note that traffic collisions can be a major source of mortality in wild populations, and animals may be expected to exhibit behavioral mechanisms that reduce the risk associated with crossing roads. The study found significant seasonal differences in the number of traffic-related fox deaths for different age and sex classes; peaks were associated with periods when individuals were likely to be moving through unfamiliar terrain and would have had to cross major roads. Mortality rates per unit road length increased with road size. The animals demonstrated some adaptive behavior by crossing roads at a higher rate after midnight when traffic flow was lower. Adults and juveniles crossed 17% and 30% fewer roads, respectively, than expected from randomly generated movement. The author concludes that this highly mobile species appeared to reduce the mortality risk on minor category roads by changing its activity patterns, but it remained vulnerable to the effects of larger roads with higher traffic flows during periods associated with extraterritorial movements.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/10452249
• Authors:
  • Baker, Philip J
  • Dowding, Claire V
  • Molony, Susie E
  • White, Piran CL
  • Harris, Stephen
• Publication Date: 2007-7

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: References;
• Pagination: pp 716-724
• Serial:
  • Behavioral Ecology
  • Volume: 18
  • Issue Number: 4
  • Publisher: Oxford University Press
  • ISSN: 1045-2249
  • EISSN: 1465-7279

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Animal behavior; Animals; Environmental risk assessment; Habitat (Ecology); Mammals; Risk assessment; Road kill; Roadside fauna; Traffic flow; Urban areas; Urbanization
• Uncontrolled Terms: Foxes; Mortality
• Subject Areas: Energy; Environment; Highways; Safety and Human Factors; I15: Environment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01083209
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Dec 31 2007 7:37AM