The reproductive performance of female red foxes, Vulpes vulpes, in central-western New South Wales during and after a drought

2001 ◽  
Vol 79 (4) ◽  
pp. 545-553 ◽  
Author(s):  
John McIlroy ◽  
Glen Saunders ◽  
Lyn A. Hinds
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Performance ◽  
Vulpes Vulpes ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Red Foxes ◽  
South Wales

Diet of red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in South-west New South Wales, with relevance to lamb predation.

1993 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 39 ◽  
Author(s):  
IW Lugton
Keyword(s):  
Vulpes Vulpes ◽  
Oryctolagus Cuniculus ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Ovis Aries ◽  
Red Foxes ◽  
South West ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Preferred Foods ◽  
Autumn And Winter

The diets of 212 foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in the far south-west of New South Wales were determined between 1985 and 1989 and compared with other Australian studies. Mammalian remains, at an overall occurrence of 99.1%, formed the basis of the diet during the autumn and winter months. The most frequently occurring mammals were rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) (34.9%), sheep (Ovis aries) (30.7%) and macropods (Macropus spp.) (20.3%). Insects occurred in 31.1% of stomachs and formed a substantial proportion of the diet. Fresh newborn lamb was identified in only 3.8% of all stomachs, but evidence of lamb consumption was 10 times greater (35.2%) from foxes collected near lambing flocks. Other studies around lambing flocks have also shown a high occurrence of fresh lamb in fox stomachs and there is circumstantial evidence that predation of lambs by foxes can be common. It was concluded that lamb predation is likely to be severe where the fox population density is high, where older foxes predominate, and where alternative preferred foods are scarce. More research is required to confirm these observations.

Temporal, spatial and individual variation in the diet of red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in central New South Wales

2000 ◽  
Vol 27 (6) ◽  
pp. 593 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. L. Molsher ◽  
E. J. Gifford ◽  
J. C. McIlroy
Keyword(s):  
Individual Variation ◽  
Vulpes Vulpes ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Ovis Aries ◽  
Red Foxes ◽  
Moon Phases ◽  
Temporal Synchrony ◽  
South Wales

This study describes temporal, spatial and individual variation in the diet of 255 red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) collected from agricultural land in central New South Wales from July 1994 to November 1996. Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus), sheep (Ovis aries), eastern grey kangaroos (Macropus giganteus) and invertebrates were the most important food items overall. Significant seasonal variations, and sex and age differences between foxes occurred in the consumption of some food types. Some temporal synchrony was also evident, with different individuals often eating similar foods on the same night. This may have been related to moonlight. On full moon nights, foxes ate rabbits and small mammals significantly less often than during other moon phases. The management implications of variation in diet are discussed.

Trapping efficiency for foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in central New SouthWales: age and sex biases and the effects of reduced fox abundance

2000 ◽  
Vol 27 (5) ◽  
pp. 547 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barry Kay ◽  
Edward Gifford ◽  
Rob Perry ◽  
Remy van de Ven
Keyword(s):  
Vulpes Vulpes ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Trapping Efficiency ◽  
Severe Drought ◽  
Red Foxes ◽  
Drought Period ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Sex Biases ◽  
Age And Sex

A total of 276 red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) was captured over 40 597 trap-nights during 1994–96 at three separate sites in central New South Wales, resulting in an overall trapping efficiency of one fox per 147 trap-nights. Trapping using multiple trap sets placed at carcases was 3.2 times more efficient than trapping using single trap sets. During 1994–95, when two of the sites suffered a severe drought, fox abundance declined to less than 0.2 foxes km–1 of spotlight transect; trapping efficiency at those sites also declined, to an average of one fox per 315 trap-nights. Mean trapping efficiency for non-drought periods was one fox per 135 trap-nights, 2.3 times more efficient than during the drought period. In 1995 and 1996, 353 foxes were shot in areas adjacent to each site. This gave the opportunity to compare sex and age biases between the trapped and shot samples: the ratio of males to females was significantly higher in the trapped sample than in the shot sample, and there was also a significantly higher ratio of adults to juveniles in the trapped sample than in the shot sample.

Morphological change and fat accumulation in juvenile red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in the Central Tablelands of New South Wales

2000 ◽  
Vol 27 (5) ◽  
pp. 525
Author(s):  
Roy K. Winstanley
Keyword(s):  
Body Mass ◽  
Body Fat ◽  
Vulpes Vulpes ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
First Year ◽  
Male Body ◽  
Energy Reserves ◽  
Red Foxes ◽  
South Wales

Juvenile red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) reach sexual maturation within 10 months of parturition. During this time juveniles need to manage their energy reserves to fuel maintenance metabolism, growth and reproduction. To determine juvenile growth rates and body energy reserves, I measured body mass, morphology, and estimated body fat, in free-living red foxes from approximately 8 weeks of age through to 1 year old. Foxes (n = 163) were sampled monthly from August 1995 to July 1996 in the Central Tablelands of New South Wales. Mean body mass of male and female juvenile foxes was indistinguishable from adult body mass by February, at 16 weeks of age (males 4500 g, females 4200 g). Skeletal measurements of body and forelimb length in both sexes also attained adult proportions by February. Further changes in morphology were minimal in first-year foxes. Total body fat was estimated indirectly using a kidney fat index. Estimated juvenile body fat remained low and stable (6%) in both sexes from December through March. Male body fat peaked in August (11%) but was low in July during mating and also September and October whilst females were denning. Estimated body fat of females peaked in August–September (13%) but declined sharply in October after parturition. In addition, 73% of first-year females sampled during August–October were either pregnant or had recently given birth.

scholarly journals Foxes in trees: a threat for Australian arboreal fauna?

2018 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 103 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valentina S. A. Mella ◽  
Clare McArthur ◽  
Robert Frend ◽  
Mathew S. Crowther
Keyword(s):  
Vulpes Vulpes ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Camera Traps ◽  
Red Foxes ◽  
Invasive Predator ◽  
South Wales ◽  
The Impact

We document the first evidence of tree climbing by red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in Australia. Camera traps recorded foxes in trees on the Liverpool Plains, New South Wales. This finding prompts a reassessment of the impact that this invasive predator has on Australian fauna: from purely terrestrial to also potentially arboreal.

The reproductive performance of female red foxes, Vulpes vulpes, in central-western New South Wales during and after a drought

2001 ◽  
Vol 79 (4) ◽  
pp. 545-553 ◽  
Author(s):  
John McIlroy ◽  
Glen Saunders ◽  
Lyn A Hinds
Keyword(s):  
Litter Size ◽  
Vulpes Vulpes ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Corpora Lutea ◽  
Severe Drought ◽  
Red Foxes ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Conception Rates

The reproductive condition of 295 female red foxes, Vulpes vulpes, collected during and shortly after a severe drought in central-western New South Wales, Australia, was assessed to assist research on the potential use of immunocontraception. The ovulation and conception rates per vixen for the 222 foxes that ovulated were 4.62 ± 1.50 and 3.58 ± 2.18 (mean ± SD), respectively. The resorption rate and mean litter size per vixen for the 188 foxes that were pregnant were 0.47 ± 0.92 and 3.75 ± 1.91, respectively. Details of the parameters are provided for each age-class. The proportion of the overall population that was pregnant was 0.847. Conception rates and litter sizes peaked in fifth- and sixth-year vixens, but vixens over 8 years of age produced as many cubs as first-year breeders did. Vixens collected during 1996, when rainfall was above average, contained significantly more corpora lutea than vixens collected during the drought years 1994 and 1995. There were no significant differences in other reproductive parameters (i.e., conception and resorption rates, litter size, and proportion of the population that was pregnant) between the 3 collection years. Mating occurred within a 3- to 7-week period from mid-June to the end of July and births from early August to late September. From a practical point of view, vixens will need to be targeted with immunocontraceptive baits in autumn.

Diets of sympatric red foxes Vulpes vulpes and wild dogs Canis lupus in the Northern Rivers Region, New South Wales.

2006 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 101 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. S. Glen ◽  
A. R. Fay ◽  
C. R. Dickman
Keyword(s):  
Canis Lupus ◽  
Vulpes Vulpes ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Red Foxes ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Northern Rivers ◽  
Wallabia Bicolor ◽  
Wild Dogs ◽  
Swamp Wallaby

In the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales the diets of sympatric foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and dogs (Canis lupus) were determined from analysis of oportunitically collected scats. Mammalian prey dominated the diet of both species but foxes had a more diverse diet than dogs. The red-necked pademelon (Thylogale thetis) had the highest occurrence in both predators. the northern brown bandicoot (Isoodon macrourus) was the second most common prey of the fox but did not occur in dog scats. Swamp wallaby (Wallabia bicolor) was more common in dog scats than fox scats.

Effects on non-target animal populations of a rabbit trail-baiting campaign with 1080 poison

1991 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 315 ◽  
Author(s):  
JC Mcilroy ◽  
EJ Gifford
Keyword(s):  
Vulpes Vulpes ◽  
Oryctolagus Cuniculus ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Pest Species ◽  
Target Animal ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Animal Populations ◽  
Exotic Pest

Populations of non-target birds and mammals on a semi-cleared grazing property near Braidwood, New South Wales, did not appear to be affected by a trail-baiting campaign against rabbits, Oryctolagus cuniculus, using pellet bait and 1080 poison. Rabbit numbers were reduced by about 90% and those of the fox, Vulpes vulpes, another exotic pest, by about 75%. Populations of both pest species began recovering soon after the campaign, indicating the need for continued control measures.

The effect of lambing performance on the face cover of ewes

1964 ◽  
Vol 4 (12) ◽  
pp. 86 ◽  
Author(s):  
RB Dun ◽  
BH Clinton ◽  
TH Crofts ◽  
JOC Furner ◽  
AC Godlee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Performance ◽  
New South ◽  
Full Range ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
South Wales ◽  
The Face ◽  
Average Face

Face cover was scored on 1979 maiden ewes mated on seven commercial properties in New South Wales. Results from four muffled flocks (full range of face cover scores) showed a small regression of percentage ewes wet on face cover scored prior to mating (b = -2.9, P<0.01). There was no relationship between these measurements in three open faced flocks (no ewes with face cover above score 4). A second score for face cover, given when the ewes had lambs at foot, was very strongly related to percentage wet ewes (b = -7.5, P<0.001, for muffled flocks and b = -6.3, P<0.01, for open faced flocks). The importance of time of scoring in determining the strength of the relation between reproductive performance and face cover, was caused by wet ewes dropping 0.6 grades in average face cover score between mating and marking. Dry ewes maintained their level of face cover.

Effect of prolonged undernutrition on the recovery and reproductive performance of maiden Merino ewes

1967 ◽  
Vol 7 (24) ◽  
pp. 7 ◽  
Author(s):  
P McInnes ◽  
TJ Grainger ◽  
MD Smith
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Reproductive Performance ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
The Other ◽  
First Year ◽  
Treatment Groups ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Feeding Trials ◽  
The Mean

Data are presented on the recovery and reproductive performance of 2 1/2-year-old maiden Merino ewes after a prolonged period of undernutrition. The 217 sheep had been hand-fed on a submaintenance ration in pen feeding trials at Glenfield, New South Wales. During the seven months of the trials they had lost 6 kg (28 to 22 kg) body weight. They were transported to Condobolin in south-western New South Wales, divided into two treatment groups and run on good quality pastures. One group was joined immediately (May 1959) and again ten months later, and the other group was mated after six months at Condobolin (in October 1959) and again 12 months later. The ewes recovered rapidly. The mean weight of both groups had reached 30 kg within six weeks and 40 kg within six months. In the first year 73 of the 100 May-mated ewes bore lambs, but only 38 of these lambs were weaned. Ewes bearing lambs had a higher body weight at the start of joining and gained more during joining than the barren ewes. At the other three joinings (October 1959, May 1960, October 1960) lambing percentage was from 86-89 and weaning percentage from 62-69-both normal for the district. The proportion of twin lambs (3-6 per cent) was low. Wool weight in 1959 was not affected by time of mating or by pregnancy.

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