scholarly journals Den Site Activity Patterns of Adult Male and Female Swift Foxes, Vulpes velox, in Northwestern Texas

2003 ◽  
Vol 117 (3) ◽  
pp. 424 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick R. Lemons ◽  
Warren B. Ballard ◽  
Robert M. Sullivan ◽  
Marsha A. Sovada
Keyword(s):  
Parental Care ◽  
Adult Male ◽  
Canis Latrans ◽  
Activity Patterns ◽  
Male Parent ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Vulpes Velox ◽  
Swift Fox ◽  
Determine Role

Activity of Swift Foxes (Vulpes velox) at den sites was studied in northwestern Texas during pup rearing seasons in 2000 and 2001 to determine role of males in parental care. Twenty-four percent of radio-collared females with a potential to breed successfully raised pups to eight weeks of age. We intensively monitored presence and absence of male and female Swift Foxes at two den sites each year. Females were present >2.6 times more at den sites than males during the pup rearing season. Female and male Swift Foxes largely stayed at dens during diurnal hours and were active away from dens during nocturnal and crepuscular hours. Females and males spent 12.4% and 3.0% more time at dens before pups emerged, than after pups emerged, respectively. Following depredation of one male parent, the female spent 29% less time at the den site. Decrease in time spent at the den by the female following loss of her mate suggested that loss of one parent might severely impact recruitment of Swift Foxes. Our observations indicated that intense Coyote (Canis latrans) depredation may severely impact pup-rearing success as well as the parental care within Swift Fox family groups.

scholarly journals Sexual dimorphic role of the glucocorticoid receptor in chronic muscle pain produced by early-life stress

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 ◽  
pp. 174480692110113
Author(s):  
Paul G Green ◽  
Pedro Alvarez ◽  
Jon D Levine
Keyword(s):  
Glucocorticoid Receptor ◽  
Adult Male ◽  
Life Stress ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Glucocorticoid Receptors ◽  
Early Life Stress ◽  
Nociceptive Threshold ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Mechanical Nociceptive Threshold

Fibromyalgia and other chronic musculoskeletal pain syndromes are associated with stressful early life events, which can produce a persistent dysregulation in the hypothalamic-pituitary adrenal (HPA) stress axis function, associated with elevated plasm levels of corticosterone in adults. To determine the contribution of the HPA axis to persistent muscle hyperalgesia in adult rats that had experienced neonatal limited bedding (NLB), a form of early-life stress, we evaluated the role of glucocorticoid receptors on muscle nociceptors in adult NLB rats. In adult male and female NLB rats, mechanical nociceptive threshold in skeletal muscle was significantly lower than in adult control (neonatal standard bedding) rats. Furthermore, adult males and females that received exogenous corticosterone (via dams’ milk) during postnatal days 2–9, displayed a similar lowered mechanical nociceptive threshold. To test the hypothesis that persistent glucocorticoid receptor signaling in the adult contributes to muscle hyperalgesia in NLB rats, nociceptor expression of glucocorticoid receptor (GR) was attenuated by spinal intrathecal administration of an oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN) antisense to GR mRNA. In adult NLB rats, GR antisense markedly attenuated muscle hyperalgesia in males, but not in females. These findings indicate that increased corticosterone levels during a critical developmental period (postnatal days 2–9) produced by NLB stress induces chronic mechanical hyperalgesia in male and female rats that persists in adulthood, and that this chronic muscle hyperalgesia is mediated, at least in part, by persistent stimulation of glucocorticoid receptors on sensory neurons, in the adult male, but not female rat.

Activity patterns, movements and burrows of platypuses (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) in a sub-alpine Tasmanian lake

2000 ◽  
Vol 48 (6) ◽  
pp. 701 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helen M. Otley ◽  
Sarah A. Munks ◽  
Mark A. Hindell
Keyword(s):  
Adult Male ◽  
Site Selection ◽  
Activity Patterns ◽  
Predation Pressure ◽  
Water Bodies ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Frequent Use ◽  
Ornithorhynchus Anatinus ◽  
North Western ◽  
Tracking Period

Adult male and female platypuses were radio-tracked in summer and winter at Lake Lea, north-western Tasmania. They appeared to exhibit greater diurnality, particularly during winter months, a greater degree of overland movement and more frequent use of non-earth refuge sites than do animals inhabiting mainland water bodies. Individuals foraged continuously for up to 16 h, with longer foraging bouts observed during the winter tracking period. Foraging range varied between 2 and 58 ha, with no significant differences observed between the sexes or seasons. All platypuses foraged predominantly in the lake; however, a number of animals were observed moving overland to and from waterbodies and burrows. Burrows were located on lake, creek and pool edges. A high percentage of burrows (25%) were located within dense sedge tussocks and scrub vegetation. Both the terrestrial activity and more opportunistic burrow-site selection may be related to reduced predation pressure in Tasmania.

Spatial relationships between swift foxes and coyotes in northwestern Texas

2003 ◽  
Vol 81 (1) ◽  
pp. 168-172 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan F Kamler ◽  
Warren B Ballard ◽  
Rickey L Gilliland ◽  
Kevin Mote
Keyword(s):  
Interspecific Competition ◽  
Canis Latrans ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
Spatial Relationships ◽  
Spatial Displacement ◽  
Annual Survival ◽  
Vulpes Velox ◽  
Swift Fox ◽  
Behavioral Avoidance ◽  
Core Areas

Interspecific competition among canids can result in mortalities and spatial displacement of smaller canids by larger canids. To investigate mortalities and spatial relationships of swift foxes (Vulpes velox) and coyotes (Canis latrans), we captured and radio-tracked both species at Rita Blanca National Grasslands in northwestern Texas. At least 89% of swift fox mortalities were caused by coyotes, resulting in a relatively low annual survival of 0.47 for swift foxes. Annual home ranges of swift foxes occurred near the periphery and outside coyote home ranges, and did not overlap or only slightly overlapped coyote core areas. Thirty-three of 36 known swift fox dens occurred outside coyote core areas. When swift foxes established dens within coyote core areas (n = 3), they were killed by coyotes shortly thereafter. Our data indicated that spatial displacement of swift foxes was not due to behavioral avoidance of coyotes but rather to increased killing of swift foxes within coyote core areas. Most mortalities caused by coyotes occurred in the immediate vicinity of swift fox dens, suggesting that coyotes made an active effort to kill swift foxes.

scholarly journals Swift Fox, Vulpes velox, Den Use Patterns in Northwestern Texas

2007 ◽  
Vol 121 (1) ◽  
pp. 71
Author(s):  
Brady K. McGee ◽  
Warren B. Ballard ◽  
Kerry L. Nicholson
Keyword(s):  
North America ◽  
Predator Avoidance ◽  
Canis Latrans ◽  
Annual Number ◽  
Vulpes Velox ◽  
Swift Fox ◽  
Use Patterns ◽  
Den Use

Predator avoidance may be a reason why Swift Foxes (Vulpes velox) are one of the most burrow-dependent canids in North America. Typically Swift Foxes have multiple dens, which they frequently move among. As part of a larger study to reduce Coyote (Canis latrans) related mortalities on Swift Foxes, we installed artificial escape dens in areas occupied by Swift Foxes on Rita Blanca National Grassland, Dallam County, Texas. For this paper, our objective was to determine the effects of artificial escape dens on Swift Fox den use patterns. From January 2002 to August 2004 we captured, radio-collared, and monitored 55 Swift Foxes. We documented annual number of dens used, rate of den use (fidelity), distance between dens, den area, and den sharing. We compared treated (artificial dens installed) and untreated (no artificial dens) areas but found no differences in annual number of dens (P = 0.64; mean = 8), rate of den use (P = 0.96; mean = 35%), mean distance between dens (P = 0.99; mean = 2,311 m), den area (P = 0.55; mean = 5.72 km2), or den sharing (P = 0.46; mean = 42% of time). We did not observe an effect of artificial escape dens on Swift Fox den use patterns probably because artificial escape dens were designed for temporary escape cover rather than diurnal den use.

Molt, T4, and testosterone in adult male and female bar-headed geese, Anser indicus

1983 ◽  
Vol 61 (12) ◽  
pp. 2695-2697 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Philip Dittami ◽  
Michael Robert Hall
Keyword(s):  
Adult Male ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Anser Indicus ◽  
Circulating Levels

In order to examine the role of gonadal–thyroid interactions in controlling the molt, the ratio of circulating levels of testosterone and thyroxine were examined before and during the molt. The results in males fit the hypothesis that an imbalance between the two functions produce molt but the results from females do not.

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