Year: 2003
Type: article
Abstract: The food habits and trophic niche breadth of the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) were studied across a wide altitudinal range in a protected Alpine area (Gran Paradiso National Park) through the analysis of 922 scats, collected monthly along fixed itineraries. Small mammals and insects prevailed in the warm season and were replaced by chamois in the cold season, as soon as carcasses became available. The overwhelming importance of the latter, clumped, nutritious and abundant resource suggests opportunistic feeding behaviour of red foxes in harsh climatic conditions. As a consequence, the trophic niche was quite narrow in winter. Accordingly, ungulate density directly influenced the use of carcasses.
Source: The European Zoological Journal
Institutions: University of Siena, University of Pavia
Language: English
Subfield: Ecology
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
SDG: Life on land
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W2077791926