Social Organization, Natal Dispersal, Survival, and Cause -Specific Mortality of Red Foxes in Agricultural and Urban Areas of East-Central Illinois

Survival was influenced the most by environmental and body condition. Adult foxes with low (0--20%) and high (80--100%) row-crop percentages, and higher capture weights experienced higher survival. Juveniles from larger litters, low capture body fat, and fewer dispersal days had higher survival. Adult survival (0.35) was higher than juvenile survival (0.24). Yearly urban survival varied due to cyclic outbreaks of sarcoptic mange, resulting in survival ranging from 0.10 (mange prevalent) to 0.83 (no mange) indifferent years. Mange was the major source of urban fox mortality, followed by road kill. Road kill and coyote predation mortalities were major sources for rural foxes. Urban areas may provide refugia for red foxes in North America where reestablished coyote populations persist at high densities.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Natural Resrouces and Environmental Sciences

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2015

Author dc:creator

• Gosselink, Todd Eric

Contributors dc:contributor

• Warner, Richard E.

• Agriculture, Forestry and Wildlife

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

(MiAaPQ)AAI3069998

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/83086