Journal
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE RESEARCH
Volume 62, Issue 1, Pages 131-136Publisher
SPRINGER
DOI: 10.1007/s10344-015-0967-8
Keywords
Vulpes vulpes; Canis familiaris; Carnivore; Human subsidies; Commensal; Diet; Dog
Funding
- Narendra Babu Ecological Research Initiative Grant
- Fondation Segre-Whitley Fund for Nature
- Forest Research Institute University, Dehradun
- Himachal Pradesh Forest Department (Wildlife Wing), Shimla
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Habitat modification through rural and urban expansions negatively impacts most wildlife species. However, anthropogenic food sources in habitations can benefit certain species. The red fox Vulpes vulpes can exploit anthropogenic food, but human subsidies sometimes also sustain populations of its potential competitor, the free-ranging dog Canis familiaris. As human habitations expand, populations of free-ranging dog are increasing in many areas, with unknown effects on wild commensal species such as the red fox. We examined occurrence and diet of red fox along a gradient of village size in a rural mountainous landscape of the Indian Trans-Himalaya. Diet analyses suggest substantial use of anthropogenic food (livestock and garbage) by red fox. Contribution of livestock and garbage to diet of red fox declined and increased, respectively, with increasing village size. Red fox occurrence did not show a clear relationship with village size. Red fox occurrence showed weak positive relationships with density of free-ranging dog and garbage availability, respectively, while density of free-ranging dog showed strong positive relationships with village size and garbage availability, respectively. We highlight the potential conservation concern arising from the strong positive association between density of free-ranging dog and village size.
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