HABITAT USE AND RANGING BEHAVIOR OF THE RED FOX (VULPES-VULPES) IN A MEDITERRANEAN RURAL AREA - IS SHELTER AVAILABILITY A KEY FACTOR

Factors affecting activity, habitat use, and home-range size of the re d fox were analysed in a highly heterogeneous rural environment. Indiv idual differences in behaviour were used to test our hypotheses. Food habits tended to depend on food availability, which, in turn, was main ly influenced by temperature. Diet was highly heterogeneous. Insects, e.g. grasshoppers and beetles, and cultivated fruits were the staple o f the diet, but no diet component stood out clearly from all others. F or an opportunistic species such as the fox, habitat heterogeneity may be the main factor underlying a wide trophic niche. All foxes selecte d the vineyard as part of their home ranges, whereas they preferred fo r activity the abandoned olive-yard among the habitats of their home r anges. Human intolerance of foxes affects their pattern of activity, h abitat selection, and ranging behaviour. Foxes were strongly nocturnal . Cover-rich habitats were preferred for resting and for movements in daylight. Areas under human management were mainly used at night. Sele ctivity was higher for resting than for activity sites. Variation in h ome-range size and shape can be influenced not only by the dispersion of the main food patches, but also by the location of shelters.