Kr. Crooks et D. Vanvuren, SPATIAL-ORGANIZATION OF THE ISLAND FOX (UROCYON LITTORALIS) ON SANTA-CRUZ ISLAND, CALIFORNIA, Journal of mammalogy, 77(3), 1996, pp. 801-806
We measured size and overlap of home ranges and core areas to evaluate
the spatial organization of island foxes on Santa Cruz Island, Califo
rnia. Home ranges and core areas did not differ significantly between
study areas, genders, or the wet and dry season. Consistent with islan
d vertebrates elsewhere, home ranges of island foxes were considerably
smaller than those of gray foxes, their closest relatives. The social
organization of island foxes, however, was similar to that of gray fo
xes and primarily consisted of male-female pairs occupying home ranges
with core areas that overlapped little with those of adjacent pairs.
Substantial spatial overlap between pair members, lack of intersexual
differences in size of home range, slight physical dimorphism, and equ
al sex ratios suggest that island foxes may be monogamous.