HOME-RANGE AND ACTIVITY PATTERNS BY GRAY FOXES, UROCYON CINEREOARGENTEUS (CARNIVORA, CANIDAE), IN EAST TENNESSEE

We determined home-range size, spatial distribution, and activity patt erns of gray foxes (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) (N = 10) between Septemb er 1986 and August 1987 in east Tennessee. Average annual home-range s ize was 3.97 +/- 1.51 (($) over bar x +/- SE) km(2). There were no sig nificant differences in home-range size between sexes (females 3.67 +/ - 1.54; males 4.27 +/- 1.59 km(2)) or age groups (adults 4.41 +/- 1.46 ; subadults 3.20 +/- 1.62 km(2)). Home-range sizes were similar in thr ee reproductive seasons and in seasons of predominantly fruit (presuma bly abundant) and predominantly flesh (presumably more scarce) diets. Home ranges of adult male-female pairs and subadults coincided, sugges ting monogamy and exclusive area utilization by family groups. We obse rved lower sunrise and/or daylight activity levels during breeding and flesh diet seasons, and in months of low foliar cover.