Arctic Fox Home Range Characteristics in an Oil-Development Area
Eberhardt LE, Hanson WC, Bengtson JL, Garrott RA, Hanson EE. 1982. Arctic Fox Home Range Characteristics in an Oil-Development Area. The Journal of Wildlife Management. 46(1):183-190
Spring and summer home ranges and local movements of arctic foxes (Alopex lagopus) were studied from 1975 to 1977 at the Prudhoe Bay oil-development area in northern Alaska. Twenty-seven adult and 62 juvenile foxes were captured, marked, and released. Nine adults and 5 juveniles were equipped with radio collars and monitored during 1976 and 1977. Home range size was 20.8 ▒ 12.5 (SD) km▓ for 4 adult foxes and 3.7 ▒ 1.7 km▓ for 5 juveniles. Home range configuration was similar for all marked members of individual families. Adult foxes were nocturnal and territorial. Foxes used oil-development sites for feeding, resting, and denning. Use of these sites became more common late in the rearing season, as juveniles became more mobile. A major fluctuation in the availability of natural foods did not appear to alter use of developed areas by foxes. The number of juvenile foxes observed at Prudhoe Bay decreased from 1976 to 1977, but the decrease was less pronounced than in a nearby undisturbed area.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Eberhardt, Lester; Hanson, Wayne; Bengtson, John; Garrott, Robert; Hanson, Eric
- Units
- ARCN , BELA , CAKR , GAAR , KOVA , NOAT
- Keywords
- Abundance, Arctic, arctic foxes, Carnivores, Competition, Distribution, Habitat Use, Mammals, Predation