How do red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) explore their environment? Characteristics of movement patterns in time and space.

Background: Many animals must adapt their movements to different conditions encountered during different life phases, such as when exploring extraterritorial areas for dispersal, foraging or breeding. To better understand how animals move in different movement phases, we asked whether movement patterns differ between one way directed movements, such as during the transient phase of dispersal or two way exploratory-like movements such as during extraterritorial excursions or stationary movements.

Methods: We GPS collared red foxes in a rural area in southern Germany between 2020 and 2023.

Variation in home range size of red foxes Vulpes vulpes along a gradient of productivity and human landscape alteration.

Home range size is a fundamental concept for understanding animal dispersion and ecological needs, and it is one of the most commonly reported ecological attributes of free-ranging mammals. Previous studies indicate that red foxes Vulpes vulpes display great variability in home range size. Yet, there has been little consensus regarding the reasons why home range sizes of red foxes vary so extensively.