Evidencias de depredación por zorro (Vulpes vulpes) sobre una incipiente población de cormorán moñudo (Gulosus aristotelis) en Galicia

During the last century, the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) has expanded its distribution into the Arctic, where it competes with the arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus), an ecologically similar tundra predator. The red fox expansion correlates with climate warming, and the ultimate determinant of the outcome of the competition between the two species is hypothesized to be climate. We conducted aerial and ground fox den surveys in the northern Yukon (Herschel Island and the coastal mainland) to investigate the relative abundance of red and arctic foxes over the last four decades. This region has undergone the most intense warming observed in North America, and we hypothesized that this climate change led to increasing dominance of red fox over arctic fox. Results of recent surveys fall within the range of previous ones, indicating little change in the relative abundance of the two species. North Yukon fox dens are mostly occupied by arctic fox, with active red fox dens occurring sympatrically. While vegetation changes have been reported, there is no indication that secondary productivity and food abundance for foxes have increased. Our study shows that in the western Arctic of North America, where climate warming was intense, the competitive balance between red and arctic foxes changed little in 40 years. Our results challenge the hypotheses linking climate to red fox expansion, and we discuss how climate warming’s negative effects on predators may be overriding positive effects of milder temperatures and longer growing seasons.

Human food waste is considered to be richer in carbohydrates, lipids and proteins than most natural food supplies; however, it is very well digested in scats. So, as an indication of this kind of food in the diet, we have used each indigestible, anthropogenic origin element found in faeces (e.g., glass, plastic, rubber, etc.). There are few studies discussing the importance of garbage in the diet of mammalian predators living in farmland; definitely, most focus on this issue in urban areas. We studied the contribution of garbage in the diet of raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides), red fox (Vulpes vulpes), marten (Martessp.), polecat (Mustela putorius), stoat (Mustela erminea), American mink (Neovison vison) and Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) in the agricultural areas of western Poland in 2006-2010. In addition, we examined the spatial changes in the diet of red fox and polecat. The largest contribution of garbage was found in scats of raccoon dog (8.8%), red fox (4.8%) and marten (4.3%). The diet of polecat, stoat and Eurasian otter contained 2.5%, 1.7% and 0.2% garbage items respectively. The most frequent item was plastic. Our analysis showed that garbage consumption by red fox and polecat was greater closer to human settlements. The results reveal a continuous gradient in the garbage consumption that corresponds with the degree of synanthropization of particular species.

Simple SummarySeveral red foxes in Spain have recently been identified as testing positive for canine distemper virus (CDV). This study focused on the presence of CDV in wild carnivores in Catalonia (north-eastern Spain) for conservation aims, including the red fox (Vulpes vulpes), badger (Meles meles), American mink (Neogale vison) and Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra). The results confirmed the circulation of CDV in Catalonia, revealing a notable percentage of positive cases in red foxes and European badgers. Phylogenetic and spatial studies emphasise the risk of CDV transmission among carnivores in this region likely due to potential reservoirs, close interactions, and shared environmental spaces. Furthermore, the circulation of CDV in wildlife represents a threat to endangered species such as the European polecat (Mustela putorius).Canine distemper virus (CDV) is recognised worldwide as an important pathogen in both domestic and wild carnivores. Few data are available on its impact and spread on the wildlife/wildlife–domestic animal–environment interface. This study, aimed at developing a conservation-oriented control strategy, analysed 89 sick or deceased animals from 2019 to 2023 at the Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre in Torreferrussa. RT-PCR and sequencing of the partial H gene were used to detect and analyse CDV in tissues. The total positive percentage was 20.22% (18/89), comprising 13 red foxes (44.8%), 4 European badgers (28.6%), and 1 American mink (4.5%), while 24 Eurasian otters tested negative. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that all of the CDV strains belong to the European lineage. Geographically distant individuals and different species shared the same viral strain, suggesting a strong capacity of CDV for interspecies and long-distance transmission. This calls for further research, particularly focusing on potential impacts of CDV on endangered carnivores.

This Scientific Opinion (SO) addresses a mandate from the EC regarding welfare of the following animals when farmed for their fur: (i) American mink (Neogale vison or Neovison vison), (ii) Red fox (Vulpes vulpes, also known as 'silver fox'), (iii) Arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus, also known as 'blue fox'), (iv) Raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides, also known as 'Finnraccoon') and (v) Chinchilla (Chinchilla lanigera). The request was to identify the most relevant welfare consequences (WCs) for each species and to determine whether these could be prevented or substantially mitigated in the current husbandry systems. 'Current system' refers strictly to the cage systems and cage dimensions as described in the EFSA Technical report produced under this mandate, as there was no or very limited information available on animals kept in alternative farming systems. Using information obtained from a review of literature, consultations with stakeholders and consideration by EFSA experts, the SO addresses for each species these WCs along with their underlying hazards and potential preventive or mitigating measures. In all species, Restriction of movement, Inability to perform exploratory or foraging behaviour, and Sensorial under- and overstimulation were selected as the most relevant WCs, sharing common hazards linked to current cage size and barrenness. Species-specific WCs include: soft tissue lesions and integument damage (mink), and handling stress (mink and foxes); locomotory disorders (Arctic fox); group stress (red fox), locomotory disorders and isolation stress (raccoon dog); and inability to perform comfort behaviour, resting problems and predation stress (chinchilla). In the majority of cases, it is concluded that neither prevention nor substantial mitigation of the identified WCs is possible in the current system. The SO also includes conclusions on limited or substantial mitigation measures in the current system and, when not possible, on substantial mitigating measures which would require a change to a different system.

Traffic infrastructure is currently one of the main anthropogenic causes affecting carnivore populations, and understanding factors behind spatiotemporal patterns of road mortality is crucial in developing successful conservation measures. Here, we investigated the effect of landscape and local characteristics on road mortality of several carnivore species. Road-kill data from the period 2000–2014 were obtained from a nation-wide volunteer-based survey and Species Occurrence Database of the Czech Republic. From a total of 1020 recorded carnivore road-kills, the most frequently documented was the stone marten (24.2 %) followed by European otter (22.7 %) and red fox (20.2 %). At the landscape scale (1000 m radius), road-kills of habitat generalists (red fox, stone marten, European polecat, least weasel and stoat) were mainly detected in areas with a mixture of arable land and human settlements, while road-kills of habitat specialists (pine marten, Eurasian badger and European otter) and non-native species (raccoon dog and raccoon) were mainly found in areas with a high proportion of forests, grasslands and water bodies. At the local scale (50 m radius), the presence of linear habitats (forest edges, corridors) was positively linked to road-kills of European otter, stone marten, Eurasian badger, stoat, least weasel, European polecat and red fox. The presence of watercourses increased mortality risk in European otter and raccoon dog and oppositely decreased mortality risk in stone marten, least weasel and red fox. We documented a significant effect of road topography only for raccoons, whose road-kills were mostly found in parallel sections of roads relative to buried and raised roads. Based on our results, several mitigation measures that could serve in reducing carnivore mortality in human-dominated landscapes are suggested.

Aleutian mink disease virus (AMDV) can cause severe immune-complex-mediated disease in American mink. AMDV has also been detected in several other mustelid species with potential negative impact on their health and population. A molecular and cross-sectional epidemiological study was conducted to obtain data on the prevalence, distribution, transmission and diversity of AMDV strains in Finnish free-ranging mustelids and risk factors associated with infection. The presence of anti-AMDV antibodies and/or AMDV DNA was tested from 308 samples representing eight mustelid species and 17 administrative regions. Positive samples were detected across Finland, and in 54 % (31/57) of feral American mink, 27 % (7/26) of European badgers and 7 % (1/14) of European polecats. Samples from Eurasian otters, European pine martens, least weasels, stoat and wolverine were negative. Major risk factors for infection were the species American mink with 335 and badger with 74 times higher odds than other species, and the years 2006-2009 with five times higher odds than the years 2010-2014. No clustering according to species, geographical origin or year was evident in phylogeny, except for four divergent sequences from Estonian badgers that formed a separate phylogroup distinct from other AMDV strains. This study showed that AMDV was prevalent in certain species of Finnish free-ranging mustelids and widely distributed across Finland. Furthermore, the free-ranging mustelids carried both strains similar to those found in farmed mink, but also distinct strains that may represent novel amdoparvoviruses.

Simple SummaryWild carnivores can harbor a dangerous tapeworm Echinococcus sp. that causes an important food-borne disease called echinococcosis. This study uses molecular methods to assess the prevalence of the tapeworm Echinococcus multilocularis, E. canadensis, and E. granulosus sensu stricto in the stool of red foxes, wolves, golden jackals, martens, lynxes, badgers, and otter. Red foxes (29.1%) and golden jackals (18%) were positive for E. multilocularis (EM), while all other animals were negative for all Echinococcus species tested in this study. Statistical analysis showed that the prevalence of EM is associated only with the region where the sample originated and not by species, age, or sex of the animal. Central and south regions of Slovenia have a higher EM prevalence and risk of infection. Due to habitat expansion and an increasing population, golden jackal may soon become an important source for human infection with EM.Wild carnivores are definitive hosts and potential reservoirs for the tapeworm Echinococcus sp. which can cause cystic and alveolar echinococcosis. Both are considered neglected and important food-borne pandemics. This study is the first to molecularly test Slovenian wild carnivores for Echinococcus species that can cause disease in humans. Fecal samples from 210 red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), 42 wolves (Canis lupus), 39 golden jackals (Canis aureus), 18 martens (Marten sp.), 2 Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx), 2 European badger (Meles meles), and 1 Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) were examined for Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato (EGsl: E. granulosus sensu stricto, E. canadensis) and E. multilocularis (EM) using real-time PCR. Red foxes (29.1%) and golden jackals (18%) were positive for EM. All animals examined were negative for EGsl. Univariate analysis showed no significant differences in EM prevalence with respect to animal species (red fox vs., golden jackal) (p = 0.22), age (p = 0.12), and sex (p = 0.18). Prevalence of EM was associated with the region (p < 0.001), with regions in central and southern Slovenia having higher EM prevalence and risk of infection. Due to the increase in population and expansion of habitat, the golden jackal may soon become as important definitive host for EM as the red fox.

Caniformia include a range of aquatic, semi-aquatic and terrestrial species, which reveal diversity in their whisker arrangements and shape. Whisker movements play a crucial role in the perception of tactile information, allowing whiskered mammals to distinguish between shapes, sizes, and textures. Despite the significance of whisker movements in sensory perception, few studies have focussed on measuring whisker movements during tactile sensing. Whisker enrichment tasks have the potential to expand behavioural repertoires of animals in captivity and reduce stereotypical behaviours. However, despite whiskers being essential in guiding foraging and exploration in many mammalian species, tactile whisker enrichment tasks are rare. Here, we utilised a novel tactile enrichment device to investigate the whisker movements in four Caniform species in captivity, including two pinnipeds- South African fur seals (Arctocephalus pussilus) and harbour seals (Phoca vitulina), a mustelid – Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra), and a canid – red fox (Vulpes vulpes) during a texture discrimination task. This study is the first to explore the impact of tactile enrichment on the behavioural repertoire of caniforms in captivity and provides the first insight of whisker movements in South African fur seals. The introduction of the tactile enrichment device did not increase the behavioural repertoire, nor did it lead to an increase in stereotypical behaviours or aggression in any of the species. However, it did successfully encourage natural whisker movements in the pinnipeds and otter. The whisker amplitude measure was especially high in the South African fur seals. We suggest that such a complex, discrimination-based enrichment task might only be feasible for more trainable caniforms, such as pinnipeds, rather than more neophobic species, such as the red fox, which did not interact with the enrichment device throughout the study. Therefore, while our enrichment device increased natural whisker movements, an even simpler foraging task might encourage tactile sensing without the requirement for training, making tactile whisker enrichment available to a wider group of species.

This Technical Report was prepared in response to a mandate from the European Commission under Article 31 of Regulation (EC) No 178/2002. The request focused on updating the literature review from the 2001 report “The Welfare of Animals Kept for Fur Production” (SCAHAW, 2001), specifically addressing Section 4 (general aspects of carnivore biology—mink, foxes, and raccoon dog) and Section 5 (general aspects of rodent biology—chinchilla). Using information obtained from a review of literature, a call for evidence from stakeholders, field visits and consideration by experts in an EFSA working group, this report reviews the most up to date information on the species’ biology, production cycles, most common husbandry systems, including field‐tested systems, and farming practices used for the commercial fur production of the following species: i) American mink (Neogale vison or Neovison vison, previously classified as Mustela vison), ii) Red fox (Vulpes vulpes, and also known as 'silver fox'), iii) Arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus, previously classified as Alopex lagopus and also known as 'blue fox'), iv) Raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides, also known as ‘finnraccoon’), and v) Chinchilla (Chinchilla lanigera).

Illegal killings of protected species may signifi- cantly affect their population status or lower recovery rates after protection. Poaching is difficult to monitor directly, hence indirect methods are required to document poaching incidences and levels. The use of shotguns inevitably results in wounding some animals that are not killed. Inefficient hunting methods may result in high annual infliction rates in game species. To reduce wounding of game species, an action plan was implemented in Denmark. Using X-ray analysis, we monitor trends in prevalence of embedded shotgun pellets in the legally hunted red fox (Vulpes vulpes) after the implementation of the action plan, and assess poaching levels of two protected species, the otter (Lutra lutra) and the badger (Meles meles )i n Denmark. Overall, 13.8% of the red foxes and 6.9% of the otters carried embedded shotgun pellets, while none were recorded in badgers. The prevalence of embedded shotgun pellets in red foxes declined from 24.9% to 8.5% from the late 1990s to the late2000s,whilenochangewasrecordedinotters.Prevalence of embedded shotgun pellets was similar in otters and red foxes collected in the late 2000s. The decline in wounded red foxes suggests that the hunting methods have changed after the action plan was implemented in Denmark. The high pro- portion of otters carrying embedded shotgun pellets shows that there is a significant poaching of this protected species in Denmark, possibly by hunters and fish farmers that cannot distinguish between otter and non-native American mink (Neovison vison).

This four-year study (from April 2013 to May 2017) focuses on the inventory and updating of the geographical distribution of some endangered wild mammals in various biotopes in western Algeria. Our work has been started over the years (2013-2017) ie four years of investigation based on direct and indirect observation as well as information collected from a questionnaire and surveys conducted with indigenous populations, hunters and foresters. Our investigations carried out on this mammalian fauna, allowed us to count 14 species of carnivorous mammals, the order of Carnivores contains: the Canids where a wide distribution has been reported on the whole territory to study. The latter are represented by Canis aureus or North African wolf Canis lupus, Vulpes rupellii and Vulpes vulpes. Felids; are poorly represented in the study area. Indeed, the 03 identified species in this group are all taxa listed by subsequent studies as threatened in the region. These species are Felis libyca, Felis margarita and Felis caracal. The Hyaenidae; very low and almost nonexistent in the desert areas. This group is represented by Hyaena hyaena. Mustelids; the 05 species Mustelanivalis, Ictonyx libyca, Mellivora capensis, Lutra lutra and Mustela putorius furo showed a very small geographical distribution. The viverrids represented by Genetta genetta are present throughout the area but in small numbers. Finally, the Herpestidae; represented by Herpestes ichneumon are present with numbers that place the species in danger and risk of extinction.

The red fox (Vulpes vulpes) is a medium-sized carnivore that occurs in different regions of Pakistan, however, still lacks scientific data on its ecology and distribution. The current study investigated the phylogenetic status and diet of the red fox (V.v. griffithii) occurring in Ayubia National Park, Pakistan. Through camera trapping and molecular analysis, we confirmed the occurrence of red fox in the study area. Based on mitochondrial cytochrome B (304 bp) and limited sampling, nearly all red foxes of Ayubia National Park and surrounding Himalayan ranges fall within Holarctic maternal lineage, whereas red foxes found in plains of Pakistan are part of the basal Palearctic maternal lineage. Using 32 scats, we found that red fox diet comprises of 80% animal-based prey species (both wild and domestic) and 19% plant matter. The wild animal prey species included Cape hare (Lepus capensis) and flying squirrel (Pteromyini sp.), which constituted 17% and 15% of diet, respectively. Red foxes infrequently consumed House mouse (Mus musculus), Himalayan Palm civet (Paguma larvata) and sheep (Ovis aries), each comprising around 6% to 9% of red fox diet. The fox species also scavenged on domestic donkey opportunistically. Based on our sampling, our study suggests that the red fox (V.v. griffithii) that occurs in Ayubia National Park and across the lesser Himalayan ranges belongs to Holarctic maternal lineage. The study also highlights consumption of plant seeds by red foxes, indicating it may play an important ecological role in seed dispersal in Ayubia National Park.

Molecular survey of Babesia spp. in red foxes (Vulpes Vulpes), Asian badgers (Meles leucurus) and their ticks in China

Canine monocytic ehrlichiosis and rickettsiosis are zoonotic tick-borne diseases of canids caused by the intracellular obligate bacteria Ehrlichia canis and Rickettsia species respectively. In this study, we investigated using standard and real-time PCR and sequencing, the occurrence and molecular characterization of E. canis and Rickettsia species in the Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) from the southern Italian population. Samples were screened by using molecular assays also for Neospora caninum, Toxoplasma gondii, Clamydophyla spp., Coxiella burnetii, Leishmania spp., Cryptosporidium spp., and Giardia spp. detection, and helminths were studied by traditional methods. Out of six carcasses tested, three were positive for E. canis and co-infection with Rickettsia sp. occurred in one of those. Sequences of the 16S rRNA E. canis gene were identical to each other but differed from most of those previously found in red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and wolves (Canis lupus) from southern Italy. Helminths included just cystacanths of Sphaerirostris spp. from the intestine of two Eurasian otters and the nematode Angiostrongylus vasorum from the lungs of a single Eurasian otter. None of the samples was positive for the other investigated selected pathogens. This study is the first report on the evidence of infection by rickettsial pathogens in the Eurasian otter. The present result prompts some inquiries into the pathogenic role of those bacteria for the isolated sub-populations of the endangered Eurasian otter in southern Italy.

Food habits of the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) were studied in the Aosta Valley region (NW Italian Alps) and were related to the prevalence of Trichinella infection in the red fox itself and in two Mustelid species (the stone marten (Martes foina) and the badger (Meles meles)). The search of Trichinella by the automatic digestion of muscles samples led us to determine a prevalence of 3.5+/-1.2% in red foxes, 7.9+/-4.3% in stone martens and 1.9+/-1.8% in badgers, with no significant differences among the species. All larvae were identified as Trichinella britovi. The fox diet was assessed through the analysis of both faeces (n=180) and the stomach contents of road-killed animals (n=109). Our results confirmed the opportunistic feeding behaviour of the red fox, which is able to use various trophic resources, both of animal and vegetal origin: e.g. wild and cultivated fruits (F%=47.1; V%=67.3), rodents (F%=22.8; V%=64.8) and carrion (F%=15.6; V%=78.6) formed the bulk of the fox's diet. The frequency of occurrence of potential events of cannibalism was 1.0%, even if the complete absence of undigested remains, other than hairs, suggested the possibility of confusing cannibalism with coat-cleaning. We suggest that intra-specific necrophagy could not represent the unique way of transmission of the nematode in natural conditions.