Abstract
The Hoary Fox Lycalopex vetulus, is a small omnivore-insectivore canid inhabiting open environments/areas of the Brazilian savannah, whose spatial organization and territoriality is still unknown. Space use and social organization of two breeding pairs with adjacent home ranges were determined through radio tracking from October 2002 to April 2003 in a mosaic of cultivated pastures and Cerrado vegetation in eastern Mato Grosso, Brazil. Home ranges were 140–299 ha in size, with individual areas of the male and female in each breeding pair overlapping extensively. After the death of both individuals of one pair, the neighboring pair progressively occupied the vacant space, expanding markedly its range into about half the area originally occupied by the previous pair. Factors driving a pair of Hoary Foxes to expand their territory into a vacant area after death of the neighboring pair were not clearly determined. Absence of territorial defence, however, could have contributed to the range shift observed. This is the first time that the response of neighboring foxes to social disruption of an adjacent pair has been documented for Hoary Foxes.
Highlights
The Hoary Fox Lycalopex vetulus, is a noncooperative, solitary, small canid (3–4 kg body weight) with a distribution restricted to Brazil (Dalponte 2009)
In a more recent assessment, it has been classified as Vulnerable to extinction in Brazil (Lemos et al 2013)
Rich termite patches occur in cattle pastures along with dung beetles, and these resources are exploited on a seasonal and opportunistic basis (Ferreira-Silva & Lima 2006)
Summary
The Hoary Fox Lycalopex vetulus, is a noncooperative, solitary, small canid (3–4 kg body weight) with a distribution restricted to Brazil (Dalponte 2009) It is classified as a species of Least Concern (Dalponte & Courtenay 2004) for conservation purposes. The Hoary Fox inhabits open areas of Brazil, the herbaceous and sub-shrubland of the Cerrado (Brazilian savannah), transitional areas, and cattle pastures (Dalponte & Courtenay 2004; Rocha et al 2008). It is an omnivore-insectivore consumer (Dalponte 1997). Rich termite patches occur in cattle pastures (mainly aboveground concentrations of Syntermes and Cornitermes species) along with dung beetles, and these resources are exploited on a seasonal and opportunistic basis (Ferreira-Silva & Lima 2006)
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