Response of captive male red foxes (Vulpes vulpes L.) to some conspecific odors

Abstract

Captive male red foxes were allowed access to urine and anal sac secretions collected from both familiar and unfamiliar foxes of both sexes. Conspecific odors commonly elicited higher visiting and marking frequencies than did their distilled water controls. Unfamiliar odors generally attracted a higher frequency of urinations than familiar odors, and unfamiliar male urine elicited a longer investigation time and was urine-marked more frequently than other stimulus odors.