SPATIAL DYNAMICS OF SAN CLEMENTE ISLAND FOX ADULT FEMALES AND PUPS | |||
Destiny M Saucedo; Cal Poly Humboldt & Institute for Wildlife Studies; destinymsaucedo@gmail.com; David Garcelon, Micaela Szykman Gunther | |||
The Island fox (Urocyon littoralis), native to six of the eight California Channel Islands, has been a focal point of conservation efforts since their population decline during the 1990s. However, limited information exists on the spatial ecology of adult females during reproduction and the movement and survival of pups in their first year. This study attempts to fill these gaps by investigating home range sizes of adult female San Clemente Island foxes (Urocyon littoralis clementae) during different stages of reproduction, while also examining the survival and dispersal patterns of their pups. Additionally, the spatial and behavioral patterns of the foxes will be explored in relation to the island’s two dominant habitats: grassland and maritime desert scrub. GPS collars were deployed on 12 adult females to estimate home range sizes before, during, and after denning, offering insights into how reproductive activities influence movement. Eighteen pups were fitted with VHF collars and data collection was supported by solar-powered digital signal repeaters (digipeaters) distributed across the island. The findings from this research will provide insights into the spatial ecology of both adult females and pups, contributing valuable information to guide future conservation and management strategies for this species of conservation concern. | |||
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