Urbanization does not affect red foxes' interest in anthropogenic food, but increases their initial cautiousness.

ABSTRACT: Human presence and activities have profoundly altered animals' habitats, exposing them to greater risks but also providing new opportunities and resources. The animals' capacity to effectively navigate and strike a balance between risks and benefits is crucial for their survival in the Anthropocene era. Red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), adept urban dwellers, exhibit behavioral plasticity in human-altered environments. We investigated variations in detection frequency on trail cameras and the behavioral responses (explorative, bold, and fearful) of wild red foxes living along an urbanization gradient when exposed to a metal bin initially presented clean and then filled with anthropogenic food. All fox populations displayed an increased interest and similar explorative behavioral responses t

SUBMITTER: Lazzaroni M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11255992 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature