Arctic fox home range characteristics in an oil-development area

Journal Article · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1982 · J. Wildl. Manage.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2307/3808421· OSTI ID:5266093

Eberhardt, L E ^[1]; Hanson, W C; Bengtson, J L; Garrott, R A; Hanson, E E

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1. Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA

Spring and summer home ranges and local movements of arctic foxes (Alopex lagopus) were studied from 1975 to 1977 at the Prudhoe Bay oil-development area in northern Alaska. Twenty-seven adult and 62 juvenile foxes were captured, marked, and released. Nine adults and 5 juveniles were equipped with radio collars and monitored during 1976 and 1977. Home range size was 20.8 +/- 12.5 (SD) km/sup 2/ for 4 adult foxes and 3.7 +/- 1.7 km/sup 2/ for 5 juveniles. Home range configuration was similar for all marked members of individual families. Adult foxes were nocturnal and territorial. Foxes used oil-development sites for feeding, resting, and denning. Use of these became more comon late in the rearing season, as juveniles became more mobile. A major fluctuation in the availability of natural foods did not appear to alter ues of developed areas by foxes. The number of juvenile foxes observed at Prudhoe Bay decreased from 1976 to 1977, but the decrease was less pronounced than in a nearby undisturbed area.

• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36; AC06-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 5266093
• Journal Information: J. Wildl. Manage.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Wildl. Manage.; (United States) Vol. 46:1; ISSN JWMAA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020900* -- Petroleum-- Environmental Aspects
550100 -- Behavioral Biology
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
ARCTIC OCEAN
BAYS
BEAUFORT SEA
BEHAVIOR
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
EQUIPMENT
HOME RANGE
INDUSTRY
PETROLEUM INDUSTRY
PRUDHOE BAY
RADIO EQUIPMENT
REMOTE SENSING
SEAS
SURFACE WATERS
WILD ANIMALS