Cache and carry : hoarding behavior of arctic fox
Food-hoarding animals are expected to preferentially cache items with lower perishability and/or higher consumption time. We observed arctic foxes (Alopex lagopus) foraging in a greater snow goose (Anser caerulescens atlanticus) colony where the main prey of foxes consisted of goose eggs, goslings,...
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ftdeakinunifig:oai:figshare.com:article/20958598 2023-05-15T13:19:52+02:00 Cache and carry : hoarding behavior of arctic fox Vincent Careau J F Giroux D Berteaux 2007-11-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10536/DRO/DU:30056116 https://figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/Cache_and_carry_hoarding_behavior_of_arctic_fox/20958598 unknown http://hdl.handle.net/10536/DRO/DU:30056116 https://figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/Cache_and_carry_hoarding_behavior_of_arctic_fox/20958598 All Rights Reserved Uncategorized caching decisions handling-time hypothesis optimal foraging rapid-sequestering hypothesis short-term cache Text Journal contribution 2007 ftdeakinunifig 2022-11-17T21:51:46Z Food-hoarding animals are expected to preferentially cache items with lower perishability and/or higher consumption time. We observed arctic foxes (Alopex lagopus) foraging in a greater snow goose (Anser caerulescens atlanticus) colony where the main prey of foxes consisted of goose eggs, goslings, and lemmings (Lemmus and Dicrostonyx spp.). We recorded the number of prey consumed and cached and the time that foxes invested in these activities. Foxes took more time to consume a goose egg than a lemming or gosling but cached a greater proportion of eggs than the other prey type. This may be caused by the eggshell, which presumably decreases the perishability and/or pilfering risk of cached eggs, but also increases egg consumption time. Arctic foxes usually recached goose eggs but rarely recached goslings or lemmings. We tested whether the rapid-sequestering hypothesis could explain this recaching behavior. According to this hypothesis, arctic foxes may adopt a two-stage strategy allowing both to maximize egg acquisition rate in an undefended nest and subsequently secure eggs in potentially safer sites. Foxes spent more time carrying an egg and traveled greater distances when establishing a secondary than a primary cache. To gain further information on the location and subsequent fate of cached eggs, we used dummy eggs containing radio transmitters. Lifespan of primary caches increased with distance from the goose nest. Secondary caches were generally located farther from the nest and had a longer lifespan than primary caches. Behavioral observations and the radio-tagged egg technique both gave results supporting the rapid-sequestering hypothesis. Other Non-Article Part of Journal/Newspaper Alopex lagopus Arctic Fox Arctic DRO - Deakin Research Online Arctic |
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Open Polar |
collection |
DRO - Deakin Research Online |
op_collection_id |
ftdeakinunifig |
language |
unknown |
topic |
Uncategorized caching decisions handling-time hypothesis optimal foraging rapid-sequestering hypothesis short-term cache |
spellingShingle |
Uncategorized caching decisions handling-time hypothesis optimal foraging rapid-sequestering hypothesis short-term cache Vincent Careau J F Giroux D Berteaux Cache and carry : hoarding behavior of arctic fox |
topic_facet |
Uncategorized caching decisions handling-time hypothesis optimal foraging rapid-sequestering hypothesis short-term cache |
description |
Food-hoarding animals are expected to preferentially cache items with lower perishability and/or higher consumption time. We observed arctic foxes (Alopex lagopus) foraging in a greater snow goose (Anser caerulescens atlanticus) colony where the main prey of foxes consisted of goose eggs, goslings, and lemmings (Lemmus and Dicrostonyx spp.). We recorded the number of prey consumed and cached and the time that foxes invested in these activities. Foxes took more time to consume a goose egg than a lemming or gosling but cached a greater proportion of eggs than the other prey type. This may be caused by the eggshell, which presumably decreases the perishability and/or pilfering risk of cached eggs, but also increases egg consumption time. Arctic foxes usually recached goose eggs but rarely recached goslings or lemmings. We tested whether the rapid-sequestering hypothesis could explain this recaching behavior. According to this hypothesis, arctic foxes may adopt a two-stage strategy allowing both to maximize egg acquisition rate in an undefended nest and subsequently secure eggs in potentially safer sites. Foxes spent more time carrying an egg and traveled greater distances when establishing a secondary than a primary cache. To gain further information on the location and subsequent fate of cached eggs, we used dummy eggs containing radio transmitters. Lifespan of primary caches increased with distance from the goose nest. Secondary caches were generally located farther from the nest and had a longer lifespan than primary caches. Behavioral observations and the radio-tagged egg technique both gave results supporting the rapid-sequestering hypothesis. |
format |
Other Non-Article Part of Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Vincent Careau J F Giroux D Berteaux |
author_facet |
Vincent Careau J F Giroux D Berteaux |
author_sort |
Vincent Careau |
title |
Cache and carry : hoarding behavior of arctic fox |
title_short |
Cache and carry : hoarding behavior of arctic fox |
title_full |
Cache and carry : hoarding behavior of arctic fox |
title_fullStr |
Cache and carry : hoarding behavior of arctic fox |
title_full_unstemmed |
Cache and carry : hoarding behavior of arctic fox |
title_sort |
cache and carry : hoarding behavior of arctic fox |
publishDate |
2007 |
url |
http://hdl.handle.net/10536/DRO/DU:30056116 https://figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/Cache_and_carry_hoarding_behavior_of_arctic_fox/20958598 |
geographic |
Arctic |
geographic_facet |
Arctic |
genre |
Alopex lagopus Arctic Fox Arctic |
genre_facet |
Alopex lagopus Arctic Fox Arctic |
op_relation |
http://hdl.handle.net/10536/DRO/DU:30056116 https://figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/Cache_and_carry_hoarding_behavior_of_arctic_fox/20958598 |
op_rights |
All Rights Reserved |
_version_ |
1766350026442801152 |