Use of Supplementary Feeding Dispensers by Arctic Foxes in Norway
Supplementary feeding is often used as a conservation tool to reverse the decline of food‐limited populations. The arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) is one of the most endangered mammals in Norway and has been the target of several conservation initiatives for almost 3 decades, including supplementary fee...
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Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/11250/2728097 https://doi.org/10.1002/jwmg.21831 |
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ftninstnf:oai:brage.nina.no:11250/2728097 2024-06-23T07:48:59+00:00 Use of Supplementary Feeding Dispensers by Arctic Foxes in Norway Thierry, Anne-Mathilde De Lacoste, Nathalie Ulvund, Kristine R. Andersen, Roy Meås, Roger Eide, Nina Elisabeth Landa, Arild Magne Norway 2020 application/pdf https://hdl.handle.net/11250/2728097 https://doi.org/10.1002/jwmg.21831 eng eng Journal of Wildlife Management. 2020, 84 (4), . urn:issn:0022-541X https://hdl.handle.net/11250/2728097 https://doi.org/10.1002/jwmg.21831 cristin:1820319 Navngivelse-Ikkekommersiell 4.0 Internasjonal http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/deed.no © 2020 The Authors. 84 Journal of Wildlife Management 4 arctic fox conservation food limitation monitoring Norway PIT‐tag supplementary feeding Vulpes lagopus Peer reviewed Journal article 2020 ftninstnf https://doi.org/10.1002/jwmg.21831 2024-06-07T03:57:56Z Supplementary feeding is often used as a conservation tool to reverse the decline of food‐limited populations. The arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) is one of the most endangered mammals in Norway and has been the target of several conservation initiatives for almost 3 decades, including supplementary feeding. To measure and improve the efficiency of supplementary feeding as a conservation action, we used passive integrated transponder (PIT)‐tags in arctic foxes and 6 feeding stations equipped with PIT‐tag readers to monitor individual use of supplemental food between 2013 and 2018. We tested hypotheses about the potential influence of temporal and spatial patterns, individual characteristics (i.e., age, sex, reproductive status), and food abundance (abundance of small rodents and amount of food filled) on the frequency and intensity of use of supplementary feeding stations by arctic foxes. The feeding stations were visited ≥1 time by 196 PIT‐tagged individuals. We detected 54% of juveniles born in the study area between 2013 and 2017 at the feeding stations. More arctic foxes used the feeding stations during the pre‐breeding period than during the other seasons, and the visits occurred mostly at night. The closest feeding station to each natal den was systematically used by the established pair and by the juveniles born at this den. Juveniles did not use the feeding stations more than adult foxes. Older foxes, and breeding adults, visited the feeding stations more than younger and non‐breeding adults. Foxes used feeding stations more intensively when prey was scarce and with greater amounts of supplemental food. This study highlights that supplemental feeding is important for breeding adults, especially in periods of low prey abundance. Understanding the use of feeding stations will contribute to the optimization of supplemental feeding as a conservation action and help wildlife managers to carefully plan and manage its discontinuation. publishedVersion Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Fox Arctic Vulpes lagopus Norwegian Institute for Nature Research: Brage NINA Arctic Norway The Journal of Wildlife Management 84 4 622 635 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Norwegian Institute for Nature Research: Brage NINA |
op_collection_id |
ftninstnf |
language |
English |
topic |
arctic fox conservation food limitation monitoring Norway PIT‐tag supplementary feeding Vulpes lagopus |
spellingShingle |
arctic fox conservation food limitation monitoring Norway PIT‐tag supplementary feeding Vulpes lagopus Thierry, Anne-Mathilde De Lacoste, Nathalie Ulvund, Kristine R. Andersen, Roy Meås, Roger Eide, Nina Elisabeth Landa, Arild Magne Use of Supplementary Feeding Dispensers by Arctic Foxes in Norway |
topic_facet |
arctic fox conservation food limitation monitoring Norway PIT‐tag supplementary feeding Vulpes lagopus |
description |
Supplementary feeding is often used as a conservation tool to reverse the decline of food‐limited populations. The arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) is one of the most endangered mammals in Norway and has been the target of several conservation initiatives for almost 3 decades, including supplementary feeding. To measure and improve the efficiency of supplementary feeding as a conservation action, we used passive integrated transponder (PIT)‐tags in arctic foxes and 6 feeding stations equipped with PIT‐tag readers to monitor individual use of supplemental food between 2013 and 2018. We tested hypotheses about the potential influence of temporal and spatial patterns, individual characteristics (i.e., age, sex, reproductive status), and food abundance (abundance of small rodents and amount of food filled) on the frequency and intensity of use of supplementary feeding stations by arctic foxes. The feeding stations were visited ≥1 time by 196 PIT‐tagged individuals. We detected 54% of juveniles born in the study area between 2013 and 2017 at the feeding stations. More arctic foxes used the feeding stations during the pre‐breeding period than during the other seasons, and the visits occurred mostly at night. The closest feeding station to each natal den was systematically used by the established pair and by the juveniles born at this den. Juveniles did not use the feeding stations more than adult foxes. Older foxes, and breeding adults, visited the feeding stations more than younger and non‐breeding adults. Foxes used feeding stations more intensively when prey was scarce and with greater amounts of supplemental food. This study highlights that supplemental feeding is important for breeding adults, especially in periods of low prey abundance. Understanding the use of feeding stations will contribute to the optimization of supplemental feeding as a conservation action and help wildlife managers to carefully plan and manage its discontinuation. publishedVersion |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Thierry, Anne-Mathilde De Lacoste, Nathalie Ulvund, Kristine R. Andersen, Roy Meås, Roger Eide, Nina Elisabeth Landa, Arild Magne |
author_facet |
Thierry, Anne-Mathilde De Lacoste, Nathalie Ulvund, Kristine R. Andersen, Roy Meås, Roger Eide, Nina Elisabeth Landa, Arild Magne |
author_sort |
Thierry, Anne-Mathilde |
title |
Use of Supplementary Feeding Dispensers by Arctic Foxes in Norway |
title_short |
Use of Supplementary Feeding Dispensers by Arctic Foxes in Norway |
title_full |
Use of Supplementary Feeding Dispensers by Arctic Foxes in Norway |
title_fullStr |
Use of Supplementary Feeding Dispensers by Arctic Foxes in Norway |
title_full_unstemmed |
Use of Supplementary Feeding Dispensers by Arctic Foxes in Norway |
title_sort |
use of supplementary feeding dispensers by arctic foxes in norway |
publishDate |
2020 |
url |
https://hdl.handle.net/11250/2728097 https://doi.org/10.1002/jwmg.21831 |
op_coverage |
Norway |
geographic |
Arctic Norway |
geographic_facet |
Arctic Norway |
genre |
Arctic Fox Arctic Vulpes lagopus |
genre_facet |
Arctic Fox Arctic Vulpes lagopus |
op_source |
84 Journal of Wildlife Management 4 |
op_relation |
Journal of Wildlife Management. 2020, 84 (4), . urn:issn:0022-541X https://hdl.handle.net/11250/2728097 https://doi.org/10.1002/jwmg.21831 cristin:1820319 |
op_rights |
Navngivelse-Ikkekommersiell 4.0 Internasjonal http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/deed.no © 2020 The Authors. |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1002/jwmg.21831 |
container_title |
The Journal of Wildlife Management |
container_volume |
84 |
container_issue |
4 |
container_start_page |
622 |
op_container_end_page |
635 |
_version_ |
1802639272137719808 |