Abstract
A radio-tracking study of foxes’ movements (Vulpes vulpes L.) was conducted in the Chizé Forest (France). Five foxes captured as adults returned to their trapping zone during the night following their release, and very soon showed a settled occupation of their home-range. Their utilization of the home range changed in time. In the movements of adult foxes, the presence of a network of preferred ways, mainly situated along the forest roads, could be detected. The animals, however, also moved around a great deal without using this preferred network. Two foxes, captured young and sub-adult, showed first a period of erratic movements before they started coming back to the same burrow. The first movements they made from that burrow were very variable. The variability of foxes’ movements is discussed in relation to the notion of a cognitive map.
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