Data from: Response of the red fox to expansion of human habitation in the Trans-Himalayan mountains

Habitat modification through rural and urban expansions negatively impacts most wildlife species. However, anthropogenic food sources in habitations can benefit certain species. The red fox Vulpes vulpes can exploit anthropogenic food, but human subsidies sometimes also sustain populations of its potential competitor, the free-ranging dog Canis familiaris. As human habitations expand, populations of free-ranging dog are increasing in many areas, with unknown effects on wild commensal species such as the red fox. We examined occurrence and diet of red fox along a gradient of village size in a rural mountainous landscape of the Indian Trans-Himalaya. Diet analyses suggest substantial use of anthropogenic food (livestock and garbage) by red fox. Contribution of livestock and garbage to diet of red fox declined and increased, respectively, with increasing village size. Red fox occurrence did not show a clear relationship with village size. Red fox occurrence showed weak positive relationships with density of free-ranging dog and garbage availability, respectively, while density of free-ranging dog showed strong positive relationships with village size and garbage availability, respectively. We highlight the potential conservation concern arising from the strong positive association between density of free-ranging dog and village size.

城乡扩张引发的生境改造，会对绝大多数野生动物物种产生负面影响。然而，人类住区中的人为食物资源，却可能使部分物种获益。赤狐（Vulpes vulpes）能够利用人为来源的食物，但人类提供的食物补贴有时也会维持其潜在竞争者——散养家犬（Canis familiaris）的种群规模。随着人类住区不断扩张，许多区域的散养家犬种群数量持续上升，其对野生伴生物种（如赤狐）的影响尚不明晰。本研究在印度跨喜马拉雅山区的乡村山地生境中，沿着村落规模梯度开展调查，分析了赤狐的出现情况与食性组成。食性分析结果显示，赤狐会大量取用人为来源食物（家畜与生活垃圾）。随着村落规模扩大，赤狐食性中家畜来源食物的占比逐渐下降，而垃圾来源食物的占比则逐步升高。赤狐的出现概率与村落规模未呈现明确的相关关系。赤狐的出现概率分别与散养家犬密度、垃圾可获得性呈微弱正相关；而散养家犬的密度则分别与村落规模、垃圾可获得性呈显著正相关。本研究强调了散养家犬密度与村落规模间的强正相关关系所引发的潜在保护关切。