Den Use Patterns of Endangered San Joaquin Kit Foxes in Urban Environments May Facilitate Disease Transmission
A robust population of endangered San Joaquin kit foxes (<i>Vulpes macrotis mutica</i>; SJKFs) occurs in the city of Bakersfield, CA. In 2013, sarcoptic mange was detected and significantly reduced SJKF abundance. Dens may be a mode of mange mite transmission. Kit foxes use dens daily an...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-01-01
|
| Series: | Animals |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/2/239 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1832589363394904064 |
|---|---|
| author | Brian L. Cypher Alyse Gabaldon Erica C. Kelly Tory L. Westall Nicole A. Deatherage |
| author_facet | Brian L. Cypher Alyse Gabaldon Erica C. Kelly Tory L. Westall Nicole A. Deatherage |
| author_sort | Brian L. Cypher |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | A robust population of endangered San Joaquin kit foxes (<i>Vulpes macrotis mutica</i>; SJKFs) occurs in the city of Bakersfield, CA. In 2013, sarcoptic mange was detected and significantly reduced SJKF abundance. Dens may be a mode of mange mite transmission. Kit foxes use dens daily and sometimes share dens. Also, mange mites are able to live off-host in den soil for multiple days. We monitored den use patterns of 37 marked kit foxes. Radio-collared foxes were tracked to dens and then those dens were monitored with cameras for 7-day sessions, the period of time mites might persist in the dens. Other foxes used the same den as a collared fox during 89.0% of sessions and the mean number was 2.5 foxes. An average of 1.8 foxes used a den concurrently with the collared fox. During 120-day intervals, the minimum survival time for kit foxes contracting mange, collared foxes used a mean of 7.6 dens, 9.8 other foxes used the same dens, and 7.3 foxes used the dens concurrently with the collared foxes. Thus, the potential for kit foxes to transmit mange through den sharing in the urban environment is considerable and may explain the rapid spread of mange throughout this population. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e24ffd95855347fc9b594bc32c5ab285 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj-art-e24ffd95855347fc9b594bc32c5ab2852025-01-24T13:18:14ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152025-01-0115223910.3390/ani15020239Den Use Patterns of Endangered San Joaquin Kit Foxes in Urban Environments May Facilitate Disease TransmissionBrian L. Cypher0Alyse Gabaldon1Erica C. Kelly2Tory L. Westall3Nicole A. Deatherage4Endangered Species Recovery Program, California State University-Stanislaus, 1 University Circle, Turlock, CA 95382, USAEndangered Species Recovery Program, California State University-Stanislaus, 1 University Circle, Turlock, CA 95382, USAEndangered Species Recovery Program, California State University-Stanislaus, 1 University Circle, Turlock, CA 95382, USAEndangered Species Recovery Program, California State University-Stanislaus, 1 University Circle, Turlock, CA 95382, USAEndangered Species Recovery Program, California State University-Stanislaus, 1 University Circle, Turlock, CA 95382, USAA robust population of endangered San Joaquin kit foxes (<i>Vulpes macrotis mutica</i>; SJKFs) occurs in the city of Bakersfield, CA. In 2013, sarcoptic mange was detected and significantly reduced SJKF abundance. Dens may be a mode of mange mite transmission. Kit foxes use dens daily and sometimes share dens. Also, mange mites are able to live off-host in den soil for multiple days. We monitored den use patterns of 37 marked kit foxes. Radio-collared foxes were tracked to dens and then those dens were monitored with cameras for 7-day sessions, the period of time mites might persist in the dens. Other foxes used the same den as a collared fox during 89.0% of sessions and the mean number was 2.5 foxes. An average of 1.8 foxes used a den concurrently with the collared fox. During 120-day intervals, the minimum survival time for kit foxes contracting mange, collared foxes used a mean of 7.6 dens, 9.8 other foxes used the same dens, and 7.3 foxes used the dens concurrently with the collared foxes. Thus, the potential for kit foxes to transmit mange through den sharing in the urban environment is considerable and may explain the rapid spread of mange throughout this population.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/2/239den usedisease transmissionendangered speciesSan Joaquin kit foxsarcoptic mangeurban environment |
| spellingShingle | Brian L. Cypher Alyse Gabaldon Erica C. Kelly Tory L. Westall Nicole A. Deatherage Den Use Patterns of Endangered San Joaquin Kit Foxes in Urban Environments May Facilitate Disease Transmission Animals den use disease transmission endangered species San Joaquin kit fox sarcoptic mange urban environment |
| title | Den Use Patterns of Endangered San Joaquin Kit Foxes in Urban Environments May Facilitate Disease Transmission |
| title_full | Den Use Patterns of Endangered San Joaquin Kit Foxes in Urban Environments May Facilitate Disease Transmission |
| title_fullStr | Den Use Patterns of Endangered San Joaquin Kit Foxes in Urban Environments May Facilitate Disease Transmission |
| title_full_unstemmed | Den Use Patterns of Endangered San Joaquin Kit Foxes in Urban Environments May Facilitate Disease Transmission |
| title_short | Den Use Patterns of Endangered San Joaquin Kit Foxes in Urban Environments May Facilitate Disease Transmission |
| title_sort | den use patterns of endangered san joaquin kit foxes in urban environments may facilitate disease transmission |
| topic | den use disease transmission endangered species San Joaquin kit fox sarcoptic mange urban environment |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/2/239 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT brianlcypher denusepatternsofendangeredsanjoaquinkitfoxesinurbanenvironmentsmayfacilitatediseasetransmission AT alysegabaldon denusepatternsofendangeredsanjoaquinkitfoxesinurbanenvironmentsmayfacilitatediseasetransmission AT ericackelly denusepatternsofendangeredsanjoaquinkitfoxesinurbanenvironmentsmayfacilitatediseasetransmission AT torylwestall denusepatternsofendangeredsanjoaquinkitfoxesinurbanenvironmentsmayfacilitatediseasetransmission AT nicoleadeatherage denusepatternsofendangeredsanjoaquinkitfoxesinurbanenvironmentsmayfacilitatediseasetransmission |