Helpers’in Fox Society

“Territory-holding fox groups are typically dominant breeding pairs, often with non-breeding females (Macdonald 1979; von Schantz 1981; Reynolds and Tapper 1995), but both the number of non-breeding females and territory size vary with food availability (Voigt and Macdonald 1984; Iossa et al. 2009).”

“Similarly, density-dependent variability in the social organization of red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) has been reported, in which typically monogamous breeding pairs recruit related and unrelated individuals to share parental care when population densities are high (Macdonald 1979).”

“This also confirms the observation that Golden jackals are an opportunistic species capable of exploiting a wide range of food items depending on local availability (Macdonald 1979a, b; Yom-Tov et al. 1995).”

“This result was in contrast to Moehlman (1986), who suggested that small canids usually have female helpers, and Macdonald (1979), who documented female helpers in fox societies.”

“Helpers have been documented to increase overall pup rearing success in family groups of Red Foxes, Arctic Foxes, and Blackbacked Jackals (Canis mesomelas) (Macdonald 1979, 1983; Moehlman 1979, 1989; Macdonald and Moehlman 1983).”

“Red fox groups often consist of a dominant breeding pair together with a number of non-reproducing offspring (Baker et al., 1998; Cavallini, 1996; Macdonald, 1979).”

“Under some conditions, offspring from previous years remain in the natal territory, leading to the formation of social groups (Macdonald 1979b, Baker et al. 1998, Baker & Harris 2004).”

“La unidad social básica en el zorro es la pareja (Macdonald, 1979), aunque grupos de hasta 6 ejemplares (normalmente un macho adulto junto a un número de 2 a 5 hembras posibles reproductoras) podrían compartir un territorio en función del hábitat.”

“While female foxes deal with their young, male foxes find food for their nest (Macdonald, 1979).”

“Actually, there might be additional individuals such as helpers (Macdonald 1979, Suzuki et al. 1983, Tsukada 1997c) and itinerants (Tsukada 1997c) in this area, and consequently the result of this analysis that a minimum of 22 individuals occurred in the sampling area is reasonable.”

“While most subadult males disperse, a varying proportion of females may stay in their mothers’ territories (Jensen 1973, Macdonald 1979, Englund 1980).”

“, 2004; Senar and Camerino, 1998 nd chimpanzees; Murray et al., 2006) showing that subrdinate individuals tended to avoid dominant individuals, t least when comparing foraging strategies. In a group of ild red foxes Baker andHarris (2000) found that the interction rate was lower between high status individuals and igh…”

“Within a group of several females most commonly only the dominant female rears cubs (Macdonald 1979, 1980; von Schantz 1981, 1984).”

“Larger group size is also beneficial in several social mammals where it increases offspring production and survival, such as mongooses (Rood, 1990), black-backed jackals (Moehlman 1979), red foxes (Macdonald 1979) or primates (Majolo et al. 2008).”

“This has been seen in wild canids when multiple breeding occurred after the loss of the dominant female in wolves (Ausband et al. 2017) and after shifts in the social hierarchy in red foxes ( Vulpes vulpes ) (Macdonald 1979).”

“…toward samesex individuals attempting to breed (e.g., gray wolf, Rabb et al., 1967; Derix et al., 1993; African wild dog: Malcolm, 1979; red fox: Macdonald, 1979a) and infanticide, either by directly killing subordinates’ pups (African wild dog: van Lawick, 1973; dingo [C. familiaris dingo]:…”

“In addition, female territoriality and high density in the southernmost region probably force subordinate females to abstain from breeding (Macdonald, 1979; von Schantz, 1984).”