Department of Environmental Conservation

(MS, W&FCON)

Project:

Compatibility, aggression and reproduction in Island Foxes.

e-mail:

ecalkins “at” eco.umass.edu

Support:

Saint Louis Zoo
University of Massachusetts , USA
National Park Service, Channel Islands National Park
USGS Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center
University of California , Davis
US Fish and Wildlife Service

Web links

http://www.nps.gov/archive/chis/rm/IslandFox/Index.htm

Project abstract:

I am looking at how traditional measures of compatibility relate to aggression and reproductive success in the captive breeding populations of endangered island foxes on San Miguel, Santa Rosa , and Santa Cruz Islands off the coast of California . To do this I am assessing behavioral interactions via 24 hour video footage from before, during, and after the breeding season, and concurrently collecting weekly measures of progesterone, estradiol, testosterone, and cortisol. In learning more about this little-studied animal, we hope to increase captive breeding success as well as our general understanding of each sub-species.