Bengal fox
| Bengal fox | |
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| Bengal fox in Thar Desert, Rajasthan | |
Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Carnivora |
| Family: | Canidae |
| Subfamily: | Caninae |
| Genus: | Vulpes |
| Species: | V. bengalensis[1]
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| Binomial name | |
| Vulpes bengalensis[1] (Shaw, 1800)
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| Range map | |
| Synonyms | |
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The Bengal fox (Vulpes bengalensis), also known as the Indian fox, is a fox endemic to the Indian subcontinent from the Himalayan foothills and Terai of Nepal through southern India, and from southern and eastern Pakistan to eastern India and southeastern Bangladesh.
Description
[edit]
The Bengal fox is a relatively small fox with an elongated muzzle, long, pointed ears, and a long, bushy tail. The pelage ranges in color from buff to silver-gray with an overall grizzled effect; it is mostly grayish dorsally and paler ventrally. The legs tend to be brownish or rufous,[3] and the underparts light, a pale sand or ginger shade.[4] Extensive variation in coat colour exists across populations and seasonally within populations, but generally the coat is reddish grey above with paler sides ands rufous limbs.[5] It has a bushy, black-tipped tail, which is around 50–60% of the length of the head and body.[6] The backs of the ears are dark brown with a black margin; the ears are white inside. The ears have the same colour as the nape or maybe darker. Its rhinarium is naked, and its lips are black. The muzzle is pointy, and there may be a dark smudged marking along the upper part of muzzle in front of eyes. The head and body length is 18 in (46 cm), with a 25 cm (10 in) long tail. It weighs 2.3 to 4.1 kg (5 to 9 lb).[3]
Members of the genus Vulpes have a flat forehead between the postorbital processes, not inflated by air cells. The processes themselves are slightly concave with a raised anterior edge. The canine teeth are longer than in other canid species.[7]
Distribution and habitat
[edit]
The Bengal Fox is endemic to the Indian subcontinent, ranging from the Himalayan foothills and Terai of Nepal through Southern India,[8] and from southern and eastern Pakistan to eastern India and southeastern Bangladesh.[2] Its range is bounded by the Himalayas and the Indus River valley. It favors semiarid, flat to undulating land, bush and short grassland habitats. It avoids dense forests, steep terrain, tall grasslands and true deserts.[3]
Historical records indicate that the species was spotted in the southeastern regions of Cumilla and Chattogram during the 1980s; however, over time, no further sightings have been reported from these areas, suggesting a possible local extirpation of the species.[9] It is relatively widespread in low rainfall areas where the vegetation is usually scrub, thorn or dry deciduous forests, or short grasslands. In the Indian peninsula, the species is confined to plains and open scrub forests.[2] It was considered to be a habitat generalist, but it shows a strong preference for semiarid, short grassland habitats at multiple scales.[10]
Behaviour and ecology
[edit]
Bengal foxes are predominantly crepuscular and nocturnal; while individuals may sometimes become active during cool periods of daytime, they typically spend warmer daylight hours under vegetation or in subterranean dens. They use three distinct types of den: basic, compact dens with two openings used for short rest periods, complex dens with multiple openings, and dens under rocks or rock crevices.[3] The basic social unit of the Bengal Fox is the breeding pair, formed by a pair of bonds that can last for many years. Larger aggregations may occur while grown pups linger longer than average in the natal community.[11] Other findings indicate that Bengal foxes can sometimes be more social. Female Bengal foxes were reported to share dens during lactation and four adult foxes were seen emerging from the same den.[12]
Bengal foxes are not especially suspicious of humans and can be found near human habitation. They are easy to tame.[4]
Diet
[edit]
Bengal foxes are omnivorous and opportunistic feeders, feeding primarily on insects, small mammals, reptiles, small birds, and fruits.[12][13] Its diet consists mainly of orthopterans, termites, ants, beetles, spiders, soft-furred rat (Millardia meltada), little Indian field mouse (Mus booduga), Indian gerbil (Tatera indica), Indian mynah (Acridotheres tristis), grey partridge (Francolinus ponticerianus) and ashy-crowned finch lark (Eremopterix griseus). Less common prey items include ground lizards, oriental rat snake (Ptyas mucosa), Madras hedgehog (Paraechinus nudiventris) and Indian hare (Lepus nigricollis). They feed on fruits of ber (Ziziphus mauritiana), neem (Azadirachta indica), mango (Mangifera indica), jambu (Syzygium cumini) and banyan (Ficus benghalensis). The Bengal fox is also considered to be a predator of eggs and possibly bustard chicks. Scats of young pups indicated that they primarily feed on rodents.[14]
Communication
[edit]Bengal foxes make a wide range of vocalizations. A common vocalization is a "chattering cry" that seems to have a significant role in establishing territoriality and may also be used as a warning call.[11] They also growl, whimper, whine and make a sound which could be called a growl-bark. In reaction to humans, yapping or baying has also been observed.[4] The Bengal fox does not appear to have latrine behaviour, a feature seen in some social canids, in which all members defecate at specific spots.[12] They can be heard howling in the night in groups.
Reproduction
[edit]
During the breeding season, males vocalize intensely during the night and at dusk and dawn.[15] Throughout most of its range, the mating season occurs in December to January and after a gestation period of around 50–53 days, two to four pups are born in a den. Both parents participate in pup-rearing and protection. Aggregations of grown foxes at den sites have been recorded when the dispersal has been delayed, although the presence of helpers has not been observed.[12] Pups may sometimes be nursed by multiple females, but the relationship between them is uncertain.[12]
During the day, they tend to rest under shrubs and bushes, except in summer when they rest in dens. Play between pups is typical during the first 3 months and consists of vertical jumps, back arching, foreleg stabs, submissive displays, and play solicitation; the adult male sometimes plays with the young. In northwestern India, young foxes are scattered during the monsoon season, when the opportunities are plentiful.[3] The pups are fully weaned about 3–4 months after emerging from the den. Pup mortality is high during the first few months.[16]
Threats
[edit]
Lack of habitat protection is perhaps the greatest threat to the Bengal fox. In southern India, less than 2% of potential Bengal fox habitat is covered under the existing protected area network of the states of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh .[17] It can tolerate human disruptions, but with the increase in human populations and the increased conversion of grasslands for agricultural and industrial use, the habitat of the Bengal fox is continually being reduced. The combination of the above causes, combined with disease and natural mortality, could potentially cause localized extirpation.[2] Hunting for its skin and flesh, as well as conversion of its grassland habitat to agriculture, industry, and increasingly bio-fuel plantations, have affected its population density. In addition, its body parts are used in traditional medicine, and in some areas it is eaten. It is hunted by the narikuruva tribes of southern India.[12] In Karnataka, it is captured in rituals conducted during Sankranthi.[3]
The Bengal fox usually occurs at low densities across its range. Populations may fluctuate significantly depending on prey abundance and disease, such as canine distemper virus and rabies, both of which have caused local population declines in western India. [18]
Conservation
[edit]The populations of India are listed in the CITES Appendix III. The Indian Wildlife Conservation Act (1972 as amended to 2005) forbids the hunting of all wildlife and lists the Bengal fox in Schedule II. It does not apply to any particular category in the wildlife protection legislation of Nepal. It is listed as Least Concern in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.[2]
References
[edit]- ^ Wozencraft, W. C. (2005). "Species Vulpes bengalensis". In Wilson, D. E.; Reeder, D. M. (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 532–628. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.
- ^ a b c d e Jhala, Y. (2016). "Vulpes bengalensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016 e.T23049A81069636. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T23049A81069636.en. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f Gompper, M.E. & Vanak, A.T. (2006). "Vulpes bengalensis" (PDF). Mammalian Species (795): 1–5. doi:10.1644/795.1.
- ^ a b c Sheldon, Jennifer W. (1992). Wild Dogs: the Natural History of the Nondomestic Canidae. San Diego: Academic Press, Inc. ISBN 0-12-639375-3.
- ^ Mivart, St. G.J. (1890). "The Indian Fox Canis bengalensis". Dogs, jackals, wolves and foxes: A monograph of the Canidae. London: R.H. Porter. pp. 126–131.
- ^ Menon, V. (2014). "Bengal Fox". Indian Mammals: A Field Guide. Gurgaon: Hachette Book Publishing India Pvt. Ltd. p. 506. ISBN 978-93-5009-761-8.
- ^ Pocock, R.I. (1937). "The foxes of British India". Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society. 39 (1): 36–57.
- ^ Vanak, A.T. (2005). "Distribution and status of the Indian fox Vulpes bengalensis in southern India" (PDF). Canid News. 8 (1).
- ^ Akter; Bashar, Md.; Rahman, Md.; Nigar; Rashid; Rahman & Aziz, Md. (2023). "Ecology of Bengal Fox (Vulpes bengalensis) in Northwest Bangladesh". Journal of Zoology. 51 (1): 35–45. doi:10.3329/bjz.v51i1.67042.
- ^ Vanak, A.T. & Gompper, M. E. (2010). "Multiscale resource selection and spatial ecology of the Indian fox in a human-dominated dry grassland ecosystem". Journal of Zoology. 281 (2): 140–148. doi:10.1111/j.1469-7998.2010.00690.x.
- ^ a b Johnsingh, A.J.T.; Jhala, Y.V. (2004). "Indian fox" (PDF). In Sillero-Zubiri, Claudio; Hoffmann, Michael; Macdonald, David W. (eds.). Canids: foxes, wolves, jackals, and dogs. Gland: IUCN/SSC Canid Specialist Group. ISBN 978-2-8317-0786-0. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2006-07-08.
- ^ a b c d e f Johnsingh, A.J.T. (1978). "Some aspects of the ecology and behaviour of the Indian fox Vulpes bengalensis Shaw". Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society. 75: 397–405.
- ^ Vanak, A.T.; Gompper, M.E. (2009). "Dietary niche separation between sympatric free-ranging dogs and Indian foxes in central India". Journal of Mammalogy. 90 (5): 1058–1065. doi:10.1644/09-mamm-a-107.1.
- ^ Manakadan, R. & Rahmani, A. R. (2000). "Population and ecology of the Indian fox Vulpes bengalensis at Rollapadu Wildlife Sanctuary, Andhra Pradesh, India". Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society. 97 (1): 3–14.
- ^ Meadors, Pamela (2007). "Vulpes bengalensis (Bengal fox)". Animal Diversity Web. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
- ^ Vanak, A.T. & Gompper, M.E. (2007). "Effectiveness of non-invasive techniques for surveying activity and habitat use of the Bengal fox Vulpes bengalensis in southern India". Wildlife Biology. 13: 219–224. doi:10.2981/0909-6396(2007)13[219:eontfs]2.0.co;2. S2CID 85247051.
- ^ Vanak, A.T.; Irfan-Ullah, M. & Peterson, T. (2008). "Gap analysis of Indian fox conservation using ecological niche modeling". Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society. 105 (1): 49–54.
- ^ Belsare, A. V.; Vanak, A. T. & Gompper, M. E. (2014). "Epidemiology of viral pathogens of free-ranging dogs and Indian Foxes in a human-dominated landscape in Central India". Transboundary and Emerging Diseases. 61: 78–86. doi:10.1111/tbed.12265. PMID 25135467.