1992/09/15 by Jacek Goszczyński, Michał Wasilewski
Agricultural and Biological Sciences · Environmental Science · #Botany and Plant Ecology Studies #Ecology and biodiversity studies #Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
paper · pdf · doi:10.4098/at.arch.92-33
crossref issued 1992/09/15 · crossref published 1992/09/15 · crossref published-online 1992/09/15 · crossref published-print 1992/09/15 · openalex publication_date 1992/09/15 · crossref created 2014/05/19 · crossref deposited 2014/05/19 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/11 · crossref indexed 2026/08/04
The relationship between foxes Vulpes vulpes (Linnaeus, 1758) and hares Lepus europaeus (Pallas, 1778) was investigated in central Poland. The consumption of hares by foxes was the highest (up to 50% of biomass eaten) during the spring seasons. The negative correlation between small mammal and hare consumption by foxes was recorded throughout the study. Lack of small mammals in spring as well as low temperatures and deep snow cover in winter intensified the fox hunting on hares. The reduction of hares by foxes was about 16% during spring to autumn and 8% in winter. Predators were responsible for 50% of the total mortality of adult hares. By snowtracking of foxes it was established that the mean distance between successful hunts on hares was 263 km of fox trail. Foxes captured on average one hare every 19 days. About 7% hare hunts by foxes were successful.