Nauka Przyroda Technologie

2013 volume 7 issue 4 #55

Mirosława Kulawik, Sławomir Nowicki, Piotr Przysiecki, Hieronim Frąckowiak

Comparative metrical investigations of the common fox (Vulpes vulpes) farmed and wild

Summary.

The study was conducted on 117 adult common foxes (Vulpes vulpes) of both sexes. A total of 60 foxes came from a fur farm (30 males and 30 females), while 57 foxes were animals living in the wild (29 males and 28 females). Examinations included measurements of body weight and selected exterior body traits. After opening of the body cavity internal organs were dissected and then weighted. Next the length of individual intestine segments was measured. Numerical data were subjected to statistical analysis in order to compare metric traits of foxes living under different environmental conditions. It was shown in those analyses that body weight and quantitative exterior traits in fur farm foxes, except for ear length, are greater than in foxes living in the wild. Moreover, it was found that the weight of internal organs in male fur farm foxes was greater than in male wild foxes, except for lung and heart weight. Female fur farm foxes had lower heart, lung and additionally stomach weights. It was found in this study that in foxes living in the wild intestine length was over four times greater than their body weight, while in fur farm foxes it was over three-fold. At the same time the ratio of small intestine length to large intestine length was greater in fur farm foxes than in foxes living in the wild.

Key words: common fox, Vulpes vulpes, morphometry

Full text available in Polish in Adobe Acrobat format:
https://www.npt.up-poznan.net/pub/art_7_55.pdf

Streszczenie w języku polskim:
https://www.npt.up-poznan.net/tom7/zeszyt4/streszczenie-55.html

Corresponding address:
Mirosława Kulawik
Katedra Hodowli Małych Ssaków i Surowców Zwierzęcych
Uniwersytet Przyrodniczy w Poznaniu
ul. Słoneczna 1
Złotniki
62-002 Suchy Las
Poland
e-mail: nowicki. slawek@wp.pl

Accepted for print: 1.10.2013