Food composition of red fox in the Tatra National Park [Régime alimentaire du renard du Parc National des Tatras].

Résumé

Food composition of the red fox Vulpes vulpes (Linnaeus, 1758) was analysed on the basis of 144 scats found in the Tatra National Park (1270-2100 m a.s.l., Poland. The most important kind of food were small and medium mammals (54% and 43%, respectively). Pine voles were the staple food in the group of determined small mammals, within determined medium mammals the most important was the marmot. Refuse left by tourists occured in every sixth scat. Most intensively used by foxes were habitats situated at the altitude of 1401-1600 m a.s.l., probably due to favourable food and shelter conditions offered by this zone.