title: Agonistic behaviour and dominance relations of captive arctic foxes (Alopex lagopus) in Svalbard.
abstract: Agonistic behaviour and dominance relations were studied in three groups of arctic foxes (Alopex lagopus) on the western coast of Svalbard (79°N): (1) Five 'tame' foxes (3♂♂, 2♀♀) kept in captivity for 9-26 months, (2) twenty-two 'wild' foxes (11♂♂, 11♀♀) kept in captivity for 4 days to 3 weeks, and (3) free-living foxes. Experiments were started by introducing two foxes (n = 74 dyads) into a large enclosure (360 m(2)), scoring winners and losers in a competition for food, calculating a dominance index (DI), and observing the frequency of 12 behaviours. DI was correlated with body size as measured by the length of a front foot, but not with body weight. Males dominated females more frequently than vice versa (P < 0.06). Tame foxes were more playful and less aggressive than wild foxes. Fighting was mostly restricted to chasing and following, and no injuries were seen. When considering all 12 behaviours no significant difference was found between winners and losers, males and females, larger and smaller, heavier and lighter foxes. However, winners were more frequently following and chasing (i.e. offensive), while losers more frequently behaved submissively. Ignoring (dominant) or evading (subordinate) behaviours were frequent, and no distinct display signalling high social status was found.
authors.affiliation: Norwegian Polar Research Institute, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Frafjord