dogs (Canis lupus dingo, Canis lupus familiaris and their hybrids) have been studied in a variety of locations in Australia, including coastal and montane.
DIETS OF SYMPATRIC RED FOXES VULPES VULPES AND WILD DOGS CANIS LUPUS IN THE NORTHERN RIVERS REGION, NEW SOUTH WALES A.S. GLEN, A.R. FAY AND C.R. DICKMAN THE diets of sympatric red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and dogs (Canis lupus dingo, Canis lupus familiaris and their hybrids) have been studied in a variety of locations in Australia, including coastal and montane forest (Triggs et al. 1984; Brown and Triggs 1990; Lunney et al. 1990; Glen 2005), urban habitat (Brunner et al. 1991), and desert (Mahon 1999; Paltridge 2002). These studies have shown that both V. vulpes and C. lupus are opportunistic predators, consuming predominantly mammalian prey. However, the diets of both species can vary considerably in space and time (e.g., Mitchell and Banks 2005), presumably due to variation in the availability of prey. No study has previously reported on the diets of canids in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, although Barker et al. (1994) documented prey in the combined scats of V. vulpes and C. lupus from the Richmond Range area. Here, we analyse the diets of sympatric V. vulpes and C. lupus in a number of conservation reserves - Yabbra, Richmond Range, Koreelah, Tooloom and Toonumbar National Parks, and Bungawalbin and Captain’s Creek Nature Reserves - in the far north of New South Wales (28° S; 152° E). These reserves lie in a region known for its rich diversity of native mammals (e.g., Calaby 1966; Milledge 1991). Comparisons are made between the diets of the two predators, and with the diets described in other geographical areas. Scats of V. vulpes and C. lupus were collected opportunistically from roads and from bait stations used for canid control between September 2001 and April 2004. Scats were identified according to appearance, size and odour, and identification was confirmed in some cases by the presence of small numbers of grooming hairs (Triggs 1996). All scats were sent to a specialist (B. Triggs) for analysis. Prey remains were identified to species where possible, or
to the lowest taxonomic level achievable. The relative contribution of each prey taxon to the diet was assessed by calculating the frequency of occurrence. Prey were assigned to one of six categories: small mammals (
