Food habits of the pale fox (Vulpes pallida) in Niger

The pale fox (Vulpes pallida) is a small, little known African carnivore that is patchily distributed throughout the Sahel. We studied the food habits of pale foxes in the Termit and Tin Toumma National Nature Reserve in south-eastern Niger by examining the frequency of occurrence and proportions of prey remains in scats (n = 398). Arthropods, primarily Coleoptera, Orthoptera and Scorpiones, were present in 91.8% of scats. Mammalian remains, primarily Gerbillus spp., were found in 5.6% of scats. Avian, squamate and plant material were rarely present. There was little evidence of seasonal variation in the frequency of occurrence or proportions of prey in the diet, confirming that pale foxes are primarily insectivorous.