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The nature reserve Serra da Malcata, Portugal, was recently considered a site for Iberian lynx ( Lynx pardinus ) reintroduction. Because of potential disease risk posed by red foxes ( Vulpes vulpes ) in the area, a reliable estimate of fox abundance was critical for a dependable reintroduction program. We adapted camera‐trapping techniques for estimating red fox abundance in the reserve. From July 2005 to August 2007, we conducted 7 camera‐trapping sessions, allowing for individual identification of foxes by physical characteristics. We estimated abundance using the heterogeneity (M h ) model of the software program CAPTURE. Estimated density ranged from 0.91 ± 0.12 foxes/km 2 to 0.74 ± 0.02 foxes/km 2 . By estimating red fox density, it is possible to define the number of foxes that must be sampled to assess the presence of potential fox‐transmitted diseases that may affect lynx reintroduction.
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Sarmento et al. (2009) studied this question.
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