Distinguishing between the hair fibres of the rabbit and the mountain hare in scats of the red fox

• DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-7998.1997.tb05808.x
• Publication Date: 2010-09-17T15:12:49Z
• Authors: Alan Wolfe; A. M. Long
• Keywords: 0106 biological sciences; 15. Life on land; 01 natural sciences

Irish mountain hare and rabbit hair fibres were examined for differences in microstructure. Obvious and significant differences were found in the widths of the cortex in the shield and shaft regions of the dorsal guard hairs. Other less obvious differences were also noted in scale overlap and patterns. These findings were applied in the examination of a small number of fox scats collected from a coastal grassland habitat. Mammals were by far the most important prey item of the fox; rabbit remains were present in 83% of scats examined. Hare remains were present in 15% of the scats with significantly more hare remains occurring in the scats during winter.