University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Differences in maternal behavior and early life development of silver foxes (Vulpes vulpes) selectively bred for tame or aggressive behaviors towards humans

Beckfield, Samantha

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/130114

Description

Title
Differences in maternal behavior and early life development of silver foxes (Vulpes vulpes) selectively bred for tame or aggressive behaviors towards humans
Author(s)
Beckfield, Samantha
Issue Date
2025-06-23
Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)
Kukekova, Anna
Committee Member(s)
  • Roca, Alfred
  • Condotta, Isabella
Department of Study
Animal Sciences
Discipline
Animal Sciences
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
M.S.
Degree Level
Thesis
Keyword(s)
  • Postnatal development
  • maternal behavior
  • canids, foxes
  • domestication
Abstract
During early life altricial species undergo rapid growth, with parental behaviors playing a pivotal role in shaping offspring behavior and physiology. In domestic dogs, post-natal development has been extensively studied, with differences existing between the behavioral development of dogs and their wild ancestors, wolves. However, tracing the origin of this divergence is difficult as dogs have been selected for countless traits since their domestication began. In contrast, the silver fox, a relative of the domestic dog, was domesticated in a controlled experiment by strictly selecting farm-bred foxes for tame response to humans. To examine whether selection for tameness is linked to changes in early life behavior, we observed nine tame and nine aggressive females and their litters using motion-activated trail cameras from the 24th-40th days of the kits’ lives. The videos were scored for the presence or absence of the mothers and kits in the exterior cage. Ethograms were developed for detailed analysis of their behaviors. We found that aggressive mothers were alone in the exterior cage more often than tame mothers, leaving the kits in the nest box. Conversely, tame kits left the nest box and were more active earlier than aggressive kits. These results demonstrate that selection for tameness has cascading effects on the social behaviors of both mothers and kits, suggesting a common genetic basis for these behaviors.
Graduation Semester
2025-08
Type of Resource
Thesis
Handle URL
https://hdl.handle.net/2142/130114
Copyright and License Information
Copyright 2025 Samantha Beckfield and the Kukekova Lab

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