ANALYZING HABITAT FRAGMENTATION ON MESO-CARNIVORE TEMPORAL AND SPATIAL BEHAVIOR IN NEWARK, DELAWARE

Abstract

Habitats are divided into smaller patches when anthropogenic alterations such as agriculture and urbanization increase landscape fragmentation. Species abundance and distribution are inadvertently affected as they adapt to these changes. In this study, I investigated detection rates of raccoons (Procyon lotor) and red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) across different fragmented patches on a working farm complex in Newark, Delaware, and how they may be temporally influenced by, or spatially utilize, fragmentation. During the summer of 2025, 12 cameras were stationed at specific human-disturbed habitat patches and corridors located in fragmented fields and forests. I found that raccoon presence and activity were dependent on time of day rather than location; in contrast, red fox presence increased from day to night and was strongly associated with fragmented fields. These responses indicated species-specific behavior within patchy landscapes. This research provides insight into how mesocarnivores adapt temporally and spatially to growing habitat fragmentation and human disturbance.