Induction of copulatory behavior in castrated female and male Arctic foxes

The aim of the study was to test if it is possible to induce complete copulatory behavior in castrated Arctic foxes (Alopex lagopus) of both sexes for the purpose of other experiments. Two groups of castrated, sexually experienced Arctic foxes, four pairs in Experiment 1 (a pilot study) and eight pairs in Experiment 2, were treated with different regimes of hormone (estrogens and progesterone in females, testosterone in males). The animals were than tested for copulatory behavior. Nine out of 12 castrated bitches and 10 out of 12 castrated males displayed copulatory behavior during the season of reproductive quiescence for intact Arctic foxes. All the treatments induced complete copulatory behavior (i.e., copulation leading to locking) at least in some animals of both sexes. Examination of results for individual animals suggested that copulatory performance was influenced by preference for specific partners. Also the occurrence of copulation in an early test facilitated its reoccurrence on a later test in the same day with a different partner.