Response of carnivores to existing highway culverts and underpasses: implications for road planning and mitigation

Roads with high traffic volumes are a source of animal mortality, can disrupt normal animal movements and dispersal, and may represent a potentially serious threat to wildlife population stability and viability. Retrofitting existing structures built for other purposes (e.g., drainage culverts or small below-grade access roads) to facilitate wildlife crossing by animals and to reduce mortality may be expensive if modifications to the existing structures themselves were involved. However, the environmental context surrounding these structures may influence the willingness of animals to cross, and management of some of these attributes may enhance the attractiveness of these structures. Culverts and underpasses are two common structures along roads in Portugal. We quantified the response of small and medium-sized carnivores to the presence of both types of existing passages by determining: (1) frequency of use; (2) whether use differed by type of passage, and if so; (3) by examining if associated environmental attributes might explain the differences observed. We surveyed 57 different passages along 252 km of highway with a total sampling effort of 2,330 passage trap-days. The mean passage rate for carnivores combined was 0.7 complete passages per crossing structure per day. Crossings by weasel, polecat, otter, and wildcat were infrequent or absent. Red fox, badger, genet and Egyptian mongoose used the crossing structures regularly and without obvious preference; stone marten preferred underpasses. Regression analyses showed the frequency of use by carnivores varied with structural, landscape, road-related features, and human disturbance with 17 of 26 (65%) attributes being significant. Larger passages with vegetation close to the passage entrances, favorable habitat in the surrounding area, and low disturbance by humans were important key features to regular use by the guild of species studied. Mitigation planning in areas with ecological significance for carnivores will be beneficial. Structural attributes and human disturbances are more difficult or expensive to change, even though related significantly to crossing use. Management of vegetation at passage entrances and restricting human use near passages in carnivore suitable areas may substantially improve crossing attractiveness for the guild of carnivore species.     

Factors affecting culvert use by vertebrates along two stretches of road in southern Portugal

A major target for environmental managers when trying to minimise the road-barrier effect on wildlife is to improve permeability to animal movements. Previous studies have demonstrated that drainage culverts are used by vertebrates, although knowledge of the main influencing factors remains limited. The use of 34 culverts from two roads in southern Portugal, differing in traffic volume, vehicle speeds and configuration, was evaluated by the analysis of terrestrial vertebrate footprint data (408 passage-operative days). Culvert crossings were related to various explanatory variables by means of canonical ordination techniques. We recorded 901 complete crossings, corresponding to an average of 2.2 crossings/culvert/operative day. Thirteen taxa were detected, all in more than one passage. Animal species included reptiles, small mammals, lagomorphs, carnivores and domestic dogs and cats. Our results suggest that fencing might have a funnelling effect, directing larger animals toward culverts. Also, vegetation covering culvert entrances seems to have a positive effect, particularly on genets; longer passages with entrances far from the pavement were, apparently, avoided by smaller animals; a lower number of crossings was detected on passages with detritus pits; the closest passages to urban areas are more often used by domestic species; forest-living species favour passages with low, open land cover nearby; and smaller species, like lagomorphs and small mammals, appear to use more culverts near the pavement, which probably reflects the importance of road verges as refuges for these species. Although not used by all species present in the study area, constructing numerous passages of different sizes without detritus pits and which are distributed along roads might be an important step in mitigating road fragmentation effects on animal populations.     

The effect of habitat and human disturbance on the spatiotemporal activity of two urban carnivores: The results of an intensive camera trap study

With rising urbanization, the presence of urban wildlife is becoming more common, increasing the need for wildlife‐friendly spaces in urban planning. Despite this, understanding is limited to how wildlife exploits urban environments and interacts with human populations, and this is vital to our ability to manage and conserve wildlife in urban habitats. Here, we investigate how two urban mammal species, the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and the European badger (Meles meles), exploit urban environments. Using intensive camera trap surveys, we assessed how habitat and human disturbance influenced the spatiotemporal activity of these species across south‐west London. Firstly, we found elevated activity levels of both species at boundaries and within built‐up areas, suggesting movement paths follow anthropogenic features. However, badgers were most active in woodland, indicating the importance of high cover habitats suitable for setts and foraging. Secondly, we found badger activity levels were negatively affected by human activity, whilst foxes were unaffected. Further investigation suggested foxes may adapt their activity patterns to avoid human disturbance, with badger activity patterns less plastic. Whilst the results of this study are useful for both the conservation and management of urban wildlife populations, these results also show potential factors which either facilitate or limit wildlife from fully exploiting urban environments.     

Effects of Habitat on Competition Between Kit Foxes and Coyotes

Abstract: San Joaquin kit foxes (Vulpes macrotis mutica) are an endangered species with a narrow geographic range whose natural populations are limited by predation by coyotes (Canis latrans). In the warm, arid grassland and shrubland habitats where kit foxes occur, coyotes are more cover dependent than kit foxes, creating the possibility of habitat segregation. Effects of habitat variation on coyote and kit fox competition are unknown. We assessed exploitation and interference competition between coyotes and kit foxes in grassland and shrubland habitats to determine if such competition varies among habitats. With respect to exploitation competition, we evaluated habitat and spatial partitioning, diet, prey abundance, and survival for kit foxes and coyotes at the Lokern Natural Area in central California, USA, from January 2003 through June 2004. Kit foxes partitioned habitat, space, and diet with coyotes. Coyotes primarily used shrubland habitats whereas kit foxes selectively used burned grasslands. Kit foxes and coyotes had high dietary overlap with regards to items used, but proportional use of items differed between the 2 species. Kit foxes selected for Heermann's kangaroo rats (Dipodomys heermanni), which were closely tied to shrub habitats. With respect to interference competition, predation was the primary source of mortality for kit foxes, and survival of individual kit foxes was inversely related to proportion of shrub habitat within their home ranges. Our results suggest that a heterogeneous landscape may benefit kit foxes by providing habitat patches where predation risk may be lower.     

Influence of revegetation on predation rates by introduced red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in south‐eastern Australian farmland

Interactions between wild carnivore abundance and landscape composition in agricultural landscapes are poorly understood despite their importance to both production and conservation. In Australia, introduced red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) prey on both native species and lambs in the temperate agricultural regions. Historically these areas were extensively cleared of native vegetation. Recently revegetation programmes have been implemented, but there is concern that this may benefit foxes and hence increase their impacts. We used an artificial prey placed in eight revegetated (6–12% cover) and 10 cleared (0–1.5% cover) landscapes of ～700 ha to assess how these landscapes influenced fox predation rates. In June and August 2006 (winter) when we expect fox populations to be relatively stable following juvenile dispersal, predation rates were 1.5–2 times higher in revegetated landscapes than in cleared landscapes. We found no evidence of microhabitat effects on predation rates suggesting these landscape‐level differences were probably due to differences in fox population density. In April 2007 (autumn) the results were more variable, possibly indicating more transient populations including dispersing juveniles at this time. Our results suggest that the impact of foxes on highly vulnerable prey could increase with revegetation. However, the benefits of revegetation to prey may offset negative impacts of foxes and future work is required to assess the likely net effects.     

Assessing species traits and landscape relationships of the mammalian carnivore community in a neotropical biological corridor

Mammalian carnivores play an important role in regulating food webs and ecosystems. While many carnivore populations are facing various threats such as habitat loss and fragmentation, poaching, and illegal trade, others have adapted to human-dominated landscapes. Information about Neotropical carnivore communities in particular is limited, especially in disturbed landscapes. We conducted a camera trap survey at 38 sites across the San Juan–La Selva Biological Corridor in Costa Rica to assess occupancy and detection probabilities of the carnivore community. We developed hypotheses within a likelihood-based framework in order to determine the landscape features and species traits (diet and size) that influenced their occupancy. We detected nine of the 13 native carnivores predicted to occur in the corridor. When modeled separately, each species responded to land cover changes differently, suggesting no strong community-wide predictors of occupancy. We then modeled three separate guilds within the carnivore community: omnivorous mesopredators, obligate carnivorous mesopredators, and apex predators. These community guild models revealed a negative relationship between omnivorous mesopredators and increasing forest and tree plantation cover, suggesting omnivores utilize forest fragments and edge habitats in agricultural landscapes. Obligate carnivorous mesopredator models did not reveal any strong habitat relationships, but landscape effects tended to contradict our a priori predictions. Apex predators were positively associated with increasing forest and tree plantation cover, protected areas, and increasing distances to villages. Alarmingly, apex predators and obligate carnivorous mesopredators were generally rare within the biological corridor. A lack of top-down control alone might result in heightened occupancy for all mesopredators, but because the community is dominated by omnivorous species, bottom-up release from human-induced land cover changes and resource provision may better explain their high occupancy.     

Use of agroecosystem matrix habitats by mammalian carnivores (Carnivora): a global‐scale analysis

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Small-scale alterations in carnivore activity patterns close to motorways

The effects of roads on the fauna of their surroundings, negative ones for most species, have been widely studied over recent decades. Nevertheless, little is known of changes in the activity patterns of carnivores near roads, which determine what impacts that they may experience. An intensive 2-year study of the carnivore community around a 5-km stretch of Spanish motorway has been carried out in order to clarify this situation. The carnivore activity patterns at three distances from the motorway (0, 500 and 1000 m) were assessed by means of three complementary sampling methods (scat transects, hair traps and camera traps) and by both whole-community analyses (redundancy analysis) and species-specific analyses (generalised linear mixed models, occupancy models). The results show an intense use of the motorway proximities by the carnivore community, with the road possibly acting as an artificial home-range boundary, as well as differential interspecies responses to the presence of the infrastructure. Thus, foxes, stone martens, weasels and genets made more intensive use of the motorway vicinity whereas badgers and cats were indifferent or slightly favoured more distant zones. Knowledge of this alteration in activity patterns near a motorway is important for understanding both the direct effects (e.g. roadkills) and indirect effects (e.g. predation cascades) that roads may trigger in ecosystems, and it may have relevant implications for the design and effectiveness of mitigation measures.     

Differences among avian frugivores in seed dispersal to degraded habitats

Vertebrate frugivores enhance tropical forest regeneration by dispersing seeds into degraded areas. However, the importance of individual species as dispersers may vary within a community. Management and restoration would benefit from understanding which species are critical in moving native seeds into degraded habitats. We compared habitat composition of bird start and end locations for movement intervals based on mean gut passage times for the avian frugivore community on the island of Saipan. The proportion of movement intervals that began in intact, native forest varied among species, with Golden White‐eyes having the highest proportion. However, this species tended to remain in intact forest and only rarely crossed into degraded habitats. Bridled White‐eyes and Mariana Fruit Doves exhibited slightly higher rates of crossing from intact forest to degraded habitats, suggesting an ability to disperse native seeds to degraded areas. White‐throated Ground Doves were never recorded crossing from intact forest to degraded habitats. Despite having a low proportion of movement intervals beginning in intact forest, Micronesian Starlings showed a higher proportion and absolute number of movements from intact forest to degraded habitats, due to their propensity to move frequently, across long distances, and across habitat types. In this species‐poor frugivore network, seed dispersal into degraded habitats appears highly dependent on one species within the community. Regeneration of degraded lands may be severely hindered if this key disperser is lost.     

Habitat selection by two predators in an urban area: The stone marten and red fox in Wrocław (SW Poland)

We analyzed the habitat use of stone martens and red foxes based on incidental observations within the urbanized zone of Wrocław, SW Poland. We compared proportional habitat use at observation sites with randomly selected points and evaluated differences in distance to the water sources and to urban boundaries. Habitat use by both species was different from what we had expected from random points. Stone martens used high-density housing more frequently than red foxes and that expected from random points and avoided open and industrial areas, whereas red foxes used housing estates significantly more often than expected and avoided high-density housing. Both species used the other habitats according to their availability. Stone martens often selected habitats located closer to the city centre, whereas red foxes often selected habitats closer to urban borders than expected. The distribution of red foxes and stone martens is influenced by several factors including the availability of shelter and food, as well as the opportunity to move around undetected. Interspecific competition may also play an important role in habitat selection. Stone martens seem to be better adapted to urbanized areas than red foxes.     

The diet of Indian foxes in a peri-urban area of eastern India

Urban expansions into natural habitats have forced many carnivores to adapt to the modified areas; however, our understanding of their ecology in such areas is limited. The Indian fox (Vulpes bengalensis) is a small carnivore species that can adapt and exploit urban areas due to its generalist nature, but there is a paucity of data on Indian foxes in these human-modified areas. To understand the resource requirement of Indian foxes in urban habitats, we conducted a diet analysis by examining 119 scats of Indian foxes in a peri-urban habitat of Baripada town, Odisha, eastern India. To determine the diet composition of Indian foxes, we analyzed scat contents by their frequency occurrence (%FO), the relative frequency of occurrence (%RF) and mean percent volume (%Vm). Indian foxes consumed a wide range of food categories, including arthropods, rodents, reptiles, birds, plant parts and anthropogenic resources. In %Vm, rodents showed the highest volume, followed by polythene, Spondias pinnata fruit and Coleoptera. We found anthropogenic foods in considerable quantities, including polythene and paper. The diet of Indian foxes indicates that the species has opportunistic and generalist feeding habits consisting primarily of easily accessible foods. Furthermore, management efforts should focus on the proper management of waste and control of anthropogenic food sources in urban habitats.     

Diurnal Human Activity and Introduced Species Affect Occurrence of Carnivores in a Human-Dominated Landscape

Diurnal human activity and domestic dogs in agro-forestry mosaics should theoretically modify the diurnal habitat use patterns of native carnivores, with these effects being scale-dependent. We combined intensive camera trapping data with Bayesian occurrence probability models to evaluate both diurnal and nocturnal patterns of space use by carnivores in a mosaic of land-use types in southern Chile. A total of eight carnivores species were recorded, including human-introduced dogs. During the day the most frequently detected species were the culpeo fox and the cougar. Conversely, during the night, the kodkod and chilla fox were the most detected species. The best supported models showed that native carnivores responded differently to landscape attributes and dogs depending on both the time of day as well as the spatial scale of landscape attributes. The positive effect of native forest cover at 250m and 500 m radius buffers was stronger during the night for the Darwin''s fox and cougar. Road density at 250m scale negatively affected the diurnal occurrence of Darwin´s fox, whereas at 500m scale roads had a stronger negative effect on the diurnal occurrence of Darwin´s foxes and cougars. A positive effect of road density on dog occurrence was evidenced during both night and day. Patch size had a positive effect on cougar occurrence during night whereas it affected negatively the occurrence of culpeo foxes and skunks during day. Dog occurrence had a negative effect on Darwin''s fox occurrence during day-time and night-time, whereas its negative effect on the occurrence of cougar was evidenced only during day-time. Carnivore occurrences were not influenced by the proximity to a conservation area. Our results provided support for the hypothesis that diurnal changes to carnivore occurrence were associated with human and dog activity. Landscape planning in our study area should be focused in reducing both the levels of diurnal human activity in native forest remnants and the dispersion rates of dogs into these habitats.     

Relative value of riparian woodlands in landscapes with different forest cover for medium-sized Iberian carnivores

This study analyses the role of riparian woodland in the conservation of five common carnivore species as compared with other non-riparian habitats according to woodland cover on the landscape scale (>60, 20–35 and <15% on 20 × 20-km surface area). I hypothesised that the importance of riparian woodlands in carnivore conservation on the regional scale would be greater in landscapes with low forest cover than in those with intermediate or high forest cover. To test this hypothesis, in each landscape type I sampled five riparian forests and 10–15 non-riparian habitats and recorded species richness and frequency of occurrence (number of sampled sites with species presence/total sampled sites) in both habitat types. The presence of (or use by) species at each particular sampling site was recorded using sign-surveys (search for scats and badger dens). The relative importance of riparian and non-riparian habitats in each landscape type was analysed by comparing species richness and frequency of occurrence for each species. Comparison of species richness and frequency of occurrence between landscape types indicate that riparian woodlands are important habitats in all landscape contexts. However, in accordance with the initial hypothesis, riparian woodlands are essential for carnivore conservation in the most deforested areas. Any agricultural or development policy should take into account the need to maintain and preserve riparian woodlands in landscapes, especially in intensively cultivated landscapes.     

Partitioning of anthropogenic watering sites by desert carnivores

We investigated the role of water features as focal attractors for gray foxes (Urocyon cinereoargenteus), coyotes (Canis latrans), and bobcats (Felis rufus) in west Texas to determine if they were foci for interspecific interaction. Mixed effects models indicated that species partitioned use of water features spatially and temporally. Linear models indicated factors influencing relative activity at water features varied by species. For coyotes and bobcats, the water availability model, containing days since last rainfall and nearest-neighbor distance to water was best supported by the data, with relative activity increasing with time between rainfall and distance between waters. For gray foxes, the best approximating model indicated that relative activity was inversely correlated to coyote and bobcat activity indices, and positively correlated to topographical complexity. Encounters between carnivore species were low, with most occurring between coyotes and gray foxes, followed by coyotes and bobcats, and bobcats and gray foxes. These findings suggest a behavioral-environmental mechanism that may function to modulate resource partitioning by carnivores in the arid West. © 2011 The Wildlife Society.     

Informing conservation strategies with museum genomics: Long‐term effects of past anthropogenic persecution on the elusive European wildcat

Like many carnivore species, European wildcats (Felis silvestris) have suffered severe anthropogenic population declines in the past, resulting in a strong population bottleneck at the beginning of the 20th century. In Germany, the species has managed to survive its near extinction in small isolated areas and is currently recolonizing former habitats owing to legal protection and concerted conservation efforts. Here, we SNP‐genotyped and mtDNA‐sequenced 56 historical and 650 contemporary samples to assess the impact of massive persecution on genetic diversity, population structure, and hybridization dynamics of wildcats. Spatiotemporal analyses suggest that the presumed postglacial differentiation between two genetically distinct metapopulations in Germany is in fact the result of the anthropogenic bottleneck followed by re‐expansion from few secluded refugia. We found that, despite the bottleneck, populations experienced no severe genetic erosion, nor suffered from elevated inbreeding or showed signs of increased hybridization with domestic cats. Our findings have significant implications for current wildcat conservation strategies, as the data analyses show that the two presently recognized wildcat population clusters should be treated as a single conservation unit. Although current populations appear under no imminent threat from genetic factors, fostering connectivity through the implementation of forest corridors will facilitate the preservation of genetic diversity and promote long‐term viability. The present study documents how museum collections can be used as essential resource for assessing long‐term anthropogenic effects on natural populations, for example, regarding population structure and the delineation of appropriate conservation units, potentially informing todays'' species conservation.     

Scale‐dependent strategies for coexistence of mesocarnivores in human‐dominated landscapes

Identifying factors influencing the distribution of and interactions within carnivore communities is important for understanding how they are affected by human activities. Species differ in their ability to adapt to humans depending on their degree of specialization in habitat use and feeding habits. This results in asymmetric changes in the ecology of co‐occurring species that can influence their interactions. We investigated whether human infrastructures and free‐ranging domestic dogs (a species typically associated with humans) influenced the co‐occurrence and habitat use of mesocarnivores in a landscape of high human population density in Maharashtra, India. We used 40 camera trap locations during 233 trapping nights and used Bayesian co‐occurrence occupancy models to investigate the habitat use and coexistence of species at different spatial scales. Additionally, we investigated their temporal overlap in space use. Indian foxes altered their habitat use both spatially and temporally in order to avoid free‐ranging domestic dogs and other larger competitors. The use of human infrastructure by jackals and jungle cats was limited by the presence of dogs. Our results illustrate how habitat use of smaller carnivore species changes both spatially and temporally in order to avoid larger competitors. We also show that the presence of species associated with humans mediates the influence of human infrastructures on the habitat use of mesocarnivores. We highlight the importance of acknowledging the potential impact of urbanization not only on single species, but also on the interactions within the community.     

Effects and Mitigation of Road Impacts on Individual Movement Behavior of Wildcats

ABSTRACT Roads can affect the persistence of wildlife populations, through posing mortality risks and acting as barriers. In many countries, transportation agencies attempt to counterbalance these negative impacts. Road mortality is a major threat for European wildcats (Felis silvestris); therefore, we tested the effectiveness of a newly developed wildcat-specific fence in preventing wildcat mortality along a new motorway. We hypothesized that such a fenced motorway would at the same time be a significant barrier to wildcats and may at worst result in 2 isolated populations. We used radiotracking data of 12 wildcats, resulting in 13,000 fixes, to investigate individual movement behavior during and after construction of a new motorway in southwestern Germany. The motorway was fenced with the wildcat-specific fence and included crossing structures, not especially constructed for wildlife. Additionally we collected road kills on stretches of the same motorway with various types of fencing. A rate of 0.4 wildcat kills/km/year on the motorway, which was traveled by 10,000 vehicles/day and fenced with a regular wildlife fence, was reduced by 83% on stretches with wildcat-specific fencing. Of the available crossing structures, wildcats preferred open-span viaducts. Road underpasses were used but hold a mortality risk themselves. As opposed to our expectations, the fenced motorway (fenced with wildcat fence) posed only a moderate barrier to wildcats. Individuals were hindered in their daily routine and some stopped crossing completely but others continued crossing regularly. The adaptation of spatial and temporal behavior to traffic volume and location of crossing structures has an energetic cost. Hence, we suggest that only a small number of major roads can be tolerated within a wildcat's home range. To meet the demands of the European Habitats Directive, we recommend installing the wildcat fence in wildcat core areas along motorways to reduce wildcat mortality. We suggest that fences should incorporate safe crossing structures every 1.5-2.5 km. Our findings in terms of fencing design and crossing structures can be used by transportation agencies for an effective reduction of road mortality and barrier effect for carnivores.     

Behavioral audiogram of two Arctic foxes (Vulpes lagopus)

With increased polar anthropogenic activity, such as from the oil and gas industry, there are growing concerns about how Arctic species will be affected. Knowledge of species’ sensory abilities, such as auditory sensitivities, can be used to mitigate the effects of such activities. Herein, behavioral audiograms of two captive adult Arctic foxes (Vulpes lagopus) were measured using a yes/no paradigm and descending staircase method of signal presentation. Both foxes displayed a typical mammalian U-shaped audiometric curve, with a functional hearing range of 125 Hz–16 kHz (sensitivity ≤ 60 dB re: 20 μPa) and average peak sensitivity of 24 dB re: 20 μPa at 4 kHz. The foxes had a lower frequency range and sensitivity than would be expected when compared to previous audiograms of domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) and other carnivores. These differences indicate Arctic foxes (V. lagopus) may have a lower frequency range than previously expected, which was similar to the only other fox species tested to date, kit foxes (Vulpes macrotis). Alternatively, differences may be due to testing constraints, such as masking of test signals by ambient noise and/or an unintentionally trained conservative response bias, which most likely resulted in underestimated hearing curves. While results of this study should be interpreted with caution due to its limitations, findings indicate that foxes have a narrower frequency range than formerly presumed. Anthropogenic activities near fox habitats can mitigate their impacts by reducing noise at frequencies within the functional hearing range and peak sensitivities of this species.     

Habitat selection by Canada lynx: making do in heavily fragmented landscapes

Habitat loss and fragmentation result in landscapes where high quality habitat patches are surrounded by matrix habitats of low and variable quality. For mobile species to persist in such landscapes, individual animals often rely on the high quality habitats but also use matrix habitats for supplemental resources or while moving between higher quality patches. Determining what habitat features animals select when in these matrix areas is important, as retaining desirable features in lower quality habitats may enable species persistence. We examine a population of US federally threatened Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) in northcentral Washington, near the southwestern range limit, where lynx habitat is fragmented by topography, wildfires, and human impacts. We used Global Positioning System radio-collar data from 17 lynx in the North Cascade Mountains during 2007–2013 to explore lynx habitat use. We used Random Forest models to analyze core hunting, resting, and denning habitat, and the habitats lynx select while between patches of core habitat. While selecting core habitat, lynx used spruce (Picea engelmannii)-fir (Abies lasiocarpa), lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta), and mixed sub-boreal-Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) forests, and avoided dry forests and forest openings including new burns. When not in core habitat, lynx used a wider range of habitats, including new burns where fire skips and residual trees offered cover. Our results show clearly that Canada lynx tolerate a wider range of habitats where they occupy fragmented landscapes. Consequently, maintaining animals in fragmented landscapes requires that we identify and conserve not only the core habitats a particular species selects, but also the habitat features animals use while in less suitable environments.     

Beyond the landscape: Resistance modelling infers physical and behavioural gene flow barriers to a mobile carnivore across a metropolitan area

Urbanization affects key aspects of wildlife ecology. Dispersal in urban wildlife species may be impacted by geographical barriers but also by a species’ inherent behavioural variability. There are no functional connectivity analyses using continuous individual‐based sampling across an urban‐rural continuum that would allow a thorough assessment of the relative importance of physical and behavioural dispersal barriers. We used 16 microsatellite loci to genotype 374 red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) from the city of Berlin and surrounding rural regions in Brandenburg in order to study genetic structure and dispersal behaviour of a mobile carnivore across the urban‐rural landscape. We assessed functional connectivity by applying an individual‐based landscape genetic optimization procedure. Three commonly used genetic distance measures yielded different model selection results, with only the results of an eigenvector‐based multivariate analysis reasonably explaining genetic differentiation patterns. Genetic clustering methods and landscape resistance modelling supported the presence of an urban population with reduced dispersal across the city border. Artificial structures (railways, motorways) served as main dispersal corridors within the cityscape, yet urban foxes avoided densely built‐up areas. We show that despite their ubiquitous presence in urban areas, their mobility and behavioural plasticity, foxes were affected in their dispersal by anthropogenic presence. Distinguishing between man‐made structures and sites of human activity, rather than between natural and artificial structures, is thus essential for better understanding urban fox dispersal. This differentiation may also help to understand dispersal of other urban wildlife and to predict how behaviour can shape population genetic structure beyond physical barriers.