How race, gender and sexual orientation appeal to some underlying Essay

How race, gender and sexual orientation appeal to some underlying biological influences - Essay Example 2211). In other words, the assumption that race and ethnicity are merely biological traits is utterly mistaken. Human categories such as gender and sexual orientation are oftentimes subjected to intense debates, especially gender orientation, as to whether they are nature or nurtured; and if there is a correlation between genes and gender orientation; the environment and gender orientation. Later on, an elaborative analysis shall be taken in order to explain whether, if indeed, race, sex, and gender orientation appeal to some biological influences. Also, this paper shall attempt to provide consequential and pertinent corroborations that should clarify some mistaken understandings in so far as the issues on biological influences in race, sex, and gender orientation are concerned. [Student’s Last Name] 2 Race Race â€Å"was a presumably biological feature that an individual had, but was composed of disparate elements that might contradict one another within a single body† (Marks 108). ... Race has been conventionally considered to classify population according to communal biological traits like genes, hair, eyes, and other apparent physical features (Drewnowski et al. 2211). While race expresses a common characteristic among a number of people, it is used profoundly to emphasize cultural and social characteristics and not biological influences (Drewnowski et al. 2211). Therefore, the attempts to study the biological influences in race are something that is not feasible. In fact, â€Å"if races are discrete groups of populations, the continuous nature of human variation undermines the utility of race as a basic way to study the species† (Marks 108). This is particularly true in that while it is â€Å"something relatively stable† (108) as it is part of human physiological composition, the evolution of man through its years of existence must have transpired significant modifications on its genetic composition with every succeeding generation that passes. Th us, obviously, there is no avenue through which one can scrutinize biological influences to race as there is no consistent representation of the genetic detail that could be considered coherent or uniform regardless of human variations. â€Å"Race is [Student’s Last Name] 3 largely a social category† (Marks 109). It â€Å"correlates to some extent with genetics but is principally derived from a non-scientific or folk concept of heredity† (109). This is partly due to the fact that while genetics affect race to some degree, there is no guaranteed uniformity or coherence on this biological influences due to the genetic changes that take place with respect to every generation that passes; thus, there can be no effective approach to completely scrutinize the organic

Caring for Children and Adolescents Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Caring for Children and Adolescents - Assignment Example The idea that one of the best ways to combat the dangers associated with teen drinking is to step up enforcement is certainly a tempting one. Firstly, it comes from and invokes a great deal of time-honored tradition – the idea of using punishments for prescribed acts has been a fundamental part not just of many of the most important legal traditions in the world, but is also still heavily used in the parenting of children of a wide variety of ages. It simply makes sense that if the consequences for being caught drinking are significant, they will out-weigh Furthermore, there is a legitimate argument for the idea that having no or minimal enforcement for a law or policy, such as forbidding teen drinking, implicitly condones such actions, and that to demonstrate seriousness about fighting teen drinking, we must make the consequences of doing so severe. These arguments are especially valid when discussing one of the root enablers of underage drinking: adults willing to sell or pr ovide alcohol to minors. As drinking under the legal limit is (obviously) illegal, every time a teenager drinks there is always an adult who was willing to sell liquor to them or give it to them despite their young age, or who failed to do due diligence by guaranteeing identification was true and accurate. The adults who do this have been trusted by society because they are considered mature enough to understand the consequences of their actions, so if they are mature enough to by alcohol they should be mature enough to ensure it does not reach the hands of under-age drinkers; if they fail to do so then they should be prepared to face the consequences of their actions, even if they are serious. Finally, putting constraints on associated activities, like establishing a curfew, can give law enforcement justification for interrupting dangerous behavior and getting teenagers home safe. There are many reasons to consider enforcement improvements could reduce the harm from teenage drinkin g.

World Literature Questions and Creative Writing Essay

World Literature Questions and Creative Writing - Essay Example On the other hand, God would like to test man’s steadfastness. Oblivion of the game where he is just a pawn, the man tosses on the horns of dilemma until he realizes his limitations. Why did the God do this with me? This is the question that dawn on him when he surfaces into reality. Like Faust, I signed my soul with the devil but I was smart .I told him if at any stage my mind changes I will break the pact. The devil was too sure. He knew after getting the best enticements, no man goes back to God.I am happy, by the grace of God I took a very wise decision. I have strived every time for the best and in this pursuit have found that there is limitation which a man should always accept. Human being is created by God with some inadequacy. We are not born perfect that is why we strive for perfection. Perfection is only found in the God’s kingdom.As He is the epitome of perfection so one should not exceed the limits he has imparted us with. Striving to overcome one’s limitation is going against His Will and denying Him. That is the time when the Devil can lure a human being. I too went through the same plight as Faust but I identified my limits as I knew ,I have my constraints and if I deny my God, I am denying my whole being. Devil won’t give one anything for free, He knows how to lure human, â€Å"...we meet again on the other side...same coin you shall pay me back.†Though it is not an easy pact but I went for it as I wanted to work for the humanity, â€Å"my efforts to reach that crown of humanity, after which all my senses strive?†But, then I realized this endeavor was futile as it would leave me nowhere. I realized all this I can attain in God’s grace as well then why to join an evil company? I realized this fact that a devil will win any how by treachery and deceit. I thank to God that this understanding came to me much earlier and I saved myself from devil. 2. Dear Ivan, Life shows many twists and turns, it is never a pleasant journey and some people are less fortunate. I have heard your plight. It is really distressing and I have failed to understand the justice of God as well. Fair should be rewarded in the God’s court but it seems that he too turns His blind eye for the righteous. You were wrongly convicted and have suffered entire life in galore for someone else crime. Your wife also disbelieved you and your children have forgotten you as well as if you have never existed for them. Your petitions to review the case went unheard and that also did not shake your faith. You had firm faith in God and believed in His Justice but the justice was denied to you. I hold your persona with utmost respect and wonder how were you able to forgive Makar and reconcile with the things. I have undergone same predicament and I am unable to reason with this fact, why I have been mocked and ridiculed. I have picked just a piece of string thinking it might be of some use to me but was accused of pic king wallet that belonged to Maitre Fortune Houlbreque  of Manneville. I was wrongly charged and I came to know Maitre Malandain has laid blame on me. I tried to prove myself innocent by showing the proof of my pick but they laughed and disbelieved me. Maitre Malandain always had grudges against me. I was wrongly indicted, you would be surprised to know that the purse was found and returned to the mayor yet people thought me an accomplice and defamed me everywhere. I tried to prove my innocence to every person I met on my way, I am well aware that at my back they made fun of me and suspected me. I have found the futility of convincing everyone. I have grown ill ,pestering myself and now, I am at the death bed thinking my plight is just like yours my dear friend, the justice is denied to me as well in this human world but I am breathing my last with

Should College Athletes Be Paid Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Should College Athletes Be Paid - Essay Example The key question posed by many previous reformists is whether college athletes should be paid. Given the consideration of many factors such as health, behavior, multi-billion dollar industry, moral decay, physical condition, talent and popularity, it stills remains an issue at stake whether student athletes should be paid (Sack & Staurowsky 139). Various magazine articles have been presented, covering the issue which has necessitated immediate action from reformists and ranking professional in the field. The National College Athletic Association over the previous year provided that schools should award the students two thousand dollars per year as a stipend but dropped the proposal after concerns were raised on how it would be achieved by the media. Upon pressure by the highlighted events through media coverage such as Euro sports and sports columnists, prominent coaches think that this idea should be revived and have sought to have it implemented. This is based on the argument that the playoffs fetch more money that is given to the directors, coaches and NCAA and which should also be given to the students. In my opinion, the media have enhanced the speed of consideration of this issue by providing information on the step taken and direction thus far. Student athletes should be get non cash payments from their colleges while if hired by companies they should receive monetary compensation for their time and energy. In this case, payment depends on a variety of things and can be achieved in many forms. Television coverage of sports competitions among the various institutions to determine the winner generates millions of dollars as additional revenue for the participating schools in which case the thousands of college and university students should be part of the cake (Shropshire & Davis 156). Cash payments should be made when the students play for an outside team or when hired by the companies outside the scope of the school. Through the media, open discussions a nd forums have come up to discuss issues relating to payments of athletes. Some magazines provide coverage on certain players posing probable concerns on payments and television shows invite athletes on talk show trying to get their views on the matter and other issues in the federation. Colleges on the other side need to focus on the students as a motivational tool and award them benefits in kind such as insurance schemes, proper housing, full educational scholarships and other fringe benefits (Griffin 91). The coverage of significant presentations such as ESPN show that student athletes spend more time in the field practicing and in most cases utilize most of their energy to gain money for the schools which then should have a responsibility to motivate them by offering them some form of payment. It is essential to note that talented students will most likely attend colleges that offer rewards for their efforts and thus most of management will seek them immediately after high schoo ls with enticing propositions such as scholarships awards. This is not enough though, and they need to further offer cash and remuneration after the games athletes participate (Shropshire & Davis 162). Sporting events are also covered in movies which try to bring more action on what actually transpires in the field. High school

Employment Law and Practice (in Human Resource Management) Essay

Employment Law and Practice (in Human Resource Management) - Essay Example It is because the Directive marks a profound transformation in the traditional deregulated understanding of working hours (IRS 1999). This paper briefly outlines the nature of legal regulation relevant to work time and work-life balance and the regulation’s impact on employers’ practice and concludes that regulation has little impact on actual practice of work-life balance due to the certain provisions. Introduction Regulation 4(1) of Working Time Regulations replicated the Article 6 of the Directive which provides that the working time for any employee in addition to overtime should not exceed from 48 hours per week for every seven days throughout a reference period of 17 weeks (cited in Barnard 1999). Moreover, Britain sought benefits from individual opt-out allowed by Article 18(1) (b) which permitted employees to exceed from 48 hours working limit in agreement with employers. The 1998 Regulations established detailed record keeping rules, however, businesses regarde d that it has ‘gold-plated’ the Directive (Barnard, Simon, and Richard, 2003, p.224). Amendments in Working Time Regulations in 1999 (Barnard, 2000) resulted in the diluted requirements of record keeping. Regulation 4(1) stresses that unless the employer get it in writing, the workers’ working time including overtime shall not go beyond 48 hours in a week. Regulation 4(2) demands from employer to maintain updated records of all the workers who opt-out due to the agreement between employer and employees (cited in Barnard, Simon, and Richard, 2003, p.225). Rationale for the Directive The EC Working Time Directive principally requires its member state to put the limits on the length of working day and week in addition to setting at least a minimum amount of leave that is paid(Lourie,1998,p.7).According to DTI(2001) the Regulation represented striking transformation, in particular for UK, where working time is not much regulated and existing regulation was annulled d uring 198s and 1990s(Cited in Neathey and James,2001,p.1).Formal intention of the Directive was a ensuring health and safety by decrease in long working hours(Goss and Derek 2001,p.205). According to DTI, WTR is perceived to have far reaching implications for UK, it is: â€Å"...due partly to the introduction of Regulations into a previously unregulated area and also to the working time patterns that operate in this country: full-time male and full-time female UK employees work on average considerably longer than those in   Ã‚  other EU countries.†(Cited in Neathey and James, 2001, p.1) When the Working Time Directive was implemented in 1998, the proceeding legislation was perceived to be; productive for the British economy in the form of enhanced productivity and innovation, meet the traditional social policy aims regarding health and safety (the legal justification for implementing the Directive), and to strike a balance between work and family (Barnard, 1999 cited in Bar nard, Simon, and Richard, 2003, p.248). However, Chancellor of the Exchequer in his Budget Statement during 2003 stated that, â€Å"In striking the balance between dynamism and social standards, our position is that no change to European regulations, like the working time directive, should risk British job creation† (cited in Barnard, Simon, and Richard, 2003, p.248). The Statement clearly reveals government’

Romeo and Juliet Analysis Essay Example for Free

Romeo and Juliet Analysis Essay Throughout life, humans are put to the test and must remain true to themselves and others. In the play Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare, Juliet encounters many trials and goes through several experiences. As Juliet goes through many struggles, she continues to remain loyal to her husband Romeo. Juliet remains loyal to Romeo and goes to certain extremes to remain married only to him. Juliet has been promised to marry Paris even though she is already married to Romeo. She is currently with Friar Lawrence and asking him for a way out of her promised marriage. She reasons with him saying, â€Å"’God has joined my heart and Romeo’s, thou our hands’† (4.1.56). The Friar gives her a potion to put her in a death like trance. Later on when she awakes from her trance, she discovers that Romeo has died, she says to herself, â€Å"’O, happy dagger, this is thy sheath. There rest and let me die’† (5.3.174). By gratefully accepting a poison to put her in a death like state, she is desperate and willing enough to be buried in a tomb to wait for Romeo to avoid a wedding. Once Juliet discovers Romeo dead, she is faced with marrying Paris or committing suicide to remain loyal only to Romeo. When she kills herself, she remains only wedded to Romeo. Not only is she loyal with keeping her marriage, she remains loyal when talking about him. Even when Juliet receives disastrous news, she remains true to Romeo. Juliet has just received news of her cousin’s death due to Romeo. She starts to curse him and speak badly of him but then stops and says, â€Å"’blistered be thy tongue for such a wish’† (3.2.99). Even though she is trying to cope with the death of her cousin, she continues to remain loyal to Romeo who has slain her cousin. Romeo murders her beloved cousin, and instead of her being furious at him and continuing to condemn him, she stops and defends Romeo. Rather than Juliet switching where her loyalties lie, she continues to defend Romeo and remains to love him as her husband. Throughout the several trials Juliet faces and undergoes, she perseveres and stays loyal to Romeo. Juliet is willing to go to the extremes, including death, in order to remain loyal to her husband. As she encounters times of sadness, she is able to keep thinking straight and remain faithful to Romeo. With her demonstration of loyalty, she stays committed to Romeo, which sparks other conflicts. Being loyal is required to build trust to help build a lasting relationship through the troubles till death.

Red Fox: Characteristics, Environment and Habits

Red Fox: Characteristics, Environment and Habits The red fox is portrayed as a sly, cunning creature and has been symbolised in folklore across the world for centuries. They remain an important factor in English culture primarily due to humans hunting foxes with gun dogs. In other countries such as North America they majorly contributed to the fur trade (Sillero-Zubiri, Hoffmann and Macdonald, 2004). The reason foxes are represented as devious and crafty animals down to their appearance and their ability to continue to exist in most environments. Urban and rural environments differ in a number of ways. Urban environments present a number of challenges to animals such as household predators (ref), human interaction (ref) and complicated landscapes (ref). There are also some advantages to living in an urban area, for example the abundance of easily accessible food (ref) and man-made shelters (ref). In recent years notably in England the rate of urban environments encroaching into rural is increasing leading to a significant impact on wildlife. In order to survive in an urban environment animals must make adaptations to their behaviour and in some cases their morphology (ref). Some animals are better at adapting than others; rodents are perhaps one of the better known examples. If animals cannot make these adaptations in areas where their environment is depleting, their species will become under threat from extinction. The red fox is clearly successful in coping with these ever-changing environments and this is attributable to t heir ability to make adaptations. One such adaptation and arguably the most important is behaviour (Natural England, 2007). In order for any predator to be successful and exploit a range of diverse environments it must be able to locate prey on a regular basis. The red foxs diet is enormously varied due to its coverage across so many different habitats. Unsurprisingly while they are classified as carnivores, they appear to be taking on a more omnivores style diet. (Natural England 2007). The red fox has also presented food preferences but is generally inclined to take the most readily available foods. (Scott 1955). Environment is a key aspect in the variation of the red foxs diet. Today the red fox exists in Rural, urban and suburban environments in this country and there is a large variety of food available to them. Red foxes will prey on a range of birds, small mammals, insects and other invertebrates. They will also eat fruit and vegetables which account for about one fourth of the foxes diet, although it cannot sustain the red fox as well as meat would. (Natural England 2007 and Zimen 1980). One of the most suitable habitats for a fox is one that has a high density of small mammals such as rabbits, hares and voles. These animals are easy for the fox to catch and provide enough energy and substance to sustain a red fox (Zimen 1980). An environment that lacks this kind of prey would in theory be an unsuitable place for a fox to survive. However there are countless examples in this country and across the world of foxes that are living in habitats where small mammals are a fairly minute part of their diet and yet they are still thriving. (Zimen 1980). Foxes living in urban environments have a comparatively different diet to those living in rural habitats. These foxes have a few different food sources which are arguably easier to obtain than hunting small mammals. The prime example of this is anthropogenic food which is in abundance in many urban environments due to the population of humans. (Harris and Baker 2001). The red fox can scavenge an array of discarded meat and other food whilst using minimal energy in the process. Other food sources such as carrion, fruits and even pets mean that the red fox can successfully live in this tough concrete jungle without its natural diet. (MacDonald and Sillero-Zubiri 2004). The food that the foxes scavenge also attracts some of their natural prey in rural areas giving them ampl e opportunity to hunt live prey. However it cannot be assumed that urban foxes will eat the same food in all urban environments, their diet is highly variable (Luniak 2004). A scientific study comparing the diet of the red fox in Bristol City Centre and Central London has revealed how a location change can cause dietary variation. Professor Steven Harris of Bristol University discovered that although these two places are alike and provide very similar food, the foxes consume different quantities of these foods. This proves that red foxes are opportunistic and will literally eat whatever they can find in order to stay alive. According to wildlife biologist Marsha Sovada with the U.S. Geological Surveys Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center in North Dakota, â€Å"Red foxes will eat anything-insects, birds, mammals, sunflower seeds. With such a catholic diet, the animals are virtually guaranteed ample food, opportunistically feeding on whatevers out there.† (Taylor 2001). In conclusion foxes will eat almost any food type and are true opportunistic eaters. This vastly varied diet will have a great impact on their success as a species and enables the red fox to live in almost any environment as a result (Matheson 1997 and Taylor 2001). Other canids such as the Asian Dhole (Asiatic Wild Dog) that failed to make this adaptation in diet amongst other factors are now an endangered species (MacDonald and Sillero-Zubiri 2004).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Dhole The red fox has a behavioural characteristic called caching that assists in the success of the species. The caching of food that the red fox cannot eat straight away is also observed in other predators such as the mountain lion that frequently stores carcases. Mountain Lion The red fox has a much smaller stomach size for its body weight therefore they cannot stock up on enough to wait a long time for the next meal. This is why the red fox caches food in small holes which are usually spaced apart in different places. This particular behavioural adaptation serves a useful purpose in order to survive and it insures for times of prey shortage (Natural England 2007). The red fox also has a greatly developed memory for hoard locations which is useful when these caches can span across many territories (Sillero-Zubiri, Hoffmann and Macdonald 2004). There is however a downside to this instinct they carry. When faced with a large quantity of favoured prey the red fox will often kill more than it could possibly eat before spoiling. A common example of this is the killing of captive birds such as hens. This is commonly referred to as surplus killing and will only happen if there is a great amount of vulnerable prey available (Natural England 2007). This does not increase the relationship with humans resulting in efforts to trap and kill many foxes. â€Å"The fox probably pounces on any available source of a smell or a sound and examines what he has captured later.† (Murie 1936) An example that illustrates the red foxs ability to swap food type is an outbreak of myxomatosis a disease which wiped out a large proportion of the rabbit population in this country in 1953. The rabbit was certainly the red foxes preferred food type at this time as they provided a fair amount of meat for an easier catch. Hunting Developing techniques in order to catch prey is imperative to any predators survival since their prey is commonly mobile. Each predator will have various techniques in capturing and killing its prey (Scott 1955). Red foxes have developed a range of hunting techniques in order to catch a diverse variety of prey (Grambo 1997). The red fox is primarily a crepuscular hunter but on occasion it will also hunt throughout the night (Especially in urban areas due to artificial lighting causing them to extend their hunting time (Fabricius 2010). They hunt around this time due to their prey being mostly active around dawn and dust. However the red fox can hunt during the day especially when food supply is in short supply in winter. They normally hunt in solidarity but it is not unknown for them to pair up in order to take down larger prey, such as calves (Sillero-Zubiri, Hoffmann and Macdonald 2004). The red fox has made many clever hunting adaptations in order to catch its diverse range of prey. For insects, the fox will put little effort into the method of capturing. They will commonly just walk up to insects without any stealthily moves and eat it. This method works well for foxes and as an insect requires little substance, this easy way of killing is suitable (Grambo 1997). For small mammals such as rodents the red fox will take on a far stealthier role. They will usually carefully walk around areas where the desired prey would be present, listening for any signs of movement. The moment the fox hears any scurrying, the red fox will launch itself straight up into the air and then pins down the victim with astonishing precision. The fox will then deliver a series of lethal bites (Harris and Baker 2001).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Red Fox Hunting Rodent Other canids have this technique such as the coyote but generally most canids will shake their prey violently in order to kill (Sillero-Zubiri, Hoffmann and Macdonald 2004). The most challenging prey type the red fox encounters is Rabbits, hares and other swift small mammals. Hares can achieve speeds of up to 45mph when escaping predators and rabbits will run in a zigzag motion whilst reaching speeds of 30 mph (Elert 2001). These small mammals sustain the fox much longer than insects or any other small scavenged items so they are important to the foxs diet (Zimen 1980). The red foxs hunting technique for this prey is similar to most other predators. They will stalk their prey slinking along the ground for as long as they can stay undetected readying themselves for a pursuit. As soon as the fox has been noticed a rapid chase will ensue which either will result in the prey escaping, or the fox delivering a lethal bite to the animals legs. In addition, the red fox can reach speeds of up to 30mph giving it a realistic chance of catching this hasty prey. Furthermore they are able to jump 6ft high which is particularly useful when chasing rabbits and hares. (M atheson 1997 and Zimen 1980). Fox Stalking meal There is one last notable method in capturing prey that is fairly unconventional commonly referred to as ‘Charming. After spotting the desired prey, the red fox will begin playing and display odd behaviour in full view of its prey. This can result in the prey moving closer in order to see what the fox is doing. The fox will then ambush the prey when its in close enough range. They have also been known to play dead which will attract carrion birds. This technique truly illustrates the foxs intelligence and is contrast to their otherwise sly and silent moves (Zimen 1980 and Matheson 1997). Red Fox leaping whilst charming Through having this varied range of hunting techniques, the red fox is able to have a wide-ranging diet. They have a tailored technique in capturing animals for each specific prey and situation. This ultimately helps the red fox become widespread as it can transfer this collection of hunting skills to different prey living in most environments. Conclusion for diet and hunting The process of finding food and hunting prey is imperative to any living creatures survival. The red fox has proved to be a very successful forager as they can seek out food in an array of different environments. The way in which it exploits a wide range of foods enables the fox to do well even in areas which at a glance do not seem to provide it with the means to thrive. Reproduction Reproduction is fundamental for any species to be successful. Red foxes are monoestrous, they ovulate only once a year. Species that are commonly thought of as particularly abundant, such as the rabbit, have many litters per year. From this a person might assume that the red fox would have lower population numbers in comparison to the rabbit as they will only have one litter a year (Natural England 2007). A vixen on average will only have 5-6 kits a year and the infant mortality rate is reality high with only 2-3 kits surviving. However despite this they are still flourishing and this is down to several reasons. â€Å"Because theyre small predators with a fast reproductive rate, red foxes can dominate other species once they become abundant,† says Ron Jurek, a wildlife biologist with the California Department of Fish and Game. The dedication of the mother to the wellbeing of her offspring is the one of the reasons for the red foxs success (Matheson 1997). Prior to the birth of her kits, the mother will prepare a natal den that is situated close to food and water supplies. This ensures the mother has access to food resources to sustain her, without straying too far from the den site. Female foxes will spend a large amount of time searching for a den that is concealed from humans and potential predators of the offspring, such as the badger. When the vixen has given birth to her kits, she will remain with them for the first two weeks in order to keep them warm relying on her mate to bring her any food she needs. This caring behaviour will help all of her kits to reach adulthood increasing the success of the species. An additional benefit is that the mothers milk is very rich providing a good amount of sustenance (Matheson 1997). Nursing kits Another key explanation for their high population is the capability of breeding at a young age. The red fox will on average reach sexual maturity at around 10 months old. In comparison to other canids such as the gray wolf that reaches sexual maturity around 2 or 3 years, this is relatively young. Perhaps if the fox population was more stable like the gray wolf then they would not need to reproduce at such a young age (VanGinkel 2002 and Sillero-Zubiri, Hoffmann and Macdonald 2004). The red fox has another useful behavioural characteristic which is predominantly present in urban environments which can help lower the red foxs infant mortality rate. Normally when vixens kits have maturated they will separate and search for their own territories. However young females can stay with their parents for another year. They purposely stay behind to help raise their younger siblings and provide their mother with food. Although this altruism may not have an enormous impact on the success of the litter, the experience the vixen will gain by helping raise kits can be transferred to her own (Matheson 1997). A prime example where this behaviour is more successful is in wolves. The alpha female is the only allowed having pups and all the other females in the pack will help raise them. Ecological adaptations- 1500 Distribution and abundance The distribution of any predator is vital its success as a species. The vaster the distribution of a species, the more likely it is to succeed. If one environment was completely destroyed resulting in a species dying, as long as that species has colonised elsewhere it will not die out (MacDonald and Sillero-Zubiri 2004). The red fox is the most prevalent of all the predators on earth spanning across nearly the entire Holarctic region. They live in 83 countries in five continents covering 70 million sq-km and are the only canid to do so (Luniak 2004). In fact the only place the red fox does not exist is tropical Islands, Australasian Islands, Madagascar and Malta. They are only present in Australia because man introduced them there. The reason they are absent from these places is although they are fairly strong swimmers, there is a vast amount of water to cross in order to settle there and they have not made it. This is a tremendous achievement for any predator and the only other predator that comes close to this is the grey wolf. They of course no longer exist in this country due to hunting to extinction and major loss of habitat. This furthers the point of the fox is successful as they were faced with remarkably similar circumstances, and continue to exist. The red fox has encountered many extermina tion efforts and ever increasing natural habitat loss and yet still covers most of its original range. The map below illustrates the areas in which the red fox inhabits (Zimen 1980 and Luniak 2004). The current population of the red fox in England today is very difficult to determine. Dr Johnathan Reynolds of the Game and Conservancy Trust states: â€Å"Foxes have been on the increase in urban areas since the 1940s when they first started colonising towns and cities but we have also had a number of setbacks in the population because of the mange and other diseases. At the moment it is difficult to say what the overall picture is.† (Gray 2009) The last official estimate of the red fox in 1995 found there to be 240.000 living across the U.K. This figure is likely to have increased as their behavior is changing allowing them to live closer and closer to humans (Gray 2009 and Luniak 2004). Habitat One of the reasons why the red fox is so successful is ability to live all almost any habitat. They thrive in habitats from extreme examples such as tundra and desert to the more commonly associated woodland, scrub, farmland and urban environments (Luniak 2004). Below illustrates just how different these habitats can be: This capability of living in different habitats is a security against any landscape destruction. If for example the whole of England became a purely urban environment, the likely hood of the red fox surviving is high given their current urbanisation ability (Harris and Baker 2001). Other predators that struggle to cope with loss of habitat and fail to make adaptations are under threat of extinction. An example of this is the case of the critically endangered Darwin fox. The Darwin fox lives just off the west coast of Chile on Chiloà © Island and mainland Chile. It covers the least geographical range of all the canids and is one of the most endangered. The main reason why they are on the brink of extinction is their lack of adaptations made to survive. They live in a unique island temperate forest which does not exist anywhere else. Loss of habitat means loss of prey resulting in them simply dying out as opposed to adapting and finding new sources of food and habitat (Sillero-Zubiri, Hoffmann and Macdonald 2004). Territory and range They have adapated their territoriy range to suit the need of the area. Like most predators, red foxes are territorial and in order for an individual fox to survive it needs to establish its own territory. Each territory provides shelter and adequate food for a species to live on. A predators territory size can differ in every habitat. It tends to be directly correlated to the amount of food available and good quality denning sites (Natural England, 2007). The red fox population extents across various different environments. For this reason there is enormous variation in territory size. In a typical rural environment in England, the foxs territory size is around two to six square kilometres. In contrast an urban foxs territory size is approximately half a square kilometres. The red fox has reduced its territory size significantly in urban environments. There are several reasons for this change such as their territory becoming bound by the road and other large urban obstacles. There are also space limitations due to a lack of green areas compared to their rural cousin. A bonus for a red fox living in an urban environment means they do not have to travel too far to find their next meal. This leads to many urban foxes living a sedentary life thus having a smaller territory (Luniak, 2004). Red foxes have also developed a reasonably relaxed approach to living in close range to another territory in urban environments. The red fox will have two small territories, one that provides shelter which is defended against any intruders. The other is where hunting and foraging will take place and tends to overlap with other foxes territories. This tolerance has a positive impact on the fox population as it allows foxes to live successfully in built up urban landscapes (Natural England, 2007 and Luniak, 2004). A researcher at Bristol University, Ellie Whittaker said ‘The animals move around a lot geographically and in a lot of cities the population of foxes is absolutely exploding (Gray 2009). The red fox has clearly managed to establish a life alongside humans in these difficult urban environments. The red fox will like most predators, mark their territory to preserve borders. Although this seems very defensive behaviour it serves a useful purpose. Red fox scent marking ‘Red foxes communicate with facial expressions, vocalisations and scent marking (Luniak, 2004). This is one of the main ways the red fox communicates and in actual fact helps reduce aggressive clashes between foxes. It is uncommon for foxes to fight resulting in injury when another fox strays into its territory. This means there is a very low mortality rate from foxes killing each other increasing the success of the species (Matheson 1997). Avoidance behaviour and risk taking A red fox mistakenly sneaking into a lion enclosure Every animal has a flight distance and it is a fundamental behavioural trait, especially for animals that are preyed on. Flight distances vary greatly depending on the species and the environment they are living in. However the purpose it serves never changes. The key function of a flight distance is to keep an individual animal alive by running from a potential threat. (Luniak, 2004) A prime example of an animal that lacked any form of flight distance was the Dodo. The Dodo lived contented on the island of Mauritius until humans discovered the island in 1505. Whilst the explorers were there, they discovered this effortless source of food that would literally walk up to them without hesitation. The main reason the Dodo became extinct was their trusting towards every living creature. Up to the point humans invaded their island, they had no predators, therefore had not developed the flight mechanism that would have arguably saved their species (Maas, 2008). 3d model of a Dodo Consequently an animal with a short or nonexistent flight distance has an increased risk of being caught by a predator, resulting in a decline in the species or in the Dodos case, extinction. On the other hand an animal with too long a flight distant is in danger of a failing population due to the disturbance that fleeing frequently can cause. This constant running effects breeding, foraging and other behaviour vital to a species survival (Moller, 2008). The red fox has no real natural predator in this country other than badgers that occasionally kill young kits. The only predatorial threat they face on a daily basis is humans. In order for any species to co- exist amongst humans, they must develop a degree of tameness toward people or they will not survive in an urban environment (Luniak, 2004). The red fox is under threat from humans in both rural and urban environments and has adapted its flight distance to suit environment. From organised hunts to the odd disgruntled farmer the red fox has faced danger from man for centuries in rural landscapes. The red fox has adapted well to the threat if humans in rural environments. Wildlife journalist Keith Broomfield has studied the red fox for years and comments on the rural fox: â€Å"Here is a shy and careful animal, skirting around farmhouses and villages, making only the occasional foray to raid a hen house or sniff around for rats and mice in a farmyard during the dead of night. Disturb a country fox during the course of a walk, and in a blur of russet he will be gone (Broomfield, 2010).† They have still maintained the correct flight distances for living in rural areas as the threat they face are still prevalent. In urban environments By reducing their flight distance in urban environments they have managed to settle and live amongst humans successfully. They may even be becoming too complacent in some areas (Luniak, 2004). Red fox photographed on the London underground. They are not quick enough when it comes to traffic. Wildlife journalist Keith Broomfield wrote â€Å"When I first started to watch Edinburgh foxes in the mid-1970s. They were still quite shy then but now it is not uncommon to watch them nonchalantly trotting along the pavements of Glasgow or Edinburgh, unfazed by meeting a human (Broomfield, 2010).† Morphology The red fox is indisputably the easiest of all fox species to identify due to its unique markings and colour (Luniak, 2004). Its iconic rusty red coat, black legs and ears and white belly and tail tip are suitable for camouflage in a forest at night. They can keep well hidden as they sneak through the trees and vegetation. There are many colour variants which can vary from red to copper enabling them to live in other biomes such as sandy desert and open country. (Matheson, 1997). The red foxes kits will come out of the burrow a sandy brown colour. This camouflage helps protect the young from any predators especially in countries where they are hunted by lynx, wolves and other predators. Red fox cubs blending into their surroundings. The ability to blend in to their surroundings is especially beneficial when capturing prey and enables them to get closer to their victim undetected (Zimen, 1980). Red Fox example in camouflage However a significant proportion of the fox population live in urban environments (Grambo, 1997). This camouflage is not suited for urban landscapes and unlike other species they have not adapted in anyway physically in order to live in urban environments. Fortunately the red fox does not rely on camouflage alone in order to survive (Luniak, 2004).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Red Fox in Urban environment The red fox has a surprisingly misleading appearance. Its red fur consists of long hairs which bulk out the form of the red fox. The red fox is approximately half the weight of other canids this size. This is owing to very light bones in comparison to dogs and a stomach only half the size of most canids.