What do you believe is the single most important factor driving up the cost of living in Nigeria?

Gray foxes have been a staple of Virginia's—and the Southeast's—landscape for decades. In recent years, there's been a growing concern that they might be undergoing a population decline in the commonwealth.

In collaboration with the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, Virginia Tech researchers are working on understanding exactly what is happening with gray foxes—if the population decline is habitat related, caused by pressure from coyotes, competition with red foxes, or if there's a population decline at all.

"All of this is little understood and the comments we've received are anecdotal," said Marcella Kelly, professor in the College of Natural Resources and Environment and primary investigator on the project. "It's important for us to figure out because we've been hearing mixed messages about gray foxes. Some people don't think they're declining, and some are convinced the population is declining."

Gray foxes are native to Virginia and are ecologically important to the environment.

"Gray foxes are valuable as seed dispersers because they eat fruits and berries, but they largely help with population control of small mammals," said Victoria Monette, a Ph.D. student in the Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation.

• Read More