Detection of radiating body heat signals by European red foxes (Vulpes vulpes)
Most mammals have a cold naked nose tip, called the rhinarium, the rhinarium is connected to the somatosensory system, and is hypothesized to have a common function throughout the order of carnivora. It has recently been found that the domestic dog can detect radiating body heat with the cold rhinarium. In this study, a European red fox was trained to detect radiating heat from a distance of 50 cm