Life Sciences Commons^™

Influence Of Population Reduction On Predator Home Range Size And Spatial Overlap, Shandra Nicole Frey, Michael R. Conover

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

The increasing populations of red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), raccoons (Procyon lotor), and striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis) in the Intermountain West have contributed to low waterfowl recruitment in recent decades. This effect prompted the need for predator removal at many waterfowl refuges, such as the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge (BRMBR) in the Great Salt Lake ecosystem. Our study examined the effects of the removal of predatory mammals at the BRMBR on the home range size and spatial overlap of the remaining populations of red foxes, raccoons, and striped skunks. The removal of predators through traps, snares, and night-shooting created a …