Environmental Sciences Commons^™

Surgical Sterilization As A Method Of Reducing Coyote Predation On Domestic Sheep, Cassity Bromley, Eric M. Gese

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Predation by coyotes (Canis latrans) on domestic sheep is a problem for many livestock producers throughout the United States Intermountain West. We examined whether surgical sterilization of coyote packs would modify their predatory behavior and reduce predation rates on domestic sheep as compared to coyote packs with pups. From June 1997 to December 1997, we gathered baseline information on coyote pack size and movements. In winter 1998, we surgically sterilized and radio-collared members of 5 coyote packs. We also captured and radio-collared members of 6 packs that remained intact (i.e., reproductive). During summer 1998, only 1 sterile pack …