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Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Effects Of Coyote Population Reduction On Swift Fox Demographics In Southeastern Colorado, Seija M. Karki, Eric M. Gese, Mead L. Klavetter Oct 2007

Effects Of Coyote Population Reduction On Swift Fox Demographics In Southeastern Colorado, Seija M. Karki, Eric M. Gese, Mead L. Klavetter

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The distribution and abundance of swift foxes (Vulpes velox) has declined from historic levels. Causes for the decline include habitat loss and fragmentation, incidental poisoning, changing land use practices, trapping, and predation by other carnivores. Coyotes (Canis latrans) overlap the geographical distribution of swift foxes, compete for similar resources, and are a significant source of mortality amongst many swift fox populations. Current swift fox conservation and management plans to bolster declining or recovering fox populations may include coyote population reduction to decrease predation. However, the role of coyote predation in swift fox population dynamics is not …


Interleukin-6 And Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha Values In Elk Neonates, Shannon M. Barber-Meyer, Craig R. Johnson, Michael P. Murtaugh, L. David Mech, P.J. White Apr 2007

Interleukin-6 And Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha Values In Elk Neonates, Shannon M. Barber-Meyer, Craig R. Johnson, Michael P. Murtaugh, L. David Mech, P.J. White

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Serological indicators of general condition would be helpful for monitoring or assessing ungulate wildlife. Toward that end, we report the 1st reference values for 2 cytokines, interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-a), in neonatal elk (Cervus elaphus). We obtained blood samples from 140 calves ≤ 6 days old in Yellowstone National Park during summer 2003–2005. IL-6 values ranged from 0 to 1.21 pg/ml with a median of 0.03 pg/ml. TNF-a values ranged from 0 to 225.43 pg/ml with a median of 1.85 pg/ml. IL-6 and TNF-a concentrations were not significant predictors of elk calf survival through 21 …


Ecology Of Coyotes In Urban Landscapes, Stanley D. Gehrt Apr 2007

Ecology Of Coyotes In Urban Landscapes, Stanley D. Gehrt

Wildlife Damage Management Conference Proceedings

Coyotes (Canis latrans) have become common in many metropolitan areas across the United States. Recent research has focused on the urban ecology of coyotes to better our understanding of how they exist in urbanized landscapes. I summarize findings from a variety of ecological studies of coyotes in or near metropolitan areas, and focus on three areas of coyote ecology: survival rates, home range/activity, and food habits. Most studies have reported relatively high survival rates (annual S = 0.62 - 0.74), with vehicle collisions often a common cause of mortality. Size of coyote home ranges (mean home range sizes …


Demographic And Spatial Characteristics Of Feral Hogs In The Chihuahuan Desert, Texas, Roger N. Adkins, Louis A. Harveston Jan 2007

Demographic And Spatial Characteristics Of Feral Hogs In The Chihuahuan Desert, Texas, Roger N. Adkins, Louis A. Harveston

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Feral hogs (Sus scrofa) have recently expanded their range to include portions of the arid regions of the Chihuahuan Desert, Texas. We examined feral hog density, survival rates, range size, and habitat use in the Davis Mountains, Texas, to understand hog ecology in a desert environment. We tested the hypothesis that densities of feral hogs across Texas would be positively related to precipitation. Feral hog densities in the Chihuahuan Desert were low (0.65 individuals/km2), supporting our prediction. Annual home range sizes (100% minimum convex polygon) were also high and averaged 48.3 ± 4.4 km2 and …