Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Changes In Fecal Glucocorticoid Metabolites In Captive Coyotes (Canis Latrans): Influence Of Gender, Time, And Reproductive Status, Eric M. Gese, Patricia A. Terletzky, Cole A. Bleke, Erika T. Stevenson, Susannah S. French

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Simple summary

Biologists have long considered producing offspring a demanding time in the life of any animal, with reproducing and raising offspring being physiologically stressful. We examined whether breeding and producing pups was more stressful than other life-history stages among captive coyotes (Canis latrans) using fecal sampling and subsequent assays for glucocorticoid metabolites. Using 12 pairs of coyotes (five pairs produced pups, seven pairs did not), we examined fecal glucocorticoid metabolites (fGCM) covering 11 biological time periods for one year. We found high individual variability among both females and males with no apparent statistical effect of reproduction on …

Plague Exposure In Mammalian Wildlife Across The Western United States, Sarah N. Bevins, Jeffrey C. Chandler, Nicole Barrett, Brandon S. Schmit, Gerald W. Wiscomb, Susan A. Shriner

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Plague is caused by a bacterial pathogen (Yersinia pestis) that can infect a wide range of mammal species, but its presence in wildlife is often underappreciated. Using a large-scale data set (n = 44,857) that details the extent of Y. pestis exposure in wildlife, we document exposure in 18 wildlife species, including coyotes (Canis latrans), bobcats (Lynx rufus), and black bears (Ursus americanus). Evidence of plague activity is widespread, with seropositive animals detected in every western state in the contiguous United States. Pathogen monitoring systems in wildlife that are both large scale …

Mesopredator Frugivory Has No Effect On Seed Viability And Emergence Under Experimental Conditions, John P. Draper, Trisha B. Atwood, Noelle G. Beckman, Karin M. Kettenring, Julie K. Young

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Members of the order Carnivora are a unique and important seed disperser who consume and deposit undamaged seeds while providing regular long-distance seed dispersal opportunities. Some members of Carnivora, such as coyotes (Canis latrans), are undergoing range expansions which may help the plant species they consume colonize new locations or replace dispersal services provided by recently extirpated species. In this study, we evaluated aspects of the seed dispersal effectiveness of coyotes and gut passage time to determine the potential dispersal distances for three commonly consumed and commonly occurring plant species (Amelanchier alnifolia, Celtis ehrenbergiana, and Juniperus osteosperma). We also investigated …

Space Use In Free-Ranging Canids: Are Gonadal Hormones Required For Territory Maintenance?, Eric M. Gese, Patricia A. Terletzky

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Fertility control among carnivores has been used to reduce depredations on livestock and wild neonates, population control, modify behavior, inhibit genetic introgression, and reduce human–wildlife conflicts. Although there is considerable knowledge on techniques to sterilize carnivores, there is little information concerning how the absence of gonadal hormones influences behavior, space use, and survival of wild canids. We examined territorial fidelity, home-range size and overlap, and survival of 179 surgically sterilized free-ranging canids (124 coyotes (Canis latrans Say, 1823), 55 coyote – red wolf (Canis rufus Audubon and Bachman, 1851) hybrids) with gonadal hormones present (tubal-ligated females (n = 70), vasectomized …

Instability Of Glucocorticoid Metabolites In Coyote Scats: Implications For Field Sampling, Erika T. Stevenson, Eric M. Gese, Lorin A. Neuman-Lee, Susannah S. French

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Studying physiologic stress responses can assist in understanding the welfare of animals. One method of measuring the physiologic stress response is evaluating concentrations of glucocorticoid metabolites in feces. Previously, using an adrenocorticotropic hormone challenge, we found fecal glucocorticoid metabolite levels were a reliable indicator of physiologic stress response in coyotes (Canis latrans). We determine whether glucocorticoid metabolite concentrations remain stable when collecting feces over a 2-week period, a timeframe commonly used in scat surveys for wild canids. We collected feces from 6 captive coyotes maintained at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, Predator …

Mind The Gap: Experimental Tests To Improve Efficacy Of Fladry For Nonlethal Management Of Coyotes, Julie K. Young, John Draper, Stewart Breck

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Coyotes (Canis latrans) are the top predator of livestock in the contiguous United States. Developing more effective nonlethal tools to prevent coyote depredation will facilitate coexistence between livestock producers and coyotes. Fladry is a nonlethal deterrent designed to defend livestock by creating a visual barrier to wolves (C. lupus). Fladry may also be effective with coyotes, but large gap spacing between flags may reduce its efficacy. To address this issue, we performed 2 experiments on captive coyotes using fladry modified to reduce gap spacing at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Predator Research Facility in Millville, Utah, USA, during 2015–2016 and …

Changes In Kit Fox-Coyote-Prey Relationships In The Great Basin Desert, Utah, Wendy M. Arjo, Eric M. Gese, Tim J. Bennett, Adam J. Kozlowski

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Variation in kit fox (Vulpes macroiis) population parameters can be influenced by vegetative cover and the distribution and abundance of other predator and prey species. Dramatic changes to Great Basin Desert habitats, which can potentially impact mammalian species, have occurred in some areas in Utah. We examined kit Fox demographics and prey populations from 1999 to 2001 on Dugway Proving Ground (DPG), a U.S. Army facility in Utah, and compared some parameters to historical levels (1956-1958, 1966-1969). Adult survival rates were fairly consistent between 1999 and 2000 and between 1999 and 2001; however, survival was greater in 2001 …

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 …

Cameras, Coyotes, And The Assumption Of Equal Detectability, Eveline Se Quin Larrucea, Peter F. Brussard, Michael M. Jaegar, Reginald H. Barrett

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Remote cameras are an increasingly important tool in management and wildlife studies. However, we often do not know if they provide an unbiased sample of populations. Using a marked, radio-collared population of coyotes (Canis latrans) of known social status, we evaluated the influence of temporal (daily and seasonal) and spatial (distance between units, habitat, and proximity to human structures) factors on vulnerability to photo-captures. During 8 unbaited camera sessions of 6 weeks each, we obtained 158 coyote photographs at a photo-capture success rate of 1.6%. We were able to identify not only marked individuals, but also a number …

Coyotes As Sentinels For Monitoring Bovine Tuberculosis Prevalence In White-Tailed Deer, Todd C. Atwood, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Thomas J. Deliberto, Holly J. Smith, Justin S. Stevenson

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Mycobacterium bovis, the causative agent of bovine tuberculosis (bTB), is endemic in free-ranging white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in 5 counties (Alcona, Alpena, Montmorency, Oscoda, and Presque Isle) in the northeastern Lower Peninsula of Michigan, USA. The presence of a wildlife reservoir of tuberculosis in Michigan and the incidence of bTB in cattle (Bos taurus) resulted in Michigan losing its bTB accredited-free status. Subsequent wildlife surveillance programs identified relatively high disease prevalence in coyotes (Canis latrans), generating interest in their potential to serve as a sentinel species to detect bTB prevalence in white-tailed deer. …

Coyote Investigative Behavior Following Removal Of Novel Stimuli, Daniel J. Heffernan, William F. Andelt, John A. Shivik

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Because coyotes (Canis latrans) show an aversion to novel objects, we examined the effects of the presence and removal of repellent and attractive stimuli on coyote behavior. We found a greater proportion of captive coyotes investigated 10-cm-tall cones (0.95) compared to 90-cm-tall cones (0.68) and control sites (0.81), and spent longer periods (P , 0.001 in all instances) investigating small cones (x̅ = 465 sec), compared to large cones (x̅ = 212 sec) and control sites (x̅ = 45 sec). However, investigation times at sites following removal of large cones were 1.6 and 2.3 times …

A Broad Perspective On Current And Future Research On Urban Coyotes, John A. Shivik, Kathleen Fagerstone

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

A change in wildlife management appears to be occurring. Previous efforts needed to be focused on producing more game species or endangered animals; now, however, tools and training must resolve issues of overabundance and conflict with predators, especially species such as coyotes (Canis latrans) in urban areas. Urban conflicts with coyotes may be growing because of urban development of land and human intrusion, but alteration of habitats that attract coyotes is also a likely factor. Research that will describe basic coyote biology in urban areas will be needed, but managers will also need applied research and development of …

Information Content Of Coyote Barks Howls, Brian R. Mitchell, Maja M. Makagon, Michael M. Jaeger, Reginald H. Barrett

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The information content of coyote (Canis latrans) vocalizations is poorly understood, but has important implications for understanding coyote behavior. Coyotes probably use information present in barks or howls to recognize individuals, but the presence of individually-specific information has not bean demonstrated. We found that coyote barks and howls contained individually specific characteristics: discriminant analysis correctly classified barks of five coyotes 69% of the time and howls of six coyotes 83% of the time. We also investigated the stability of vocalization characteristics at multiple distances from the source. Recordings were played back and re-recorded at 10 m, 600m, and …

Initial Comparison: Jaws, Cables, And Cage-Traps To Capture Coyotes, John A. Shivik, Daniel J. Martin, Michael J. Pipas, John Turnan, Thomas J. Deliberto

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The need for alternative predator capture techniques is increasing because of concerns about the efficiency, selectivity, and injury of currently available capture methods. There also is a need for comparative data evaluating new or seldom used methods. In an initial evaluation, we first surveyed wildlife managers for information on cage-trapping; using these data, we conducted a field study of 4 coyote (Canis latrans) capture systems for animal damage management. We tested the SoftCatch®, Collarum®, Wildlife Services–Turman, and Tomahawk®, systems for capturing coyotes in Arizona and south Texas during 2001 and 2002. We determined capture efficiency and selectivity and …

Coyote Movements And Social Structure Along A Cryptic Population Genetic Subdivision, Benjamin N. Sacks, Brian R. Mitchell, Christen L. Williams, Holly B. Ernest

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

A recent region-wide study determined that the central California coyote ( Canis latrans ) population was genetically subdivided according to habitat bioregions, supporting the hypothesis that coyotes exhibit a dispersal bias toward their natal habitat type. Here, we further investigated this hypothesis using radio-collared coyotes captured on a 150-km 2 study site on the border of (i.e. overlapping) two bioregions (Great Valley and Cascade Mountains). As predicted, most coyotes were assigned (based on a priori genetic criteria) to genetic clusters corresponding to one of these two bioregions. All of those assigned to the Great Valley genetic cluster were caught in …

Serologic Survey For Canine Infectious Diseases Among Sympatric Swift Foxes (Vulpes Velox) And Coyotes (Canis Latrans) In Southeastern Colorado, Eric M. Gese, Seija M. Karki, Mead L. Klavetter, Edward R. Schauster, Ann M. Kitchen

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Swift foxes (\'IL~VPGCY~ OX)a nd CoVi I otes (C~rrisl r~tr(~r~a.rse) sympatric canids distributed througllout rnany regions of tlie Great Plains of North America. ~h~ prevalence of canid diseases arnong these two species where they occur syiripatrically is presently unknown. Frorn January 1997 to January 2001, we collected blood salnples from 89 switt toxes and 122 coyotes oil the US Arlny Pifion Canyon Maneuver Site, 1,as Anilrlas County, SE lorado (USA). Seroprcvalence of ailtibodies against canine parvovirr~s (C13\i) was 71 % for adult (>9 nlo old) ailcl 38% for jrlveilile (59 Ino old) swift fbxes. Adult (21 yr old) and …

Coyote Depredation Management: Current Methods And Research Needs, Brian R. Mitchell, Michael M. Jaeger, Reginald H. Barrett

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

This paper examines the severity of livestock depredation by coyotes (Canis latrans), reviews evidence implicating breeding (or “alpha”) coyotes in the majority of incidents, evaluates currently used depredation control techniques, and suggests directions for future research. Nonlethal control ranges from varied animal husbandry practices to coyote behavioral modification or sterilization. These methods show significant promise but have not been proven effective in controlled experiments. Therefore, many livestock producers rely on lethal control, and most employ nonselective strategies aimed at local population reduction. Sometimes this approach is effective; other times it is not. This strategy can fail because the …

Operational Field Evaluation Of A Plastic Bulb Reservoir As A Tranquilizer Trap Device For Delivering Propiopromazine Hydrochloride To Feral Dogs, Coyotes, And Gray Wolves, Peter J. Savarie, Daniel S. Vice, Layne Bangerter, Kevin Dustin, William J. Paul, Thomas M. Primus, F. Sherman Blom

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

We evaluated a polyethylene bulb reservoir fabricated at the Pocatello Supply Depot, Pocatello, Idaho, as a potential cost savings replacement for the McBride lubber device that is used as a tranquilizer trap device (TTD). The polyethylene devices, also called pipette TTDs, were formulated with 0.6 g of propiopromazine hydrochloride (PPZH) and 0.4 g of ascorbic acid, an antioxidant. The pipette bulb was secured to a 1.6 mm-diameter cable and the cable was attached to the trap jaw. TTD testing was conducted during routine operational control under an Investigational New Animal Drug application (INAD 9528) from the U.S. Food and Drug …

The Role Of Bait Manipulation In The Delivery Of Oral Rabies Vaccine To Skunks, Stacie J. Robinson, Susan M. Jojola, Kurt C. Vercauteren

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The majority of rabies cases reported to the Centers for Disease Control each year occur in wildlife including skunks, raccoons, bats, foxes, and coyotes. Currently, oral rabies vaccination campaigns are employed to immunize coyotes, foxes, and raccoons. Though skunks are vectors of 6 rabies strains, there is currently no effective oral vaccine or delivery system for skunks. More information is needed to determine if baits currently used are sufficiently attractive to skunks, or if the baits are difficult for skunks to handle and consume. We observed bait manipulation by skunks in penned/feeding trials to determine the bait type most conducive …

Weight And Age Of Coyotes Captured In Virginia, John M. Houben, J. Russell Mason

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

We recorded the weight and age of 70 coyotes collected during depredation control efforts in western Virginia. Mean masses for adult male and female coyotes were 16.2 and 13.4 kg, respectively. Juvenile male and female coyotes weighed 14.0 and 13.0 kg, respectively. Regardless of sex, mean mass was greatest between November and January and comparable to that reported for coyotes throughout the eastern United States. Cementum aging indicated that 71% of the coyotes captured were greater than 1 year of age. Numerical trends suggest that age and sex may influence vulnerability to capture.

Coyote Depredation Management: Current Methods And Research Needs, Brian R. Mitchell, Michael M. Jaegar, Reginald H. Barrett

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

This paper examines the severity of livestock depredation by coyotes (Canis latrans), reviews evidence implicating breeding (or “alpha”) coyotes in the majority of incidents, evaluates currently used depredation control techniques, and suggests directions for future research. Nonlethal control ranges from varied animal husbandry practices to coyote behavioral modification or sterilization. These methods show significant promise but have not been proven effective in controlled experiments. Therefore, many livestock producers rely on lethal control, and most employ nonselective strategies aimed at local population reduction. Sometimes this approach is effective; other times it is not. This strategy can fail because the …

Predacides For Canid Predation Management, K. A. Fagerstone, J. J. Johnston, P. J. Savarie

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Throughout the livestock industry in the western United States, control of canid predators was considered to be of considerable importance to the livestock industry, especially to sheep producers, who sufkred high losses from coyotes and wolves. In the 19th century, the demand for predator control was communicated to Congress and the western state assemblies, with the result that predator control was provided in western states by the Fedcral Bureau of Biological Survey in cooperation with state agencies, and by trappers hired by stockmen. Steel traps and poisons were the principal methods used for predator control during the early years of …

Seasonal Activity Areas Of Coyotes In The Bear River Mountains Of Utah And Idaho, Glen F. Gantz, Frederick F. Knowlton

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

We studied the seasonal movement patterns and dispersal of coyotes (Canis latrans) in the Bear River Mountains of northern Utah and southern Idaho to determine whether coyotes in this montane region exhibit an altitudinal migration on a seasonal basis. We used 3 locational parameters to assess whether a seasonal altitudinal migration was evident, including overlap in seasonal activity areas, distance between harmonic mean centers of activity, and seasonal differences in mean elevations of locations. Winter and summer activity areas of every mature coyote overlapped, with mean distances between harmonic centers of seasonal activity of 1.5 km (range = 0.4–3.3 km). …

An Individual-Based Model Of Canid Populations: Modelling Territoriality And Social Structure, William C. Pitt, Paul W. Box, Frederick F. Knowlton

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The management of canid populations has been at the forefront of wildlife management worldwide for much of the last century. Effective management depends on the ability to integrate species biology, the environmental aspects upon which those populations depend, and the factors controlling species abundance. Further, managing canid populations requires consideration of territoriality and dominance, which may have a significant effect on population dynamics. To better understand the effect of social structure on canid populations, we developed an individual-based computer model using Swarm to mimic natural coyote population dynamics. We selected the Swarm simulation environment because it is ideally suited for …

Temporal Genetic Variation In A Coyote (Canis Latrans) Population Experiencing High Turnover, Christen Lenney William, Karen Blejwas, John J. Johnston, Michael M. Jaeger

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Coyotes (Canis latrans) are mobile, adaptable canids found in a wide range of habitats across North America, with range extensions into previously unoccupied areas in the western and eastern United States. Although long-distance dispersal capabilities in both sexes (Harrison 1992) and relatively large proportions of transient coyotes that do not exhibit fidelity to a single territory (typically 13–34% of a population— Andelt 1985; Windberg and Knowlton 1988) suggest that coyotes exist as a panmictic population, other aspects of coyote behavior may increase the likelihood of local population structure.

Coyote-Activated Frightening Devices For Reducing Sheep Predation On Open Range, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Michael J. Lavelle, Steve Moyles

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Domestic sheep ranching is an important agricultural industry in the United States and coyote (Canis latrans) depredation on lambs and ewes continues to challenge ranchers and agencies responsible for protecting sheep. Lethal methods used in controlling coyote depredation include aerial gunning, toxicants, trapping, and calling and shooting. Nonlethal methods include frightening devices, fences, livestock protection animals, and stringent husbandry practices. Ranchers and agencies responsible for controlling coyote depredation need frightening devices that are more effective than those currently available. We describe a field evaluation of 2 animal-activated frightening devices: an acoustic device and an acoustic device with a …

Coyote-Activated Frightening Devices For Reducing Sheep Predation On Open Range, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Michael J. Lavelle, Steve Moyles

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Domestic sheep ranching is an important agricultural industry in the United States and coyote (Canis latrans) depredation on lambs and ewes continues to challenge ranchers and agencies responsible for protecting sheep. Lethal methods used in controlling coyote depredation include aerial gunning, toxicants, trapping, and calling and shooting. Nonlethal methods include frightening devices, fences, livestock protection animals, and stringent husbandry practices. Ranchers and agencies responsible for controlling coyote depredation need frightening devices that are more effective than those currently available. We describe a field evaluation of 2 animal-activated frightening devices: an acoustic device and an acoustic device with a …

Dietary Overlap Between Wolves And Coyotes In Northwestern Montana, Wendy M. Arjo, Daniel H. Pletscher, Robert R. Ream

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

We studied effects of recolonizing wolves (Canis lupus) in the North Fork of the Flathead area of northwestern Montana on the diets of coyotes (C. latrans) from 1994 to 1997. Wolf and coyote diets differed in frequency of occurrence of prey species during 3 of the 4 summers and winters (P< 0.001) during the study. Coyote diets contained more murid prey items, and wolf diets contained more deer (Odocoileus virginianus and O. hemionus) in the summer and elk (Cervus elaphus) in the winter. Coyotes and wolves ate prey of different size during both the summer (P < 0.001) and winter (P < 0.001) months in 1994– 1996: wolves took a greater proportion (P < 0.001) of large (>45 kg) prey species and coyotes, small (<2 kg) prey (P < 0.001). Wolves selected a larger proportion of adults (P …