Age and condition of deer killed by coyotes in Nova Scotia
Coyote (Canis latrans) predation is a major source of mortality for white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in many areas of northeastern North America. However, if coyotes primarily remove deer that would have died of other causes in the absence of predation (compensatory mortality), the impact...
Published in: | Canadian Journal of Zoology |
---|---|
Main Authors: | , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Canadian Science Publishing
2003
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z03-189 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z03-189 |
id |
crcansciencepubl:10.1139/z03-189 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
crcansciencepubl:10.1139/z03-189 2024-04-07T07:51:34+00:00 Age and condition of deer killed by coyotes in Nova Scotia Patterson, Brent R Messier, François 2003 http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z03-189 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z03-189 en eng Canadian Science Publishing http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/page/about/CorporateTextAndDataMining Canadian Journal of Zoology volume 81, issue 11, page 1894-1898 ISSN 0008-4301 1480-3283 Animal Science and Zoology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics journal-article 2003 crcansciencepubl https://doi.org/10.1139/z03-189 2024-03-08T00:37:37Z Coyote (Canis latrans) predation is a major source of mortality for white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in many areas of northeastern North America. However, if coyotes primarily remove deer that would have died of other causes in the absence of predation (compensatory mortality), the impact of predation would be minimal regardless of the number of deer removed. We examined the carcasses of 102 white-tailed deer consumed by coyotes during winter in southwestern Nova Scotia (Queens County) and on Cape Breton Island from 1992 to 1997. Sixty-nine deer were victims of predation, five died of other natural causes, two were killed in coyote snares, two were killed on the road, two were shot and not recovered during the autumn hunting season, and one was shot and abandoned in early winter. The causes of death of the remaining 21 deer could not be determined. Fawns were overrepresented in the sample of coyote-killed deer on Cape Breton Island, but the age distribution of deer killed by coyotes in Queens County did not differ significantly from that of local road-killed deer. Femur marrow fat reserves of deer killed by coyotes appeared to be as good as or better than those of road-killed deer in the vicinity of each study area. During winter, coyotes often killed deer in situations where deer were disadvantaged either by deep snow or by poor footing on frozen lakes. This may help explain the general lack of selection of weaker animals. Our data are consistent with the idea that mortality due to coyote predation was largely additive to mortality due to other factors. However, manipulative experiments are needed to verify this conclusion. Article in Journal/Newspaper Breton Island Canadian Science Publishing Breton Island ENVELOPE(141.383,141.383,-66.800,-66.800) Canadian Journal of Zoology 81 11 1894 1898 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Canadian Science Publishing |
op_collection_id |
crcansciencepubl |
language |
English |
topic |
Animal Science and Zoology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics |
spellingShingle |
Animal Science and Zoology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics Patterson, Brent R Messier, François Age and condition of deer killed by coyotes in Nova Scotia |
topic_facet |
Animal Science and Zoology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics |
description |
Coyote (Canis latrans) predation is a major source of mortality for white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in many areas of northeastern North America. However, if coyotes primarily remove deer that would have died of other causes in the absence of predation (compensatory mortality), the impact of predation would be minimal regardless of the number of deer removed. We examined the carcasses of 102 white-tailed deer consumed by coyotes during winter in southwestern Nova Scotia (Queens County) and on Cape Breton Island from 1992 to 1997. Sixty-nine deer were victims of predation, five died of other natural causes, two were killed in coyote snares, two were killed on the road, two were shot and not recovered during the autumn hunting season, and one was shot and abandoned in early winter. The causes of death of the remaining 21 deer could not be determined. Fawns were overrepresented in the sample of coyote-killed deer on Cape Breton Island, but the age distribution of deer killed by coyotes in Queens County did not differ significantly from that of local road-killed deer. Femur marrow fat reserves of deer killed by coyotes appeared to be as good as or better than those of road-killed deer in the vicinity of each study area. During winter, coyotes often killed deer in situations where deer were disadvantaged either by deep snow or by poor footing on frozen lakes. This may help explain the general lack of selection of weaker animals. Our data are consistent with the idea that mortality due to coyote predation was largely additive to mortality due to other factors. However, manipulative experiments are needed to verify this conclusion. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Patterson, Brent R Messier, François |
author_facet |
Patterson, Brent R Messier, François |
author_sort |
Patterson, Brent R |
title |
Age and condition of deer killed by coyotes in Nova Scotia |
title_short |
Age and condition of deer killed by coyotes in Nova Scotia |
title_full |
Age and condition of deer killed by coyotes in Nova Scotia |
title_fullStr |
Age and condition of deer killed by coyotes in Nova Scotia |
title_full_unstemmed |
Age and condition of deer killed by coyotes in Nova Scotia |
title_sort |
age and condition of deer killed by coyotes in nova scotia |
publisher |
Canadian Science Publishing |
publishDate |
2003 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z03-189 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z03-189 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(141.383,141.383,-66.800,-66.800) |
geographic |
Breton Island |
geographic_facet |
Breton Island |
genre |
Breton Island |
genre_facet |
Breton Island |
op_source |
Canadian Journal of Zoology volume 81, issue 11, page 1894-1898 ISSN 0008-4301 1480-3283 |
op_rights |
http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/page/about/CorporateTextAndDataMining |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1139/z03-189 |
container_title |
Canadian Journal of Zoology |
container_volume |
81 |
container_issue |
11 |
container_start_page |
1894 |
op_container_end_page |
1898 |
_version_ |
1795666570355146752 |