Coyote Habitat Selection and Management Implications for the Gaspésie Caribou
ABSTRACT Anthropogenic disturbances can promote establishment and growth of predator populations in areas where secondary prey can then become threatened. In this study, we investigated habitat selection of eastern coyotes ( Canis latrans ), a relatively new predator in the vicinity of an endangered...
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.2193/2008-149 https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.2193%2F2008-149 |
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crwiley:10.2193/2008-149 2024-10-13T14:01:06+00:00 Coyote Habitat Selection and Management Implications for the Gaspésie Caribou BOISJOLY, DOMINIC OUELLET, JEAN‐PIERRE COURTOIS, RÉHAUME 2010 http://dx.doi.org/10.2193/2008-149 https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.2193%2F2008-149 en eng Wiley http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor The Journal of Wildlife Management volume 74, issue 1, page 3-11 ISSN 0022-541X 1937-2817 journal-article 2010 crwiley https://doi.org/10.2193/2008-149 2024-09-23T04:34:53Z ABSTRACT Anthropogenic disturbances can promote establishment and growth of predator populations in areas where secondary prey can then become threatened. In this study, we investigated habitat selection of eastern coyotes ( Canis latrans ), a relatively new predator in the vicinity of an endangered population of caribou ( Rangifer tarandus caribou ). We hypothesized that coyotes in the boreal forest depend mainly on disturbed habitat, particularly that of anthropogenic origin, because these habitats provide increased food accessibility. Coyotes would likely take advantage of moose ( Alces alces ) carcasses, berries, and snowshoe hares ( Lepus americanus ) found in open habitats created by logging. To test these predictions, we described coyote diet and habitat selection at different spatial and temporal levels and then compared resource availability between habitats. To do so, we installed Global Positioning System radiocollars on 23 individual coyotes in the Gaspésie Peninsula, eastern Québec, Canada. Coyotes selected clear‐cuts of 5–20 years and avoided mature coniferous forests both at the landscape and home‐range levels. Clear‐cuts of 5–20 years were found to contain a high availability of moose carcasses and berries, and vulnerability of snowshoe hares is known to increase in clear‐cuts. The importance of these 3 food resources was confirmed by the characteristics of core areas used by coyotes and diet analysis. Moose remains were found at 45% of core areas and coyote diet comprised 51% moose on an annual basis. Anthropogenic disturbances in the boreal forest thus seem to benefit coyotes. Our results indicated that the relationship between coyotes and caribou likely involves spillover predation. This knowledge allows managers to consider spillover predation by coyotes as a possible threat for endangered caribou population when the predator depends mainly on habitat of anthropogenic origin and to suggest methods to alleviate it when developing management plans. Article in Journal/Newspaper Alces alces Rangifer tarandus Wiley Online Library Canada The Journal of Wildlife Management 74 1 3 11 |
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Open Polar |
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Wiley Online Library |
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crwiley |
language |
English |
description |
ABSTRACT Anthropogenic disturbances can promote establishment and growth of predator populations in areas where secondary prey can then become threatened. In this study, we investigated habitat selection of eastern coyotes ( Canis latrans ), a relatively new predator in the vicinity of an endangered population of caribou ( Rangifer tarandus caribou ). We hypothesized that coyotes in the boreal forest depend mainly on disturbed habitat, particularly that of anthropogenic origin, because these habitats provide increased food accessibility. Coyotes would likely take advantage of moose ( Alces alces ) carcasses, berries, and snowshoe hares ( Lepus americanus ) found in open habitats created by logging. To test these predictions, we described coyote diet and habitat selection at different spatial and temporal levels and then compared resource availability between habitats. To do so, we installed Global Positioning System radiocollars on 23 individual coyotes in the Gaspésie Peninsula, eastern Québec, Canada. Coyotes selected clear‐cuts of 5–20 years and avoided mature coniferous forests both at the landscape and home‐range levels. Clear‐cuts of 5–20 years were found to contain a high availability of moose carcasses and berries, and vulnerability of snowshoe hares is known to increase in clear‐cuts. The importance of these 3 food resources was confirmed by the characteristics of core areas used by coyotes and diet analysis. Moose remains were found at 45% of core areas and coyote diet comprised 51% moose on an annual basis. Anthropogenic disturbances in the boreal forest thus seem to benefit coyotes. Our results indicated that the relationship between coyotes and caribou likely involves spillover predation. This knowledge allows managers to consider spillover predation by coyotes as a possible threat for endangered caribou population when the predator depends mainly on habitat of anthropogenic origin and to suggest methods to alleviate it when developing management plans. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
BOISJOLY, DOMINIC OUELLET, JEAN‐PIERRE COURTOIS, RÉHAUME |
spellingShingle |
BOISJOLY, DOMINIC OUELLET, JEAN‐PIERRE COURTOIS, RÉHAUME Coyote Habitat Selection and Management Implications for the Gaspésie Caribou |
author_facet |
BOISJOLY, DOMINIC OUELLET, JEAN‐PIERRE COURTOIS, RÉHAUME |
author_sort |
BOISJOLY, DOMINIC |
title |
Coyote Habitat Selection and Management Implications for the Gaspésie Caribou |
title_short |
Coyote Habitat Selection and Management Implications for the Gaspésie Caribou |
title_full |
Coyote Habitat Selection and Management Implications for the Gaspésie Caribou |
title_fullStr |
Coyote Habitat Selection and Management Implications for the Gaspésie Caribou |
title_full_unstemmed |
Coyote Habitat Selection and Management Implications for the Gaspésie Caribou |
title_sort |
coyote habitat selection and management implications for the gaspésie caribou |
publisher |
Wiley |
publishDate |
2010 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.2193/2008-149 https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.2193%2F2008-149 |
geographic |
Canada |
geographic_facet |
Canada |
genre |
Alces alces Rangifer tarandus |
genre_facet |
Alces alces Rangifer tarandus |
op_source |
The Journal of Wildlife Management volume 74, issue 1, page 3-11 ISSN 0022-541X 1937-2817 |
op_rights |
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.2193/2008-149 |
container_title |
The Journal of Wildlife Management |
container_volume |
74 |
container_issue |
1 |
container_start_page |
3 |
op_container_end_page |
11 |
_version_ |
1812808291736092672 |