Trophic Relationships Among Caribou Calf Predators in Newfoundland

Using specially trained scat detection dogs we located fecal samples from black bear ( Ursus americanus ) and coyote ( Canis latrans ) throughout three study areas in Newfoundland, Canada, to describe these predators diet. Our sampling efforts were designed around seasons which were important to woo...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Zieminski, Chris
Format: Thesis
Language:unknown
Published: University of Massachusetts Amherst 2016
Subjects:
Online Access:https://dx.doi.org/10.7275/8438829
https://scholarworks.umass.edu/masters_theses_2/388
Description
Summary:Using specially trained scat detection dogs we located fecal samples from black bear ( Ursus americanus ) and coyote ( Canis latrans ) throughout three study areas in Newfoundland, Canada, to describe these predators diet. Our sampling efforts were designed around seasons which were important to woodland caribou ( Rangifer tarandus caribou ) calving and resource use. We identified hairs microscopically to prey species and grouped other remains to facilitate our analysis. Bear exhibited an omnivorous diet throughout the study areas, ecological seasons and inside and outside the caribou calving grounds while coyote were limited to caribou, moose and snowshoe hare.