Suburban coyotes and other carnivores, Bogan and Kays, Albany NY

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Date
2019-12-10
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Citation
Bogan DA, Kays RW. 2019. Suburban coyotes and other carnivores, Bogan and Kays, Albany NY. Movebank Data Repository. https://doi.org/10.5441/001/1.56pf8220/1
Abstract
In the northeast USA, top mammalian predators were extirpated through persecution and habitat loss. The coyote (Canis latrans) expanded into the northeast taking advantage of this vacant predator niche. Since 1970, coyotes have been widespread across all of mainland New York, yet no study has examined how well coyotes survive in suburban areas in this region and little is known of their ecological roles or potential to conflict with people. This information is important because in western states coyotes have high survival rates, a high degree of urban association and cause conflict with people. I studied survivorship and correlates of cause-specific mortality of coyotes using radio telemetry. The annual survival rate was 0.20 ± 0.14. There were no differences in survival rates between sexes, age classes, home range location, or capture methods. Collisions with vehicles (n = 7) and shooting (n = 6) accounted for the 2 major mortality factors. Coyotes that were killed by vehicles crossed roads more often than all other coyotes, though they did not have more roads within their home ranges. Coyotes that were shot had a larger mean and maximum open habitat patch size within their home ranges. High exploitation of the local coyote population may cause coyotes to avoid human-developed lands thus reducing the potential for negative interactions with people. I concurrently studied home range and habitat selection of coyotes in the suburban Albany Pine Bush landscape. Fixed kernel and minimum convex polygon (95%) home ranges (n = 17) averaged 6.81 km2 and 5.75 km2, respectively. Habitat analysis revealed that coyotes selected for natural habitat and avoided residential and commercial lands when locating a home range area and moving within the home range. Compositional analysis additionally ranked natural habitat as the most selected habitat at 2 spatial scales of selection (62.3% and 74.5%). Coyotes lived in small home ranges and primarily used the remaining natural lands in the suburban landscape. These results indicate that local coyotes maintain a natural ecological role and under existing conditions do not currently pose a threat to people and pets living adjacent to natural lands.
Keywords
animal movement,animal tracking,Canis latrans,coyote,grey fox,Procyon lotor,raccoon,radio telemetry,red fox,Urocyon cinereoargenteus,Vulpes vulpes
Taxa
Sensors
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BibTex
@misc{001/1_56pf8220/1,
  title = {Suburban coyotes and other carnivores, Bogan and Kays, Albany NY},
  author = {Bogan, DA and Kays, RW},
  year = {2019},
  URL = {http://dx.doi.org/10.5441/001/1.56pf8220/1},
  doi = {doi:10.5441/001/1.56pf8220/1},
  publisher = {Movebank data repository}
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
ID  - doi:10.5441/001/1.56pf8220/1
T1  - Suburban coyotes and other carnivores, Bogan and Kays, Albany NY
AU  - Bogan, Daniel A.
AU  - Kays, Roland W.
Y1  - 2019/12/10
KW  - animal movement
KW  - animal tracking
KW  - Canis latrans
KW  - coyote
KW  - grey fox
KW  - Procyon lotor
KW  - raccoon
KW  - radio telemetry
KW  - red fox
KW  - Urocyon cinereoargenteus
KW  - Vulpes vulpes
KW  - Canis latrans
KW  - Procyon lotor
KW  - Urocyon cinereoargenteus
KW  - Vulpes vulpes
PB  - Movebank data repository
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.5441/001/1.56pf8220/1
DO  - doi:10.5441/001/1.56pf8220/1
ER  - 
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