Salivary DNA Evidence Convicts Breeding Male Coyotes of Killing Sheep

Abstract

Resolving conflicts between predators and livestock producers depends on obtaining reliable information about the predators that kill livestock. We used salivary DNA obtained from attack wounds on domestic sheep carcasses to identify the species of predator responsible for the kill, as well as the sex and individual identity of coyotes (Canis latrans) that killed sheep. Coyotes killed 36 of 37 depredated sheep. Breeding pairs whose territories overlapped sheep grazing areas were the primary predators on domestic sheep, and only breeding pairs killed multiple sheep. Breeding males, acting alone or with their mate, were involved in 21 of 25 kills. Breeding females participated in 13 kills, but only 1 breeding female killed sheep on her own. Transient females did not kill sheep, and both kills by transient males occurred in territories with a breeding vacancy. Our results suggest that predator control should be targeted at breeding male coyotes. Salivary DNA is a potentially powerful means of both investigating predation patterns and evaluating the effectiveness of control at targeting individuals that kill livestock.

Wolf or dog? Genetic identification of predators from saliva collected around bite wounds on prey

“…Blejwas et al (2006) and Williams et al (2003) were able to amplify mitochondrial DNA and a few nuclear loci from wounds on sheep to show that coyotes (Canis latrans) were responsible for the attacks. However, since different predators use different killing techniques and might leave different amounts of saliva not mixed with the prey's blood, it is not known if this approach can be broadly used.…”

Experimental evaluation of genetic predator identification from saliva traces on wildlife kills

“…Recently, the usefulness of saliva traces as a source of noninvasively collected DNA has been realized. Various studies have successfully isolated DNA from saliva traces left by predators on carcasses of livestock (Ernest and Boyce 2000;Williams et al 2003;Blejwas et al 2006;Sundqvist et al 2008;Caniglia et al 2013), wild mammals (Pun et al 2009;Wengert et al 2013;Mumma et al 2014), and birds (Steffens et al 2012) or by ungulates on twigs (Nichols et al 2012). These studies have helped elucidate human-predator conflicts (e.g., predation on livestock, pets, or game species), predator-prey interactions (e.g., addressing the relative impacts of invasive predators on native fauna- Steffens et al 2012), and the foraging behavior of ungulates.…”

“…For example, saliva from the wounds of predator-killed sheep has been used to identify mountain lions (Puma concolor), bobcats (Lynx rufus- Ernest and Boyce 2000), coyotes (Canis latrans- Williams et al 2003;Blejwas et al 2006), and wolves (C. lupus -Caniglia et al 2013) as the perpetrators. In some instances, uncontrolled dogs (C. familiaris) were responsible for the attacks (Sundqvist et al 2008;Echegaray and Vilà 2010;Caniglia et al 2013).…”

Non-invasive genetic sampling to predict wolf distribution and habitat suitability in the Northern Italian Apennines: implications for livestock depredation risk

“…Therefore, we identified individual wolves through molecular typing of non-invasive DNA samples, an efficient and costeffective method that is able to provide reliable individual identifications of wildlife species, reconstruct their distributions across extensive areas, and estimate key demographic parameters (Fabbri et al 2007;Marucco et al 2009;Miotto et al 2011;Caniglia et al 2012Caniglia et al , 2013Mumma et al 2014). Moreover, molecular analyses of saliva samples collected from bites on carcasses have been widely used also in forensic perspectives to identify species and individuals responsible for livestock depredations (Blejwas et al 2006;Caniglia et al 2013;Mumma et al 2014). In this study, we used the locations of wolf genotypes identified during a 12-year non-invasive monitoring project in a large study area of the Northern Apennines (Italy).…”