Seasonal Variation of Coyote Diet in Northwestern Wyoming: Implications for Dietary Overlap with Canada Lynx?

Dowd, Jennifer L. B.; Gese, Eric M.

doi:10.3955/046.086.0405

Cited by 17 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 43 publications

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“…The association with red squirrel track crossings on actual compacted coyote backtracks could be explained if coyotes were selecting areas having a high occurrence of red squirrels because of their association with squirrel middens. When backtracking coyotes, we found several instances where coyotes were digging in squirrel middens, and diet analyses [24] showed coyotes were not targeting red squirrels themselves, but raiding middens (i.e., caches of pine nuts).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…Ungulates and red squirrels were the only prey species showing a higher than expected track crossing rate on actual compacted versus random compacted coyote backtracks, suggesting selection of snowmobile trails may be associated with those species rather than with other prey. Based on winter diet analyses [24] , coyotes may be selecting travel paths based on ungulate presence. Although coyote predation on ungulates has been reported [25] – [26] , killing of ungulates by coyotes is considered risky due to the possibility of injury and low success rates [25] – [27] .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Influence of Snowmobile Trails on Coyote Movements during Winter in High-Elevation Landscapes

2013

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Competition between sympatric carnivores has long been of interest to ecologists. Increased understanding of these interactions can be useful for conservation planning. Increased snowmobile traffic on public lands and in habitats used by Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) remains controversial due to the concern of coyote (Canis latrans) use of snowmobile trails and potential competition with lynx. Determining the variables influencing coyote use of snowmobile trails has been a priority for managers attempting to conserve lynx and their critical habitat. During 2 winters in northwest Wyoming, we backtracked coyotes for 265 km to determine how varying snow characteristics influenced coyote movements; 278 km of random backtracking was conducted simultaneously for comparison. Despite deep snow (>1 m deep), radio-collared coyotes persisted at high elevations (>2,500 m) year-round. All coyotes used snowmobile trails for some portion of their travel. Coyotes used snowmobile trails for 35% of their travel distance (random: 13%) for a mean distance of 149 m (random: 59 m). Coyote use of snowmobile trails increased as snow depth and penetrability off trails increased. Essentially, snow characteristics were most influential on how much time coyotes spent on snowmobile trails. In the early months of winter, snow depth was low, yet the snow column remained dry and the coyotes traveled off trails. As winter progressed and snow depth increased and snow penetrability increased, coyotes spent more travel distance on snowmobile trails. As spring approached, the snow depth remained high but penetrability decreased, hence coyotes traveled less on snowmobile trails because the snow column off trail was more supportive. Additionally, coyotes traveled closer to snowmobile trails than randomly expected and selected shallower snow when traveling off trails. Coyotes also preferred using snowmobile trails to access ungulate kills. Snow compaction from winter recreation influenced coyote movements within an area containing lynx and designated lynx habitat.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Influence of Snowmobile Trails on Coyote Movements during Winter in High-Elevation Landscapes

2013

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“…Cumulative monthly snow depth for the winter (December-April) averaged 226.6, 149.4, and 228.9 cm in 2006, respectively (Natural Resources Conservation Service 2008. Habitats varied between the east and west sides of the pass, with the east side classified as dry and the west side as wet (US Forest Service 1989 (Dowd and Gese 2012).…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Overall, groomed trails had the most desirable traits for any habitat encountered, suggesting that it could be the best habitat for minimizing energy expenditures and maximizing returns. While snow depth was noticeably low in WB3 habitats and could provide the primary explanation for why coyotes used this habitat more than available (i.e., ease of travel), it should also be mentioned that diet analyses showed a high presence of whitebark pine seeds in the diet of coyotes during certain months (Dowd and Gese 2012). Because of stand structure and maturity of these trees (their ability to produce cones), combined with low snow depths (making access to seed caches more available), access to whitebark pine seeds would be advantageous for coyotes.…”

Section: Coyote Habitat Use Versus Availabilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Winter space use of coyotes in high-elevation environments: behavioral adaptations to deep-snow landscapes

Dowd

Gese

Aubry

2013

J Ethol

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In the last century, coyotes (Canis latrans) have expanded their range geographically, but have also expanded their use of habitats within currently occupied regions. Because coyotes are not morphologically adapted for travel in deep snow, we studied coyote space use patterns in a deep-snow landscape to examine behavioral adaptations enabling them to use high elevations during winter. We examined the influence of snow depth, snow penetrability, canopy cover, and habitat type, as well as the rates of prey and predator track encounters, on coyote travel distance in high-elevation terrain in northwestern Wyoming, USA. We backtracked 13 radio-collared coyotes for 265.41 km during the winters of 2006-2007 and 2007-2008, and compared habitat use and movement patterns of the actual coyotes with 259.11 km of random travel paths. Coyotes used specific habitats differently than were available on the landscape. Open woodlands were used for the majority of coyote travel distance, followed by mixed conifer, and closed-stand spruce-fir. Prey track encounters peaked in closed-stand, mature Douglas fir, followed by 50-to 150-year-old lodgepole pine stands, and 0-to 40-year-old regeneration lodgepole pine stands. Snowmobile trails had the most variation between use and availability on the landscape (12.0 % use vs. 0.6 % available). Coyotes increased use of habitats with dense canopy cover as snow penetration increased and rates of rodent and red squirrel track encounters increased. Additionally, coyotes spent more time in habitats containing more tracks of ungulates. Conversely, use of habitats with less canopy cover decreased as snow depth increased, and coyotes traveled more directly in habitats with less canopy cover and lower snow penetration, suggesting coyotes used these habitats to travel. Coyotes persisted throughout the winter and effectively used resources despite deep snow conditions in a high-elevation environment.

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“…In the similar Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, Murie (1935) reported elk calf in only 3.1% of coyote scats in the Jackson Hole area of Wyoming, while Murie (1940) reported elk calf in only 3.3% of coyote scats in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. In a recent study, Dowd and Gese (2012) still found only 5.8-14.6% of coyote scats in the Jackson Hole area had elk, with the highest frequency of elk in winter (14.6%) likely as a result of coyotes scavenging wolf-killed elk. Wigglesworth et al (2001) found cervid (mostly elk) remains in 28.3% of coyote scats in early summer and 37.7% in winter from an undeveloped area in the Jackson Hole valley.…”

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confidence: 93%

Food Habits of Coyotes (Canis Latrans) in the Valles Caldera National Preserve, New Mexico

Gifford

Gese

Parmenter

2020

The Southwestern Naturalist

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Seasonal Variation of Coyote Diet in Northwestern Wyoming: Implications for Dietary Overlap with Canada Lynx?

Cited by 17 publications

References 43 publications

The Influence of Snowmobile Trails on Coyote Movements during Winter in High-Elevation Landscapes

The Influence of Snowmobile Trails on Coyote Movements during Winter in High-Elevation Landscapes

Winter space use of coyotes in high-elevation environments: behavioral adaptations to deep-snow landscapes

Food Habits of Coyotes (Canis Latrans) in the Valles Caldera National Preserve, New Mexico

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