A comparison of coyote ecology after 25 years: 1978 versus 2003 This is Welder Wildlife Foundation contribution No. 651.

2006 ◽  
Vol 84 (4) ◽  
pp. 573-582 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.K. Young ◽  
W.F. Andelt ◽  
P.A. Terletzky ◽  
J.A. Shivik
Keyword(s):  
Home Range ◽  
Prey Species ◽  
Activity Patterns ◽  
Local Environment ◽  
South Texas ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Core Areas ◽  
Time Periods ◽  
Index Value

Most ecological studies of coyotes are of short duration and studies are generally never repeated, thus the opportunity to compare changes in coyote ( Canis latrans Say, 1823) ecology over time is rare. We compared coyote home ranges, activity patterns, age, and diet at the Welder Wildlife Refuge in south Texas between 1978–1979 and 2003–2004 (25 years later). The Minta index of overlap between 1978 and 2003 home ranges was 51.7 ± 7.0 (n = 7), much greater than the Minta index value based on randomized tests (28.7 ± 8.6), indicating similar spatial patterns between time periods. The Minta index was 12.3 ± 6.2 (n = 7) for core areas, whereas the Minta index value based on randomized tests was 4.0 ± 3.0. Although overall diets were similar between 1978 and 2003, we detected some differences in prey species consumed. Activity patterns were similar between the two study periods, with peaks in movement occurring around sunrise and sunset. There was no difference in the mean age between the two populations (P = 0.44, n = 68, t[66] = 2.00). Our findings suggest that population features, such as home-range position and age structure, are similar between extended time periods, while individual-level patterns, such as the prey species consumed and distribution of locations within a home range, are dynamic and may reflect changes in the local environment.

Movement patterns of feral predators in an arid environment – implications for control through poison baiting

2009 ◽  
Vol 36 (5) ◽  
pp. 422 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. E. Moseby ◽  
J. Stott ◽  
H. Crisp
Keyword(s):  
Home Range ◽  
Sand Dunes ◽  
Activity Patterns ◽  
Movement Patterns ◽  
Home Range Size ◽  
Range Size ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
Feral Cats ◽  
Poison Baiting ◽  
Specific Variation

Control of introduced predators is critical to both protection and successful reintroduction of threatened prey species. Efficiency of control is improved if it takes into account habitat use, home range and the activity patterns of the predator. These characteristics were studied in feral cats (Felis catus) and red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in arid South Australia, and results are used to suggest improvements in control methods. In addition, mortality and movement patterns of cats before and after a poison-baiting event were compared. Thirteen cats and four foxes were successfully fitted with GPS data-logger radio-collars and tracked 4-hourly for several months. High intra-specific variation in cat home-range size was recorded, with 95% minimum convex polygon (MCP) home ranges varying from 0.5 km2 to 132 km2. Cat home-range size was not significantly different from that of foxes, nor was there a significant difference related to sex or age. Cats preferred habitat types that support thicker vegetation cover, including creeklines and sand dunes, whereas foxes preferred sand dunes. Cats used temporary focal points (areas used intensively over short time periods and then vacated) for periods of up to 2 weeks and continually moved throughout their home range. Aerial baiting at a density of 10 baits per km2 was ineffective for cats because similar high mortality rates were recorded for cats in both baited and unbaited areas. Mortality was highest in young male cats. Long-range movements of up to 45 km in 2 days were recorded in male feral cats and movement into the baited zone occurred within 2 days of baiting. Movement patterns of radio-collared animals and inferred bait detection distances were used to suggest optimum baiting densities of ~30 baits per km2 for feral cats and 5 per km2 for foxes. Feral cats exhibited much higher intra-specific variation in activity patterns and home-range size than did foxes, rendering them a potentially difficult species to control by a single method. Control of cats and foxes in arid Australia should target habitats with thick vegetation cover and aerial baiting should ideally occur over areas of several thousand square kilometres because of large home ranges and long-range movements increasing the chance of fast reinvasion. The use of temporary focal points suggested that it may take several days or even weeks for a cat to encounter a fixed trap site within their home range, whereas foxes should encounter them more quickly as they move further each day although they have a similar home-range size. Because of high intra-specific variability in activity patterns and home-range size, control of feral cats in inland Australia may be best achieved through a combination of control techniques.

Snowmobile Effects on Movements of White-tailed Deer: A Case-study

1979 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-51 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ronald G. Eckstein ◽  
Thomas F. O'Brien ◽  
Orrin J. Rongstad ◽  
John G. Bollinger
Keyword(s):  
Home Range ◽  
Habitat Use ◽  
Odocoileus Virginianus ◽  
Activity Patterns ◽  
Home Range Size ◽  
Range Size ◽  
Home Ranges

The effects of snowmobile traffic on the winter home-ranges, movements, and activity patterns, of White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus), were studied during two winters in northern Wisconsin. There were no significant differences in home-range size and habitat use of the Deer in areas with and without snowmobiling. However, snowmobiling caused some Deer to leave the immediate vicinity of the snowmobile trail. Deer were most affected when they were within 61 m of the snowmobile trail.

Home range of the allied rock-wallaby, Petrogale assimilis

1994 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 65 ◽  
Author(s):  
A Horsup
Keyword(s):  
Home Range ◽  
Major Effect ◽  
Home Range Size ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
Temporal Separation ◽  
Dry Tropics ◽  
Shelter Site ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Mean Size ◽  
Core Areas

The home range and movements of the allied rock wallaby, Petrogale assimilis, a small macropod of the seasonally wet-dry tropics of Queensland, were studied over a 22-month period. There was no significant difference in the size of home ranges (95% isopleth) or core areas (65% isopleth) of males and females. Home ranges were generally elliptical with a mean size of 11.9 ha. Season had a major effect on home ranges. The following measures were all significantly greater in the dry seasons than in the wet seasons: home-range size (larger), home-range shape (more elongate), distance moved by females when feeding (longer), distance between shelter site and home-range centre of activity (longer). Feeding movements of males did not vary seasonally and were as long as dry-season movements of females, suggesting that movements of males are primarily determined by behavioural rather than physiological considerations. The overlap of rock-wallaby home ranges varied little between the sexes or seasons and averaged 38%. Core areas overlapped by an average of 22%; however, feeding adult rock-wallabies rarely met other conspecifics, except their partners. A comparison of the fixes of unpaired wallabies that had overlapping home ranges showed that temporal separation was occurring. In contrast, the home ranges of consort pairs showed extremely high temporal and spatial overlap. Rock-wallabies exhibited strong fidelity to their home ranges. The overlap of the seasonal home ranges and core areas of each individual rock wallaby averaged 68% and 52%, respectively. However, the seasonal home range of a socially immature adult male altered in location and size as he matured socially until it stabilised when he obtained a permanent consort.

Aversive behaviour by koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) during the course of a music festival in northern New South Wales, Australia

2016 ◽  
Vol 38 (2) ◽  
pp. 158 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen Phillips
Keyword(s):  
Home Range ◽  
New South ◽  
Monitoring Program ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Specific Stimulus ◽  
Phascolarctos Cinereus ◽  
Music Festival ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Core Areas

The effects of short-term disturbances that result in changes to movement patterns and/or behaviour of wildlife are poorly understood. In this study the movements of seven koalas were monitored before, during and after a five-day music festival. During the monitoring program koalas occupied home-range areas of 0.6–13 ha with one or more core areas of activity. Aversive behaviour in the form of evacuation of known ranging areas was demonstrated by three koalas that had core areas within 525 m of the approximate centre of the festival area, the associated responses comprising movements that were perpendicular to and away from staging areas where music was played. Responses contained within known ranging areas were observed in three other koalas whose core areas were located up to 600 m away. The type of response appeared related to the proximity of koala home ranges to music-staging areas, while the maximum distance associated with an aversive response was 725 m. Six of the radio-tracked koalas returned to their home-range areas following the conclusion of festival activities. While the specific stimulus eliciting aversive behaviour was not identified, responses in all instances were initiated during the musical phase of the festival event. The potential for short-term disturbances such as music festivals to significantly influence the ranging patterns of koalas warrants recognition of possible longer-term ecological consequences for planning and management purposes.

Effects of food and predators on the home-range sizes of Arctic ground squirrel (Spermophilus parryii)

1998 ◽  
Vol 76 (3) ◽  
pp. 592-596 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne H Hubbs ◽  
Rudy Boonstra
Keyword(s):  
Home Range ◽  
Ground Squirrel ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Yukon Territory ◽  
Ground Squirrels ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
Spermophilus Parryii ◽  
Mammalian Predators ◽  
Core Areas ◽  
Arctic Ground Squirrels

We used radiotelemetry to study the effects of food addition and predator reduction on the home-range sizes of adult Arctic ground squirrels (Spermophilus parryii) on large-scale experimental grids in the boreal forest of the southwestern Yukon Territory. Home ranges were 2-7 times smaller on food-supplemented grids than on nonsupplemented grids, regardless of whether large mammalian predators were present. Similarly, core areas (where 50% of activities occur) were 8-11 times smaller on food-supplemented grids. Food availability rather than predator presence primarily determined the sizes of home ranges and core areas of Arctic ground squirrels.

Feral Cats (Felis Catus L.) On New Zealand Farmland. Ii. Seasonal Activity.

1992 ◽  
Vol 19 (6) ◽  
pp. 707 ◽  
Author(s):  
NPE Langham
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Home Range ◽  
Social Behaviour ◽  
Activity Patterns ◽  
Felis Catus ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
Seasonal Activity ◽  
Adult Males ◽  
Feral Cats ◽  
Resident Population

The activity patterns of a resident population of 15 feral cats (Felis catus L.) on New Zealand farmland were investigated from March 1984 until February 1987 by radiotelemetry. Females could be divided into two separate groups: (1) those denning in barns and (2) those denning in the swamp and willows. Females denning in barns were mainly nocturnal except in spring and summer when rearing kittens. Barn cats moved significantly further between dusk and dawn, except in autumn-winter, than those denning in swamp and willows which were active over 24 h. When not breeding, related females occupied the same barn. In both groups, the home range of female relatives overlapped. Males ranged over all habitats, and dominant adult males moved significantly further and had larger home ranges than other males in all seasons, except in summer when they rested, avoiding hot summer days. Only adult males were active during the day in spring and autumn-winter. The importance of a Zeitgeber in synchronising cat activity with that of the prey is examined. The significance of female den site is discussed in relation to proximity of food, predators, social behaviour and male defence.

Home Range and Activity Patterns of Red Foxes in Nadgee Nature Reserve.

1991 ◽  
Vol 18 (6) ◽  
pp. 677 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Phillips ◽  
PC Catling
Keyword(s):  
Home Range ◽  
Vulpes Vulpes ◽  
Nature Reserve ◽  
Activity Patterns ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
Red Foxes ◽  
Wilderness Area ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Sclerophyll Forest ◽  
Male Activity

Three adult red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in a 20-km2 wilderness area of coastal south-eastern Australia were studied during pre-denning and denning. Home ranges were defined by geographic featues, but not by roads. The foxes occupied exclusive home ranges, and observations suggest that they were territorial and existed alone or, at most, in mated pairs. Home-range sizes were small (1.2-5.2 km2) compared with those in North America and Europe, but similar to those in England and Wales. During denning the female's activity became almost entirely diurnal. When not active, the vixen was with the cubs. Male activity during denning was nocturnal, but, as found for the female, inactive periods were spent near the suspected den-site in his home range. Habitats that were frequented most by all foxes were those with the highest abundance of either small or medium-sized mammals. Dry sclerophyll forest was used consistently by all foxes but heathland and the beaches were rarely frequented. Small and medium-sized mammals, which were abundant in all habitats except the beach and heathland, made up 52.6% of items in the scats.

Home range, movement and habitat utilisation of the Carpentarian rock-rat (Zyzomys palatalis) in an isolated habitat patch

2004 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 327 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helen Puckey ◽  
Milton Lewis ◽  
David Hooper ◽  
Carrie Michell
Keyword(s):  
Home Range ◽  
Radio Telemetry ◽  
Central Area ◽  
Limited Resource ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
Habitat Patch ◽  
Minimum Convex Polygon ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Core Areas ◽  
The Mean

Radio-telemetry was used to examine the home range, movement and habitat utilisation of the critically endangered Carpentarian rock-rat (Zyzomys palatalis) in an isolated habitat patch in the Gulf of Carpentaria hinterland over a 13-month period. Two home-range estimators were used in the study, (i) minimum convex polygon (MCP) and (ii) fixed Kernel (KL), the latter also being used to estimate core areas of activity. Based on a total sample size of 21 individuals, the mean MCP home range was 11 165 m2, similar to the mean KL home range of 10 687 m2. Core areas were, on average, 11.9% of the KL home-range estimate. There was no significant difference in the size of home range or core area of males and females. Juveniles had a significantly smaller home range than adults. Home ranges and, to a lesser degree, core areas were non-exclusive, with multiple areas of overlap (averaging 41% and 38% respectively) within and between all age and gender categories, but especially between males and between juveniles. Movement frequencies showed that animals made many short forays in a central area close to the arithmetic home-range mean and far fewer long forays of distances greater than 100 m from the central area. The spatial and temporal activity of Z. palatalis was concentrated in, but not confined to, the 'valley' and 'slope' habitats, with fewer movements of rats onto the surrounding 'plateau'. Resource selection analyses showed that Z. palatalis tended to prefer valley and slope habitats over the plateau and that the proportion of point locations was significantly higher for adults in the slope habitat and for juveniles in the valley habitat. Most home ranges were centred on the ecotone between these two habitat types. Although isolated and spatially limited, these habitat patches provide high-quality resources for dense populations of Z. palatalis. This study exemplifies a species' attempt to make efficient use of a limited resource in an otherwise hostile environment. Even small declines in habitat area or quality due to their vulnerability to fire would impact upon many animals.

scholarly journals Space use and movement of jaguar (Panthera onca) in western Paraguay

Mammalia ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 82 (6) ◽  
pp. 540-549 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roy T. McBride ◽  
Jeffrey J. Thompson
Keyword(s):  
Confidence Interval ◽  
Home Range ◽  
Hydrological Cycle ◽  
Home Range Size ◽  
Density Estimator ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
Panthera Onca ◽  
Core Areas ◽  
Brazilian Pantanal

AbstractHome range and core area size were estimated for jaguar (Panthera onca) in western Paraguay in the Dry Chaco, Humid Chaco and Pantanal using an autocorrelated kernel density estimator. Mean home range size was 818 km2(95% confidence interval: 425–1981) in the Dry Chaco and 237 km2(95% confidence interval: 90–427) in the Humid Chaco/Pantanal. Core areas, defined as the home range area where use was equal to expected use, was consistent across sexes and systems represented on average by the 59% home range isopleth (range: 56–64%). Males had a higher probability of larger home ranges and more directional and greater daily movements than females collectively and within systems. The large home ranges in the Dry Chaco are attributable to the relatively low productivity of that semi-arid ecosystem and high heterogeneity in resource distribution while larger than expected home ranges in the Humid Chaco/Pantanal compared to home range estimates from the Brazilian Pantanal may be due to differences in geomorphology and hydrological cycle. The large home ranges of jaguars in western Paraguay and a low proportional area of protected areas in the region demonstrate the importance of private ranchland for the long-term conservation of the species.

Space use and territoriality in swift foxes (Vulpes velox) in northeastern Colorado

2012 ◽  
Vol 90 (3) ◽  
pp. 337-344 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amariah A. Lebsock ◽  
Christopher L. Burdett ◽  
Safi K. Darden ◽  
Torben Dabelsteen ◽  
Michael F. Antolin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Home Range ◽  
Spatial Ecology ◽  
Space Use ◽  
Home Range Size ◽  
Range Size ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
Spatial Overlap ◽  
Vulpes Velox ◽  
Shortgrass Prairie ◽  
Core Areas

Space use is a fundamental characteristic that informs our knowledge of social relationships and the degree to which individuals are territorial. Until recently, relatively little was known about the spatial ecology and social organization of swift foxes ( Vulpes velox (Say, 1823)). We investigated space use of swift foxes on shortgrass prairie in northeastern Colorado. Our first objective was to evaluate sizes of seasonal and annual home ranges and core areas of 13 radio-collared swift foxes monitored continuously for 2 years. Our second objective was to compare home-range and core-area overlap of breeding pairs to that of neighboring foxes, including male–male, female–female, and nonbreeding female–male dyads. Home-range size in our study population was among the smallest previously reported for swift foxes. Males tended to have slightly larger home ranges and core areas than females, and home-range size was significantly larger in the breeding season than in both the pup-rearing and the dispersal seasons; sizes of core areas did not differ seasonally. Spatial overlap between breeding pairs was substantial, whereas spatial overlap between neighbors, particularly males, was low, suggesting territoriality.

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