scholarly journals Carnivora atnd their larger mammalian prey species invenory and abundance in the Janos-Nuevo Casas Grandes praire dog complex, Chihuahua.

2014 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 95 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rurik H. List Sánchez ◽  
David W. Macdonald

Abstract. This study examined the carnivore species composition and abundance in the Janos-Nuevo Casas Grandes prairie dog complex of north-western Chihuahua, Mexico. Thirteen species of carnivores were recorded in habitats including prairie dog towns, grassland, mesquite scrub and riparian vegetation. From artificial scent-stations and spotlight transects the most abundant carnivore species appeared to be the kit fox Vulpes macrotis and the coyote Canis latrans. Striped/hooded skunks (Mephitis spp) and American badgers (Taxidea taxus) were also common. No significant differences were found between the abundance of kit foxes or coyotes on prairie dog towns or grassland; but skunks were more abundant on grasslands. The abundance of hares (Lepus californicus), rabbit (Sylvilagus audubonii), and kangaroo rat (Dipodomys spp) was also estimated; hares and kangaroo rats were more abundant in the grassland, whilst rabbits were more abundant in prairie dog towns.Resumen. Se estudió la composición de espeices de carnívoros en el complejo de perros llaneros Janos-Nuevo Casas Grandes, en el noroeste de Chihuahua, México. Se registraron 13 especies de carnívoros en los siguientes hábitats; colonias de perros lIaneros, pastizal, matorral de mezquite y vegetación riparia. Por medio de estaciones olfativas y transectos de lampareo se determinó que la zorra norteña Vulpes macrotis y el coyote Canis latrans fueron los más abundantes. Los zorrillos (Mephitis spp) y tejones (Taxidea taxus) también fueron comunes. No se encontraron diferencias significativas en la abundancia de zorras norteñas o coyotes entre colonias de perros llaneros o pastizal. Los zorrillos fueron más abundantes en el pastizal. También se estimó la abundancia de liebres (Lepus californicus), conejos (Sylvilagus audubonii), y ratas canguro (Dipodomys spp); las liebres y ratas canguro son más abundantes en el pastizal, mientras los conejos son mas abundantes en las colonias de perros lIaneros.Key words: Carnivore abundance, Chihuahua, Mexico, prairie dog, scent-station, spotlighting.

2018 ◽  
Vol 96 (5) ◽  
pp. 497-504 ◽  
Author(s):  
P.A. Byerly ◽  
R.C. Lonsinger ◽  
E.M. Gese ◽  
A.J. Kozlowski ◽  
L.P. Waits

Range expansions by generalists can alter communities and introduce competitive pressures on native species. In the Great Basin Desert, USA, coyotes (Canis latrans Say, 1823) have colonized and are now sympatric with native kit foxes (Vulpes macrotis Merriam, 1888). Since both species have similar diets, dietary partitioning may facilitate coexistence. We analyzed coyote and kit fox diets, then compared our results to an earlier study. Because populations are dynamic, we expected that decreases in prey or increases in predator abundance could alter dietary patterns. We found no significant changes in population-level prey diversity for kit foxes or coyotes, but found high levels of dietary overlap between species. We did detect a significant decrease in the relative importance of leporids (family Leporidae) in the diets of both canids, but they remained important for coyotes. The relative importance of small mammals was greater for kit foxes than coyotes, but their importance had not changed significantly over time. We detected significant declines in prey diversity per sample (scat-level dietary diversity) for both canids, suggesting that during a foraging event, individuals may encounter less diverse prey now than historically. These findings suggested that kit foxes and coyotes were not limited by prey, despite high dietary overlap.


2018 ◽  
Vol 96 (10) ◽  
pp. 1080-1089 ◽  
Author(s):  
R.C. Lonsinger ◽  
P.M. Lukacs ◽  
E.M. Gese ◽  
R.N. Knight ◽  
L.P. Waits

Kit fox (Vulpes macrotis Merriam, 1888) populations in the Great Basin Desert have declined and are of increasing concern for managers. Increasing coyote (Canis latrans Say, 1823) abundance and subsequent intraguild interactions may be one cause for this decline. Concurrent monitoring of carnivores is challenging and therefore rarely conducted. One possible solution for monitoring elusive carnivores is using noninvasive genetic sampling. We used noninvasive genetic sampling to collect fecal DNA from kit foxes and coyotes and estimate their densities from 2013–2014 in Utah, USA. We identified individuals based on microsatellite genotypes and estimated density with multisession spatially explicit capture–recapture models. Mean kit fox density was 0.02 foxes·km−2, while coyote densities were up to four times greater (0.07–0.08 coyotes·km−2). Kit fox densities were significantly lower than densities in the 1950s but were comparable with estimates from the late 1990s, suggesting that populations may be stabilizing after a precipitous decline. Our kit fox density estimates were among the lowest documented for the species. Our coyote density estimate was the first reported in our region and revealed that despite seemingly high abundance, densities are low compared with other regions. Our results suggested that kit foxes may be able to coexist with coyotes.


2012 ◽  
Vol 90 (6) ◽  
pp. 683-693 ◽  
Author(s):  
Itzel Arias-Del Razo ◽  
Lucina Hernández ◽  
John W. Laundré ◽  
Lourdes Velasco-Vázquez

We evaluated the degree of mutual exclusivity of distributions of coyotes ( Canis latrans Say, 1823) and their main prey (two lagomorph species: the black-tailed jackrabbit, Lepus californicus Gray, 1837, and the desert cottontail rabbit, Sylvilagus audubonii (Baird, 1858)) within the landscape by testing two models. The first assumes that prey seek high resource patches and, subsequently, predators seek prey within these patches, and predicts a high degree of overlap in patch use by both. The second model assumes that predator and prey balance not only food resources but reciprocal levels of predation risk and predation success in making decisions on whether or not to use a patch. This model predicts discordance in patch use between predator and prey. We used a combination of GPS-telemetry and camera-trapping data to assess habitat use patterns of predator and prey. Results from this study support the second model regarding spatial use of the landscape by a predator and its prey. Where the use of the landscape by predators and prey seem to be mediated by environmental constraints, both will adjust their predatory or antipredatory strategies based on these constraints. This results in a partial spatial separation of predator and prey across the landscape, providing patches of relative safety for prey but sufficient areas of overlap for predators to be successful.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaime L. Rudd ◽  
Deana L. Clifford ◽  
Brian L. Cypher ◽  
Joshua M. Hull ◽  
A. Jane Riner ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: In 2013, sarcoptic mange, caused by Sarcoptes scabiei mites, precipitated a catastrophic decline of the formerly stable urban population of endangered San Joaquin kit foxes ( Vulpes macrotis mutica ) in Bakersfield, California, USA. In 2019, a smaller sarcoptic mange outbreak affected kit foxes 58 km southwest of Bakersfield in the town of Taft, California. To determine whether the Taft outbreak could have occurred as spillover from the Bakersfield outbreak and whether epidemic control efforts must involve not only kit foxes but also sympatric dogs ( Canis lupus familiaris ), coyotes ( Canis latrans ), and red foxes ( Vulpes vulpes ), we evaluated genotypes and gene flow among mites collected from each host species.Methods: We used 10 Sarcoptes microsatellite markers (SARM) to perform molecular typing of 445 S. scabiei mites collected from skin scrapings from twenty-two infested kit foxes, two dogs, five coyotes, and five red foxes from Bakersfield, Taft, and other nearby cities.Results: We identified 60 alleles across all SARM loci; kit fox- and red fox-derived mites were relatively monomorphic, while genetic variability was greatest in Bakersfield coyote- and dog-derived mites. AMOVA analysis documented distinct mite populations unique to hosts, with an overall F ST of 0.467. The lowest F ST (i.e. closest genetic relationship, F ST = 0.038) was between Bakersfield and Taft kit fox-derived mites while the largest genetic difference was between Ventura coyote- and Taft kit fox-derived mites (F ST = 0.843).Conclusion: These results confirm the close relationship between the Taft and Bakersfield outbreaks. The Sarcoptes host specificity suggests that, although an inter-species spillover event likely initiated the kit fox mange outbreak, mite transmission is now primarily intraspecific. Therefore, any large-scale population level intervention should focus on treating kit foxes within the city.


2021 ◽  
Vol 135 (2) ◽  
pp. 120-123
Author(s):  
Thomas S. Jung

Interactions between Coyote (Canis latrans) and Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) are complex and likely not yet fully documented or understood. I observed a Coyote prey on a Black-tailed Prairie Dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) at the edge of a large colony in Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan. The prairie dogs were vigilant toward three Golden Eagles circling above, and the Coyote apparently used this to its advantage. As such, the eagles appeared to facilitate the ability of the Coyote to rush in virtually undetected and prey on a prairie dog that was distracted by the avian predators. This observation is of scientific interest because it is another example of the varied interactions between Coyotes and Golden Eagles, which is competitive and includes kleptoparasitism.


1997 ◽  
Vol 75 (12) ◽  
pp. 1982-1988 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. J. White ◽  
Robert A. Garrott

Recent declines in several populations of kit foxes (Vulpes macrotis) have been attributed to decreased prey abundance and increased coyote-related mortalities. However, it is not known if short-term fluctuations in prey abundance or interference competition by coyotes can regulate the population dynamics of kit foxes. We coalesced data from all pertinent studies of kit and swift foxes and examined their numerical responses to changes in prey abundance. We also explored the influence of coyote-related mortalities on fox population dynamics. Fox density was positively correlated with leporid abundance, and fox reproduction rates were density-dependent at low prey densities. The proportion of the fox population killed by coyotes increased linearly over low to moderate fox densities, and survival rates of adult foxes decreased as the proportion of mortalities caused by coyotes increased. Hence, prey abundance and interference competition by coyotes may regulate fox populations. We suspect that prey abundance, and behavioral spacing mechanisms, are the major factors regulating fox densities. Coyote-related mortalities may be a less predominant factor, but could still act in concert with prey abundance to reduce the amplitude of fox population dynamics and keep foxes at lower densities than they might otherwise attain.


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