WRDS Research Team:
- Brent Patterson, Research Scientist
- Tyler Wheeldon, Trent University, PhD candidate
- Ashley McLaren, Research Biologist
- Andy Silver, Research Technician
- Scott Taylor, Research Technician
Project Objectives/Overview:
Coyotes range across the majority of North America and are considered the archetypal generalist, able to adapt and thrive in a variety of environments. Across this range coyotes exhibit much variation in diet, habitat use, activity patterns, and demography making them an interesting animal to study, but often a difficult one to manage. In most areas, hunting and trapping of coyotes is generally ineffective at controlling their numbers or reducing conflict with people or livestock. Given the perceived increase in coyote numbers and conflicts with humans, we are undertaking this study to learn more about life history of harvested coyotes in southern Ontario to better inform management of these animals. Specifically our objectives are:
- to understand how coyotes are able to withstand such high levels of harvest without any detectible decline in numbers,
- quantify the spatial and temporal aspects of coyote depredation on livestock,
- based on the above, assess efficiency of common control options employed against coyotes in response to depredation concerns,
We are conducting this study in Prince Edward County (PEC), in southeastern Ontario. The area is mostly agricultural and supports a large livestock industry.
Funding Partners:
- NSERC (Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council)
- MNR Applied Research and Development Branch
- Trent University
Interesting fact! As of August 2012, we have radio-collared 120 coyotes since the project began in May 2010. Annual survival is low with fewer than half the collared coyotes surviving more than one year after marking. Food habits of this coyote population are also interesting with mice, voles, cottontails, and fruit (apples and berries) making up the majority of the diet. Unlike coyote populations in some forested areas, coyotes in PEC seem to make very little use of deer as a food item.
