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Coyote Spatial and Temporal Use of Recreational Parklands as a Function of Human Activity within the Cuyahoga Valley, Ohio

Wallace, Bethany F
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1374515496

Abstract Details

2013, Master of Science, University of Akron, Biology.
In recent decades, the urban landscape has been infiltrated by a species once considered to be intolerant of human activity. The coyote has become one of the largest and most successful carnivore species to inhabit human dominated landscapes throughout North America. Parks and green spaces are important and heavily used habitats for humans and wildlife within urban landscapes but remain a relatively understudied component of urban coyote habitat. Concerns for human and pet safety have resulted in the need to understand the spatial and temporal relationship between humans and coyotes in recreational parklands. We examined the potential conflict that exists between coyotes and humans in recreational parklands by investigating the temporal relationship of humans and coyotes along designated recreational trails. In addition, we also examined the spatial relationship of coyotes in proximity to trails. Specifically, we predict that coyotes will shift their activity to more nocturnal periods, and avoid areas of intense human use, particularly designated recreational trails, as a function of human activity occurring within the study area. In order to test this relationship, human and coyote activity was quantified within the Cuyahoga Valley region of northeast Ohio from 2009 through 2012. The study area is 14,052 hectares of public land maintained by the Cuyahoga Valley National Park and adjoining Cleveland Metroparks, and Metro Parks, Serving Summit County. It is located within the Cuyahoga River Watershed in Northeast Ohio between the cities of Cleveland in the north and Akron to the south. The study area receives over 2.8 million visitors a year, and has over 120 kilometers of designated recreational trails. Human use was monitored throughout the study area with infrared trail monitors installed at designated trail heads in 2012, and supported with data collected from traffic monitors installed in parking lots from 2008-2012. As expected, human activity within the Cuyahoga Valley park region was greatest during diurnal periods with the least amount of human activity occurring during nocturnal periods. This pattern was consistent across seasons as defined by coyote life history cycles. Annual human use was highest during the pup rearing season (April-August), and lowest during the breeding season (January-March). To quantify coyote activity, we collected data on 36 radio collared individuals in the Cuyahoga Valley park region. Coyotes were captured during three separate trapping seasons between the months of October and January in 2009, 2010 and 2011 by a professional wildlife trapper. We used padded foothold traps and live catch cable restraints. For trapping purposes, the study area was divided into a north, central, and south section, and we attempted to distribute radio collars evenly by sex in each of these areas. Once an animal was captured, it was removed from the field to avoid interactions with the public and domesticated animals and processed by a veterinarian. Care and use of research animals was approved by the University of Akron’s Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC #11-2B). Radiolocations of VHF-collared animals were determined by triangulation at 15-30 minute intervals during approximately 12 hour tracking shifts overnight and throughout the day. GPS collars were deployed for 45-72 weeks from the date that it was placed on an animal, at which time the preset drop-off mechanism fired and the collar was retrieved and refurbished. GPS locations were recorded every 90 minutes at night and every 3-5 hours during the day. Once per week the schedule was reversed to increase the number of diurnal locations. Distance to nearest designated trail was calculated for each coyote location within an individuals home range and coyote activity was measured as the rate of travel between sequential locations. Our results were consistent with those of other researchers in urban areas who found that coyote activity varied by diel period with most coyote activity occurring during nocturnal periods. This suggests that coyotes may be avoiding the risks associated with encountering humans within the study area through behavioral modifications. Coyote trail proximity was highly variable individually and did not show a general pattern within the population as a whole. Resident coyotes shifted their locations further away from trails during the day, which coincides with increased human activity, and shifted closer to trails during nocturnal periods when human activity was the lowest. Despite this overall pattern, it was not consistent among individual resident coyotes and could potentially be explained by differing patterns of visitation by humans to the particular trails in which these animals encounter or simply individual variation within the population of coyotes that we studied. In stark contrast to resident coyotes, transients did not exhibit general shifts in their location relative to trails across a 24 hour period. In general, transient coyotes were located closer to trails through-out the day than resident coyotes. The nomadic nature of transient coyotes may explain their relative proximity to trails as travel routes where they can move quickly and avoid encounters with territorial resident coyotes. The potential for conflict between humans and coyotes will exist wherever coyotes persist. We found significant variation among individual coyotes and the overall generalizations about their activity and spatial patterns may oversimplify complex behavioral patterns that can vary between individuals and family groups. Management of coyotes should recognize that not all coyotes have the same potential for conflict with humans and pets. Normal established trail systems rarely access all of the locations that visitors want to go, and the result is the establishment of visitor-created or informal trails. The ability of a coyote to avoid an encounter with humans on recreational trails is dependent upon predictable human activity in time and space. Off -trail human activity, or the use of undesignated trails can lead to unavoidable encounters between humans and coyotes and significantly increase the potential for negative interactions. For coyotes in the Cuyahoga Valley park region, the pup rearing season coincided with the greatest amount of human use and is the season most often associated with increased aggression, especially towards other canids as coyotes defend territory, mates, and pups. Clearly marked and designated trail systems, in combination with strict prevention of off-trail use by park visitors, will help avert unwanted encounters between coyotes and humans, and should be a priority of park managers and law enforcement officials. In addition, rigid enforcement of pet-leash laws, particularly during seasons when coyotes are known to be most aggressive will reduce the likelihood of a conflict.
Stephen Weeks, Dr. (Advisor)
Gregory Smith, Dr. (Committee Member)
Randall Mitchell, Dr. (Committee Member)
Stanley Gehrt, Dr. (Committee Member)
91 p.
Animal Diseases; Animal Sciences; Animals; Area Planning and Development; Behavioral Sciences; Behaviorial Sciences; Biology; Conservation; Ecology; Forestry; Geographic Information Science; Natural Resource Management; Wildlife Conservation; Wildlife Management
coyote; canis latrans; cuyahoga valley national park; Metro Parks, Serving Summit County; Cleveland Metroparks; coyote activity; coyote and recreation; coyote and trails; urban carnivore; coyote home range; Ohio coyote; coyote serology; coyote mortality

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Wallace, B. F. (2013). Coyote Spatial and Temporal Use of Recreational Parklands as a Function of Human Activity within the Cuyahoga Valley, Ohio [Master's thesis, University of Akron]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1374515496

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Wallace, Bethany. Coyote Spatial and Temporal Use of Recreational Parklands as a Function of Human Activity within the Cuyahoga Valley, Ohio. 2013. University of Akron, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1374515496.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Wallace, Bethany. "Coyote Spatial and Temporal Use of Recreational Parklands as a Function of Human Activity within the Cuyahoga Valley, Ohio." Master's thesis, University of Akron, 2013. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1374515496

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

akron1374515496
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This open access ETD is published by University of Akron and OhioLINK.