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Assessment of Habitat Use by Eastern Coyote (Canis latrans) Along an Urban-Parkland Gradient

Judy, Beth A.
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=csu1273594208

Abstract Details

2010, Master of Science in Environmental Science, Cleveland State University, College of Science.
This study used coyote howl surveys combined with GIS to locate local coyote (Canis latrans) populations, determine the habitats where coyotes occur and estimate coyote group sizes in Bedford, North Chagrin and West Creek Reservations within the Cleveland Metroparks, Ohio. The CMP were established in 1917 and are the oldest park districts in the state of Ohio. There are 8,500 hectares (21,000 acres) of land in 16 reservations and in 2008 approximately 43,000,000 people visited the Cleveland Metroparks. Bedford, North Chagrin and West Creek Reservations have a mixture of park, forest, woodlots, residential neighborhoods, industrial areas, commercial property, open water, streams and wetlands. Coyotes have become the “top terrestrial predator” in northeastern North America and these animals are choosing to live in urban areas where humans are present and few natural habitats are available. Very little is known about the ecology and behavior of these elusive Canids around residential neighborhoods. I examined where coyotes actually lived along park boundaries. I performed howl surveys in Bedford, North Chagrin, and West Creek Reservations. Data were collected to determine coyote location, estimation of coyote group sizes and what types of habitats coyotes responded from. Overall, coyotes were heard 16.9% of the time when howl surveys were performed. Bedford Reservation had a minimum of 13 coyotes during winter months and 11 coyotes during the summer. It is believed that three coyote groups (Bedford, Cuyahoga Valley National Park and Walton Hills) were present around Bedford Reservation. North Chagrin Reservation had at least five coyotes during the winter and four coyotes in the summer months. West Creek Reservation had three coyotes respond to surveys in the winter and five coyotes replied during summer surveys. North Chagrin and West Creek Reservation each had one coyote group. Bedford Reservation coyote groups had similar responses during all three seasons (dispersal, breeding and pup-rearing). North Chagrin coyotes responded the most during the dispersal and pup-rearing seasons. West Creek Reservation had peak coyote responses during the breeding and pup-rearing seasons. For all three reservations, coyotes responded from natural areas more than from urban areas (Bedford 65%, North Chagrin 79%, and West Creek 83%). Statistics showed that Bedford coyotes responded more than West Creek coyotes. More coyotes responded during the dispersal season than during the pup-rearing season. Coyote response rates increased the closer howl surveys were performed to sunset and/or later at night (closer to midnight). Coyotes also responded more to howl surveys when temperatures were low and the moon was visible. Overall, howl surveys allowed for inexpensive monitoring of coyotes over large areas in urban-park environments. Coupled with GIS, these surveys identified where coyotes lived and the habitats they used, and therefore these methods provide the tools to inform the public better about how they may coexist with coyotes.
Wentworth Clapham, PhD (Advisor)
Robert A. Krebs, PhD (Advisor)
Andrew R. Lammers, PhD (Committee Member)
John Holcomb, PhD (Committee Member)
100 p.
Animals; Area Planning and Development; Behaviorial Sciences; Biology; Communication; Ecology; Environmental Science; Information Systems; Management; Remote Sensing; Urban Planning
Habitat use; eastern coyotes; urban-parkland gradient; coyote howl surveys; GIS; Cleveland Metroparks; ecology; management

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Judy, B. A. (2010). Assessment of Habitat Use by Eastern Coyote (Canis latrans) Along an Urban-Parkland Gradient [Master's thesis, Cleveland State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=csu1273594208

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Judy, Beth. Assessment of Habitat Use by Eastern Coyote (Canis latrans) Along an Urban-Parkland Gradient. 2010. Cleveland State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=csu1273594208.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Judy, Beth. "Assessment of Habitat Use by Eastern Coyote (Canis latrans) Along an Urban-Parkland Gradient." Master's thesis, Cleveland State University, 2010. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=csu1273594208

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

csu1273594208
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© 2010, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Cleveland State University and OhioLINK.