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Robertson,KE_Dissertation.pdf (1.75 MB)

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Boldness Behavior and Chronic Stress in Free-Ranging, Urban Coyotes (Canis latrans)

Robertson, Katie E
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1543529587211372

Abstract Details

2018, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, Environment and Natural Resources.
Wildlife have responded to urbanization in a variety of ways. While some species have been displaced from developed areas, others have learned to tolerate and even thrive in anthropogenic landscapes. Even within a single species, there are inter-individual variations in behavior. Such variations are sometimes attributed to the presence of behavioral syndromes (i.e., suites of correlated behaviors in response to a common stimuli). Behavioral syndromes imply that while a population may contain variations in behavior, each individual has a limited amount of behavioral plasticity. If individuals consistently respond to stressors in a particular manner and some responses are more beneficial than others, the environment may influence which behavioral tendencies dominate in a given location. One commonly-studied set of behavioral syndromes are those associated with the bold-shy spectrum. Bolder individuals are typically defined as being more risk-prone, more exploratory, less neophobic, and less sensitive to stressors. In urban environments, high levels of disturbance, increased human activity, and large quantities of novel items may favor bolder, less anxious individuals over shy individuals. If that is the case, one would expect to find a greater proportion of bold individuals in areas with increased development. Using the Greater Chicago Metropolitan Area as a case study location, we conducted flight initiation distance (FID) tests (n= 78) and novel object tests (n=50) on free-ranging coyotes from 2015-2017. Additionally, hair cortisol concentrations (n= 198) were measured from coyote hair samples that were collected from 2014-2018. We found that coyotes in more developed locations tended to have lower FIDs, behave less cautiously around novel objects, and show slightly higher hair cortisol concentrations than coyotes in more natural settings. Flight initiation distances were consistent across trials for individuals who were tested more than once (n= 18) and coyote responses to two different novel objects (i.e., a garden gnome and a ring stacker toy) were similar, thus providing further evidence that individuals may be predisposed to behave in a particular way each time they are presented with a similar stimulus. The relationship between hair cortisol concentration and behavioral measures was not clear. In addition to urbanization level, coyote social status, health condition, and age were significant predictors of hair cortisol concentration. The findings from this study may have ecological and management implications, as they do imply that human activity and development may be indirectly altering coyote boldness behavior and cortisol production. If coyotes are becoming bolder, their increased tolerance of human activities could lead to increased human-wildlife encounters and more difficulties managing nuisance individuals. Further studies are needed to determine what mechanisms led to the observed differences in coyote boldness across the urbanization gradient (i.e., Are bold individuals the ones that are colonizing urban areas first, do they have higher fitness levels in urban areas and thus are selected for by the environment, or are individual coyotes simply habituating to human disturbance over time?). Additional studies are also needed to determine if the patterns we observed in Chicago’s coyotes are similar to those found in other species and/or in other major metropolitan areas.
Stanley Gehrt, Dr. (Advisor)
Stephen Matthews, Dr. (Committee Member)
Jeremy Bruskotter, Dr. (Committee Member)
Hamilton Ian, Dr. (Committee Member)
161 p.
Animals; Ecology; Wildlife Management
coyote; urbanization; boldness; stress; behavior; flight initiation distance; novel object test; hair cortisol; Chicago; urban wildlife; bold-shy; neophobia; neophilia; health; sarcoptic mange; roads; social status; age; suburban; Illinois

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Robertson, K. E. (2018). Boldness Behavior and Chronic Stress in Free-Ranging, Urban Coyotes (Canis latrans) [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1543529587211372

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Robertson, Katie. Boldness Behavior and Chronic Stress in Free-Ranging, Urban Coyotes (Canis latrans). 2018. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1543529587211372.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Robertson, Katie. "Boldness Behavior and Chronic Stress in Free-Ranging, Urban Coyotes (Canis latrans)." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2018. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1543529587211372

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1543529587211372
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This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.