Densities and diets of coyotes near Saguaro National Monument
Publisher
The University of Arizona.Rights
Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author.Abstract
This study was conducted to determine if suburban development adjacent to Saguaro National Monument (SNM) affected coyote (Canis latrans) populations. I estimated density, described grouping behaviors, and analyzed the diets of coyotes living near the interface of SNM and Tucson, Arizona from November 1991 to December 1992. I used a mark-resighting method to estimate the density of coyotes in a 13 km² area. Seven territorial groups (n = 48 coyotes) lived in the 13 km² area. Group size varied among behavioral seasons. I compared diets of coyotes between 2 areas: suburban and rural. Coyote scats from the suburban area contained less (P < 0.05) plant material annually, and less mammal material during coyote breeding and gestation periods than the scats from the rural area. Dog food, bread, and other human related items comprised 35% of the coyotes' annual diets in the suburban area. Supplemental sources of food in the suburban area helped support high densities of coyotes.Type
textThesis-Reproduction (electronic)