PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Coyote more likely to make a meal out of moose than we thought: Study

2013-10-24
(Press-News.org) Contact information: Jenny Ryan
jenny.ryan@nrcresearchpress.com
Canadian Science Publishing (NRC Research Press)
Coyote more likely to make a meal out of moose than we thought: Study This news release is available in French.

It has long been believed that coyotes were incapable of taking down an adult moose, but researchers have recently discovered that eastern coyotes and coyote × wolf hybrids (canids) have preyed on adult moose in central Ontario. Their findings were published today in the Canadian Journal of Zoology.

Researchers Dr. John Benson, a PhD student in the Environmental and Life Sciences Graduate Program at Trent University when he conducted the research, and Dr. Brent Patterson, a research scientist with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources in Peterborough, documented instances where packs of eastern coyotes and coyote × wolf hybrids (canids) were found to have killed moose. Their study involved live capture of eastern coyotes and eastern coyote × eastern wolf hybrids to deploy Global Positioning System (GPS) radio-collars and take blood samples for DNA analysis. The GPS collars delivered highly accurate locations of the study animals (via satellites or cell towers) so the researchers were able to visit these locations during winter to investigate their activities and document predation patterns. The DNA analysis allowed them to determine whether the animals were coyotes, wolves, or coyote × wolf hybrids.

In the study, four canid packs ranging in size from two to five animals were found to have killed moose. The researchers obtained two accurate ages from moose that were killed by coyotes and/or hybrids: One was very old (20 years) and one was young (20 months). It is believed that younger and older adult moose are probably more vulnerable due to inexperience and deteriorating body condition, respectively.

"Coyotes and coyote × wolf hybrids probably prey on moose opportunistically and only when circumstances are favorable. For instance, when snow is deep and a hard crust forms on top this impedes the ability of moose to travel and gives the lighter coyotes and hybrids an advantage because they can travel on top of the snow," explained Dr. Benson. "Additionally, we noticed that some of the moose killed by coyotes and hybrids were on steep slopes that may have slowed the moose and created unstable footing. We also found that some of the moose were killed in areas where medium-sized trees were moderately dense, which may have prevented moose from swinging around quickly to fend off predators attacking from the rear or side."

"Killing of adult moose by eastern coyotes and coyote × wolf hybrids appears to be relatively rare and probably does not pose a threat to moose populations in central Ontario. However, from the perspective of a pack of coyotes or hybrids, killing even a single moose during a winter is very beneficial and goes a long way towards helping them meet their energetic demands. For instance, a pack of two eastern coyotes spent some or all of 18 days feeding on a moose that they killed."

The authors do not believe the viability of moose populations in central Ontario is negatively affected by this predation, as recent studies have shown that populations in WMU49 and nearby Algonquin Provincial Park are increasing and that both adult and calf moose survival is relatively high.

###

This research was a collaborative project between the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Trent University and was conducted in Wildlife Management Unit 49 (WMU49) in central Ontario -- the area between Huntsville, ON and Parry Sound, ON.

The article "Moose predation by eastern coyotes and coyote × wolf hybrids" by John F. Benson and Brent R. Patterson is published today in the Canadian Journal of Zoology.

Direct link to article: http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/abs/10.1139/cjz-2013-0160


ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Better sex in return for good gifts

2013-10-24
Better sex in return for good gifts A male spider that gives its selected female a nuptial gift is allowed to mate with her for a longer period of time and provide more sperm than a male that fails to come with a gift Culinary gifts The male's nuptial gift consists ...

Mayo Clinic study: Uterine fibroids have significant impact on quality of life, workplace performance

2013-10-24
Mayo Clinic study: Uterine fibroids have significant impact on quality of life, workplace performance Fibroids found to be a public health issue for African-American women who have more symptoms, longer time to diagnosis and greater need for information ROCHESTER, ...

Experts clarify conflicting criteria for diagnosing polycystic ovary syndrome

2013-10-24
Experts clarify conflicting criteria for diagnosing polycystic ovary syndrome Endocrine Society publishes Clinical Practice Guideline on diagnosis, treatment of leading cause of infertility Chevy Chase, MD—The Endocrine Society today issued a Clinical Practice ...

Unleashing the power of the crowd

2013-10-24
Unleashing the power of the crowd McGill online game expands to connect global scientific community with citizen scientists Over the past three years, 300,000 gamers have helped scientists with genomic research by playing Phylo, an online puzzle game. Now Jérôme ...

EORTC study suggests detecting ERG gene deletion useful for risk stratification in childhood ALL

2013-10-24
EORTC study suggests detecting ERG gene deletion useful for risk stratification in childhood ALL Results of EORTC trial 58951 suggest that detecting ERG gene deletion at diagnosis of childhood B-cell precursor (BCP) acute lymphoblastic leukemia ...

Natural dyes from common (and a few uncommon) ingredients: A new video by the American Chemical Society

2013-10-24
Natural dyes from common (and a few uncommon) ingredients: A new video by the American Chemical Society From crimson red to lavender to mustard yellow, vibrant hues can be coaxed from common — and a few uncommon — ingredients to add color to fabrics. The ...

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in smokeless tobacco products

2013-10-24
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in smokeless tobacco products New study shows that the concentration of polycyclic aromatic A new study shows that the concentration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in smokeless tobacco products (STPs) ...

New testing strategy detects population-wide vitamin and mineral deficiencies

2013-10-24
New testing strategy detects population-wide vitamin and mineral deficiencies Could speed mass intervention in developing countries Johns Hopkins researchers have demonstrated that levels of certain proteins in the bloodstream may be used to estimate levels of essential ...

Molecular biology: Designer of protein factories exposed

2013-10-24
Molecular biology: Designer of protein factories exposed For 10 years, Patrick Cramer and his colleagues at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet (LMU) in Munich have probed the structure of RNA polymerase I, a crucial cog in the machinery of all cells. ...

Obesity may increase the risk of Clostridium difficile infection

2013-10-24
Obesity may increase the risk of Clostridium difficile infection (Boston)--Researchers from Boston Medical Center (BMC) and Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) have identified obesity as a possible risk factor for clostridium difficile infection ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

MSU team develops scalable climate solutions for agricultural carbon markets

Playing an instrument may protect against cognitive aging

UNM study finds link between Grand Canyon landslide and Meteor Crater impact

Ultra-hot Jupiter’s death spiral could reveal stellar secrets

You only get one brain! The best helmet material for protecting your noggin

Neurodegeneration and stroke after GLP-1RAs in diabetes and obesity

Pediatric COVID-19 hospitalization trends by race and ethnicity, 2020-2023

Research spotlight: New genetic roadmap offers insights into obesity and diabetes

Fred Hutch leads new Vanguard Study for Cancer Screening Research Network

‘Mismatched’ transplants now safe, effective for blood cancer patients, study finds

New research helps narrow down uncertainties in near-term precipitation projections for the Asian Water Tower

AI tool accurately detects tumor location on breast MRI

Researchers use OCT imaging to uncover how the fallopian tube transports embryos

PolyU secures RGC theme-based research scheme funding to develop cost-effective and sustainable Co-GenAI model

Van Andel Institute scientists develop technique for high-resolution single cell epigenetic analysis

The Lundquist Institute wins multi-year NIH grant exceeding $11 million to transform diagnosis and treatment of deadly mucormycosis

Review suggests ending adult boosters for tetanus, diphtheria

ESMT Berlin welcomes Rebecca Schaumberg to faculty

Blocking a little-known protein may offer new hope for devastating lung disease

Medieval medicine was smarter than you think – and weirdly similar to TikTok trends

FAU receives NIH grant to investigate amphetamine addiction

Realizing on-site carbon nanotube photo-thermoelectric imaging

Most of us love memes. But are they a form of comics?

Novel biosensor allows real-time monitoring of sucrose uptake in plants

Korea University researchers reveal revealing how WEE1 drives cancer resistance to immunotherapy

Pusan National University researchers develop breakthrough deep learning model that enhances handheld 3D medical imaging

SLAS Discovery and SLAS Technology demonstrate research impact with 2024 impact factors

Disease-causing bacteria can deal with stink as long as they get a meal

Mapping the metabolism of blood stem cells

UK air quality improved since 2015 but targets still missed

[Press-News.org] Coyote more likely to make a meal out of moose than we thought: Study