Abstract
AbstractWe modeled resource selection by wolves (Canis spp.), eastern coyotes (C. latrans), and admixed canids during the pup‐rearing season at den and rendezvous sites (collectively, homesites) within a largely unprotected landscape proposed as the recovery zone for federally and provincially threatened eastern wolves (C. lycaon) in Ontario, Canada. Overall, canids selected wetlands, while avoiding secondary roads and open‐structure rock‐grass habitat patches. Packs with greater wolf ancestry selected wetlands and tertiary roads more strongly, while avoiding mixed conifer‐hardwood forests. Contrary to our prediction, canids with greater coyote ancestry did not establish homesites closer to roads, which likely mitigated their risk of human‐caused mortality during pup‐rearing. Packs exhibited increased selection of wetlands within territories as a function of increasing availability of wetlands. Packs with abundant access to wetlands may prioritize this habitat type to exploit beavers, a valuable prey species during pup‐rearing. Packs with higher pup survival selected hardwood forests and avoided conifer forests more than packs with lower pup survival. This is consistent with our understanding of habitat relations of the main prey species for canids in central Ontario and suggests that selecting prey‐rich habitat types at homesites increases fitness. A proposed goal of eastern wolf recovery is numerical and geographical expansion outside of the population core in Algonquin Provincial Park. Thus, our results provide valuable information for conservation by quantifying resource selection of wolves, coyotes, and hybrids during pup‐rearing and identifying links between fitness and homesite selection.
Highlights
Resource selection by animals involves interactions between local environmental conditions, such as the nature and availability of resources, and intrinsic characteristics of the animals (Bolnick and Doebeli 2003, Sacks et al 2004)
Resource use and availability We investigated resource selection with an approach similar to Johnson’s (1980) 3rd order of selection by comparing locations used by canids at homesites to those available within seasonal home ranges
Homesite locations We identified a total of 103 dens and 148 rendezvous sites from 29 packs
Summary
Resource selection by animals involves interactions between local environmental conditions, such as the nature and availability of resources, and intrinsic characteristics of the animals (Bolnick and Doebeli 2003, Sacks et al 2004). For wolves (Canis spp.) and coyotes (Canis latrans), the pup-rearing season (spring to fall) is a critical period of the annual cycle because pup survival strongly impacts the growth of populations (Fuller et al 2003). In spring or early summer, canids give birth in natal dens, after which the pups spend most of the 5–6 months at homesites (den or rendezvous sites, Mech and Boitani 2003). Pup mortality can be high during late summer and fall in some populations, from natural (e.g., starvation, disease, strife) or human-related causes (e.g., persecution, vehicle collisions; Fuller et al 2003, Benson et al 2013). Elucidating patterns of resource selection at homesites is critical for understanding links between environmental conditions, pup survival, and canid population dynamics
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