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Individual flexibility in nocturnal activity reduces risk of road mortality for an urban carnivore

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  • Maureen H. Murray
  • Colleen Cassady St. Clair

Abstract

Many species living in developed areas adjust the timing of their activity and habitat selection to avoid humans, which may reduce their risk of conflict, including vehicle collisions. Understanding the behavioral adaptations to vehicles exhibited by species that thrive in urban areas could improve the conservation of many species that are threatened by road-caused mortality. We explored these behaviors using the seasonal distribution of 80 road-killed coyotes (Canis latrans) collected by civic employees and by comparing the activity patterns (step lengths) and road crossings made by 19 coyotes fitted with GPS collars with 3-h fix rates, 7 of which were killed in vehicle collisions. Coyotes were collected on roads most often in spring and fall, which corresponded to the most rapid changes in day length in our northern study area and when collared road-killed coyotes were more active during rush hour. Among collared coyotes, those that were killed on roads were most active and crossed roads most frequently at dusk. By contrast, surviving animals were most active and crossed roads most often near midnight year round and surprisingly, exhibited less avoidance of roads than did road-killed coyotes. Our results suggest that risk of vehicle collision is lower for coyotes that restrict the times at which they cross roads but some coyotes do not or cannot. Such behavioral flexibility to adapt to the timing of human activity relative to exogenous cues such as dawn and dusk may contribute to differences both among and within wildlife species in rates of coexistence with humans.

Suggested Citation

  • Maureen H. Murray & Colleen Cassady St. Clair, 2015. "Individual flexibility in nocturnal activity reduces risk of road mortality for an urban carnivore," Behavioral Ecology, International Society for Behavioral Ecology, vol. 26(6), pages 1520-1527.
  • Handle: RePEc:oup:beheco:v:26:y:2015:i:6:p:1520-1527.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/beheco/arv102
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    1. Clara Grilo & Joana Sousa & Fernando Ascensão & Hugo Matos & Inês Leitão & Paula Pinheiro & Monica Costa & João Bernardo & Dyana Reto & Rui Lourenço & Margarida Santos-Reis & Eloy Revilla, 2012. "Individual Spatial Responses towards Roads: Implications for Mortality Risk," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 7(9), pages 1-11, September.
    2. Philip J. Baker & Claire V. Dowding & Susie E. Molony & Piran C.L. White & Stephen Harris, 2007. "Activity patterns of urban red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) reduce the risk of traffic-induced mortality," Behavioral Ecology, International Society for Behavioral Ecology, vol. 18(4), pages 716-724.
    3. Barbara Zimmermann & Lindsey Nelson & Petter Wabakken & Håkan Sand & Olof Liberg, 2014. "Behavioral responses of wolves to roads: scale-dependent ambivalence," Behavioral Ecology, International Society for Behavioral Ecology, vol. 25(6), pages 1353-1364.
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    1. Mori, Kensuke & Massolo, Alessandro & Marceau, Danielle & Stefanakis, Emmanuel, 2023. "Modelling the epidemiology of zoonotic parasites transmitted through a predator-prey system in urban landscapes: The Calgary Echinococcus multilocularis Coyote Agent-based model (CEmCA)," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 475(C).

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