Spatial and temporal use of a prairie dog colony by coyotes and rabbits: Potential indirect effects on endangered black-footed ferrets

David A. Eads; Dean E. Biggins; Travis M. Livieri

doi:10.1111/jzo.12228

Home/Archive/USGS

USGS · 70193056

Spatial and temporal use of a prairie dog colony by coyotes and rabbits: Potential indirect effects on endangered black-footed ferrets

David A. Eads·Dean E. Biggins·Travis M. Livieri

View original source ↗Export metadata ↓

Abstract

In western North America, endangered black-footed ferrets M ustela nigripes are conserved via reintroduction to colonies of prairie dogs C ynomys spp., their primary prey. Predation is an important source of mortality; coyotes C anis latrans appear to be the most problematic predator, accounting for 67% of known predation events on radio-tagged ferrets. Little is known about what factors affect spatial use of prairie dog colonies by coyotes, or how other animals might affect interactions between coyotes and ferrets. During June–October 2007–2008, we used spotlight surveys to monitor coyotes and ferrets (both years) and rabbits S ylvilagus spp. (first year) on a 452-ha colony of black-tailed prairie dogs C ynomys ludovicianus in the Conata Basin, South Dakota. Coyotes appeared to select areas of the colony used by rabbits, suggesting coyotes hunted rabbits, a common item in their diet. Between midnight and sunrise, ferrets were most commonly observed during early morning (01:00–03:00 h), whereas coyotes were observed mostly during dawn (04:00 h – sunrise) when ferrets were rarely seen. These temporal differences in the timing of observations suggest ferrets tend to remain underground in burrows when coyotes are most active. Coyotes appeared to be attracted to rabbits in both space and time, suggesting the risk of predation for ferrets might relate to the abundance and locations of rabbits in prairie dog colonies.

Explore related subjects

Journal of Zoology Article

Source-reported bounding extent: 43.690312876470955° to 43.813062147130296° latitude; -102.43399034295724° to -102.20486846045789° longitude. This indicates report coverage, not an exact sampling location. View area on OpenStreetMap.

Keep this discovery

Explore connections, maps & timelines

BibTeX RIS

David A. Eads, Dean E. Biggins, Travis M. Livieri. 2015-03-11. Spatial and temporal use of a prairie dog colony by coyotes and rabbits: Potential indirect effects on endangered black-footed ferrets. https://doi.org/10.1111/jzo.12228

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related USGS reports

USGS2025

Double agents: Invasive Burmese pythons (Python bivittatus) and Argentine black and white tegus (Salvator merianae) as potential seed dispersers in south Florida

Invasive species can reshape ecological processes, including seed dispersal, through both direct and indirect pathways. In this study, we explore how invasive reptiles influence seed dispersal dynamics in the Greater Everglades ecosystem using two case studies: the Burmese python ( Python bivittatus ) and the Argentine black and white tegu ( Salvator merianae ). Guided by a conceptual framework, we investigate three primary mechanisms through which invasive species may alter seed outcomes: direct seed consumption, predation on seed dispersers before seed ingestion, and secondary seed dispersal via predation on animals that have already consumed seeds. Burmese pythons, as apex predators, may contribute to seed dispersal through diploendozoochory while simultaneously driving trophic cascades that restructure the seed disperser community. Tegus, as omnivorous frugivores, directly consume and disperse a wide diversity of plant seeds. We documented 25 seed morphotypes in python diets and 73 in tegu diets, spanning a broad 38 families and including native, endangered, and invasive plant species. Using a binary interaction network, we found that these reptiles exhibit high generalization, nestedness, and connectance—suggesting they are becoming functionally integrated into Everglades seed dispersal networks. These findings reveal that invasive reptiles not only disrupt native plant–animal interactions but may also reshape them, with implications for ecosystem stability, restoration, and management.

Florida↗

USGS2023

Influence of human development and predators on patterns of Virginia opossum occupancy, abundance, and activity

As human development continues to expand, wildlife must relocate or adapt to survive. Many mammalian mesopredators, such as the Virginia opossum ( Didelphis virginiana ), have adapted to living alongside human development. Furthermore, top-down predation pressure may be altered in nuanced ways within the human environment. Species such as opossums may be shielded from predation by human development or behavioral changes in predators. Understanding how dominant and subordinate mesopredators co-exist across natural and developed areas will provide insight into how wildlife communities are structured. Our objective was to evaluate how opossum occupancy, abundance, and activity were associated with human development and the relative abundance of their predators. We used data from a nationwide camera trapping study, Snapshot USA, to estimate opossum occupancy, abundance, and activity. We related these measures to the surrounding landscape and urbanization variables. We found that opossum occupancy was positively associated with anthropogenic sound (a surrogate for human activity). Furthermore, opossums in heavily forested areas were more likely to be detected in locations with higher predicted anthropogenic sounds. In areas with a high density of human housing, opossum relative abundance increased when predator abundance increased. We also found opossums were strictly nocturnal and shifted their activity to earlier in the evening in the presence of high predator abundance. Our results suggest that humans and their urban development can have multidimensional impacts on opossum behavior and occurrence, and could facilitate changes in predator–prey dynamics. Future research should evaluate if the association of opossums with urban areas is due to human-subsidized resources or caused by reduced mortality from altered predator–prey dynamics.

Journal of Zoology↗

USGS2022

Ophidiomycosis is related to seasonal patterns of reproduction, ecdysis, and thermoregulatory behavior in a free-living snake species

Informed and effective management of emerging infectious diseases can be improved by a clear understanding of host–pathogen–environment interactions. Impacts of the seasonal environment on pathogen dynamics and host responses are poorly described in most reptile host–fungal pathogen systems. Here, we describe seasonal patterns of ophidiomycosis, a disease caused by the fungus Ophidiomyces ophidiicola ( Oo ), in a population of pygmy rattlesnakes, Sistrurus miliarius , in central Florida. We used field observations of gross clinical signs of disease in combination with qPCR on skin swabs to examine the seasonal prevalence of Oo and patterns of clinical presentation in hosts. We monitored thermoregulatory behaviors, ecdysis, and reproductive status in free-living snakes to examine seasonal associations between infection and host coping responses. Both the prevalence of Oo and clinical signs of disease varied strongly with the season (winter high and summer low). In both seasons, the presence of clinical signs was a strong predictor of the presence of Oo as identified by qPCR on skin swabs (78% probability across seasons). Snakes with clinical signs of disease were more likely to be observed exhibiting thermoregulatory behavior or in ecdysis compared to non-clinical snakes across seasons. The prevalence of Oo was not significantly different in pregnant snakes compared to other reproductive categories, but pregnant females were less likely to exhibit clinical signs of disease compared to males. Our results highlight strong seasonal patterns in both host clinical signs and Oo prevalence and support the efficacy of using gross clinical signs of disease in combination with qPCR on skin swabs to assess disease dynamics in free-living snakes. We also identify ecdysis and thermoregulatory behaviors as components of the seasonal disease-coping response and highlight the need to examine these behaviors as potential drivers of seasonal infection outcomes in reptiles afflicted with fungal pathogens.

Journal of Zoology↗