Interesting but nothing earth shattering here.
Study finds why coyotes are attracted to some Edmonton backyards
BY CLARE CLANCY
FIRST POSTED: SATURDAY, JANUARY 21, 2017 02:40 PM MST | UPDATED: SATURDAY, JANUARY 21, 2017 02:44 PM MST
Edmonton’s coyotes are more likely to end up in backyards that boast easy access, compost heaps and shrubbery, says a new study by the Urban Coyote Project.
Researchers have been trying to understand what makes particular residential areas attractive to the animals, said Maureen Murray, who conducted the study while completing a University of Alberta graduate degree.
“(Attractive yards) were much less likely to have fences, they were more likely to have some kind of human food, compost, or crab apples on the ground,” she said, noting coyotes also searched out yards with shrubbery for visual cover.
“The best thing you can do if you want to avoid a coyote in your yard is to put a fence up … that puts your risk way down,” she said. “Something six feet tall that goes in the ground a little.”
But some of the study’s findings are more surprising, she said, such as the fact that an open compost heap will attract coyotes.
“The compost pile thing has taken a while to sink into people’s minds,” she said. “It’s one of those things where it’s good for the environment when it’s done properly … but you could be creating more problems.”
In a related study, the group had found that compost contained fungal toxins, which can compromise the coyotes’ immune systems.
“It’s kind of like eating mouldy food,” she said. “If you eat enough of it, it can lead to organ failure.”
“You should have a good solid trash can with a lid. If you’re going to compost … just keep it in some sort of a plastic bin.”
Murray’s study tracked around 20 coyotes over the course of a year using GPS collars and included visits to about 170 “cluster sites,” or coyote hot spots. She then compared the sites to a random area to find what the animals had sought out.
Animals with mange, a skin disease characterized by patches of missing fur, were more likely to go into backyards. They were also more likely to go into open yards with little visual cover, she said.
“It boils down to desperation … sick animals are more likely to take risks if they’re in need of resources.”
Healthy coyotes may prefer ravines or golf courses, she said.
At one home she visited, coyotes had been living under the deck for two months, returning every night without notice, she said. It’s important to block off areas like this to prevent the spread of parasites between animals, she added.
“It’s about taking stock of how accessible your yard is.”
Colleen Cassady St. Clair, a University of Alberta biological sciences professor who heads the coyote project, said there aren’t recent numbers on how many coyotes are living in Edmonton. In 2011, Postmedia reported that there were up to 1,000 in the greater Edmonton area, with 350 of those making up a core group in the river valley.
“They do seem to be increasing in their prevalence but it’s hard to know if it’s because they’re more bold,” she said.
She added that her project has stopped using GPS collars to track the animals because she’s concerned it may influence their behaviour.
Murray’s findings are part of a paper titled Predictable Features Attract Urban Coyotes to Residential Yards, which is set to be published in The Journal of Wildlife Management. Research had been completed in 2015.
http://www.edmontonsun.com/2017/01/2...nton-backyards
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