Can Coyotes Affect Deer Populations in Southeastern North America?

Abstract

The coyote (Canis latrans) is a recent addition to the fauna of eastern North America, and in many areas coyote populations have been established for only a decade or two. Although coyotes are known predators of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in their historic range, effects this new predator may have on eastern deer populations have received little attention. We speculated that in the southeastern United States, coyotes may be affecting deer recruitment, and we present 5 lines of evidence that suggest this possibility. First, the statewide deer population in South Carolina has declined coincident with the establishment and increase in the coyote population. Second, data sets from the Savannah River Site (SRS) in South Carolina indicate a new mortality source affecting the deer population concurrent with the increase in coyotes. Third, an index of deer recruitment at SRS declined during the period of increase in coyotes. Fourth, food habits data from SRS indicate that fawns are an important food item for coyotes during summer. Finally, recent research from Alabama documented significant coyote predation on fawns there. Although this evidence does not establish cause and effect between coyotes and observed declines in deer recruitment, we argue that additional research should proactively address this topic in the region. We identified several important questions on the nature of the deer-coyote relationship in the East.

PARASITOLOGY AND SEROLOGY OF FREE-RANGING COYOTES (CANIS LATRANS) IN NORTH CAROLINA, USA

“…Coyotes (Canis latrans) have expanded recently into the eastern US and have attracted attention from wildlife management professionals due to their potential effects on prey populations (e.g., whitetailed deer [Odocoileus virginianus]; Kilgo et al 2010;Chitwood et al 2015). Coyotes are highly adaptable due to dietary and behavioral plasticity and can live in proximity to humans and domestic animals (Gehrt and Riley 2010), so attention to parasites and disease is also warranted.…”

Coyote diets in a longleaf pine ecosystem

“…The addition of coyotes to this system likely increased the risk of predation for white-tailed deer, the largest herbivore in the system, to levels not experienced since the extirpation of large carnivores. Consequently, there has been considerable interest in the effects of coyotes on white-tailed deer populations in the southeastern USA (Kilgo et al 2010). Because coyotes are omnivorous generalists, the availability of alternative food items may alleviate predation of white-tailed deer.…”

“…Assessing the potential ecological effects of coyotes on an ecosystem as diverse as the longleaf pine-wiregrass savannas of the southeastern USA requires a thorough knowledge of their food habits; however, most coyote food habits studies have been conducted in the western USA. There have been relatively few publications on the diets of coyotes in the Southeast (Kilgo et al 2010) and none in an ecosystem with such high biodiversity. Herein, we report the diets of coyotes in a longleaf pine-wiregrass ecosystem surrounded by center-pivot irrigated agriculture in hopes of characterizing the food habits of this generalist on an area with globally significant biodiversity.…”

Factors Determining Coyote (<i>Canis latrans</i>) Diets

“…Increasing numbers of coyotes in areas such as the southeastern United States [2] [3] are a concern as they may feed on a variety of food items, including important game species, livestock, and pets [4] [5]. Coyotes have been implicated in the decline of numerous wildlife species, negatively affecting them through competition for resources (e.g., bobcats [Lynx rufus]; [6]), predation (e.g., white-tailed deer [Odocoileus virginianus; hereafter, deer]; [7]), and changes in community structure [8] [9] [10].…”