Environmental and prey‐based factors underpinning variability in prairie dogs eaten by black‐footed ferrets

Abstract

The endangered black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripis) has been the focus of intensive captive breeding and reintroduction projects for several decades. To better understand nutritional provision during captivity, primary prey items (prairie dogs) of free-ranging black-footed ferret populations were sampled from 6 native habitat sites in Wyoming and Colorado over a one-year period. Morphometrics and nutritional analyses including proximate composition (water, crude fat, crude protein, ash), vitamins A and E, and select macro-and microminerals were conducted on black-tailed (BT, Cynomys ludovicianus, n = 81) and white-tailed (WT, C. leucurus; n = 58) prairie dogs. Stomach and intestinal contents were extracted and sampled separately from other carcass components. Multivariate linear modeling of data was used to determine the influence of environmental (season, site) and prey-based (species, age, sex) factors on prey nutritional composition. Seasonality impacted the nutrient profiles of prairie dogs as food for black-footed ferrets, affecting carcass, stomach, and intestinal samples in most nutrients evaluated for both species. Carcass and subcutaneous fat concentrations were lowest in spring for both species compared with other seasons. Conversely, fat-soluble vitamin A in carcasses was highest in the spring for both species. Vitamin E was also highest in the spring for WT, but highest in the winter for BT, although no comparative winter data were available for the hibernating WT. Macronutrient composition did not differ between sexes for WT, but carcass fat was higher, hence protein lower, in female vs male BT. Age class and site-specific differences detected for some nutrients suggested possible underlying feeding ecology differences. Given the ongoing concerns regarding ex situ population sustainability and the documented role of nutrition in black-footed ferret health and reproduction, these seasonal nutrient profiles provide valuable guidelines for optimizing managed feeding programs for this endangered species, and similar considerations in prey nutrient variability can be applied to feeding programs of other carnivorous species.

An effective hotspot mitigation system for Wireless Sensor Networks using hybridized prairie dog with Genetic Algorithm

“…There may be some nodes that are not encircled by other nodes since the nodes are distributed randomly. For this reason, the CH node is chosen while considering more nodes around that node, Eq (21):…”

“…The terms CH N and Dead n in Eq (21) above represent the relative numbers of CHs and dead nodes, respectively. The FV-LB, which decides LB, should be minimised as the number of living nodes declines.…”

“…The new tunnel is formulated around the new food source and solution space. A distinct sound or alarm is used for communication, which is used in diverse situations [ 21 ]. Such a distinctive sound can reveal the existence of a nearby predator or any new food source.…”