Additional Professional opinions and persepctives on whether the expanding Moose herd in the Northeast will be held in check by Eastern Coyotes

I want to thank all of the talented Biologists and Researchers who have responded to my question on potential for Eastern Coyotes to effectively prey on the growing Moose population of New England and New York..............................Let me once again thank Ed Faison and his talented Harvard Forest colleagues for publishing a strong article on the impact of Moose on New Englands forests and for stimulating me to ask the follow up questions that all of you have been kind enought to weigh in on.

From: Edward K. Faison [mailto:efaison@highstead.net]

Sent: Monday, April 26, 2010 6:44 AM

To: Meril, Rick
Cc: drfoster@fas.harvard.edu

Subject: Re: Moose foraging in the temp forest of southern new england

Rick,

Thanks for your note, and I've enjoyed reading your emails and the literature you've sent around over the past year.

Interesting question about coyotes. I have found very little in the literature that mentions coyote predation on moose calves in the northeast or elsewhere; as you probably know, the smaller western coyote does take elk calves, so it seems plausible that the larger eastern coyote could take a moose calf. My sense is that such an event would be uncommon and therefore compensatory rather than additive.

Yes, that is the question about southern New England moose. How are they coping in temperatures that far exceed their documented heat stress thresholds. My guess is that the relative shortage of predators (and lack of hunting) in SNE may be playing a role. Moose can bed down and cool off without threat in this landscape, and therefore may be able to thermoregulate more effectively here than in regions where they have to be more vigilant.

Re: the effects of wolves on moose in the Great Lakes, I would defer to folks like Rolf Peterson and others who are more qualified to answer such questions.

Yes, Quabbin's deer population has been drastically reduced from 11-23/sq. km in the late 1980s to 2-7/sq. km today because of a controlled hunt that began in the early '90s. Hunting was prohibited in the Quabbin for about 50 years prior to that.

Best,

Ed
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From: George Wuerthner

Sent: Tuesday, April 27, 2010 9:36 AM

To: Meril, Rick

Subject: Re: FW: Moose foraging in the temp forest of southern new england



I would not think that coyotes would be a huge impact on moose. Moose calves are quite a bit larger than even elk calves, and I would suspect that their period of vulnerability would be quite short. That is not to suggest that they could not take moose, especially if they had formed pack hunting techniques which is more effective with larger prey. But my guess is that they have so many more deer that they could attack that they would choose deer over moose. That is the situation in many other regions where both elk and deer exist--the wolves choose deer because they are easier to bring down. I suspect eastern coyotes would make the same choices about prey size and availability
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From: William Krohn 

Sent: Tuesday, April 27, 2010 9:56 AM

To: Meril, Rick

Subject: Re:  FW: Moose foraging in the temp forest of southern new england


Rick,

I suspect the main limiting factor for moose in southern New England is summer temperatures. Take a look at the new research coming out of Minnesota (i.e., a Wildlife Mono. as well as recent papers in the JWM). Higher summer temperatures increase parasite loads and reduce body conditions. A lowered body conditions, although not directly studied to date in this specific context, would be expected in increase predation mortality (i.e., easier to capture prey).
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From: Karl Miller

Sent: Tuesday, April 27, 2010 7:49 AM

To: Meril, Rick

Subject: Re: FW: Moose foraging in the temp forest of southern new england

Rick

I don't doubt that they are capable of preying on moose calves, particularly neonates. The question, however, is to what degree and to what impact.... Obviously that will require some study. I think we still have a LOT to learn about the impacts of coyotes on the rest of the wildlife community throughout eastern North America. In addition, it appears to us that the behavior of this animal in the east (or at least the Southeast) is quite different from its western counterparts. Clearly a fertile area for research!


Karl V. Miller
Professor, Wildlife Ecology and Management
Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources
The University of Georgia
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-----Original Message-----

From: Jennifer Leonard

Sent: Tuesday, April 27, 2010 7:02 AM

To: Meril, Rick

Subject: Re: FW: Moose foraging in the temp forest of southern new england


Dear Rick,

I have seen some studies on the diet of NE coyotes, but have not seen anything about them hunting moose calves (doesn't sound like an easy meal).

Thank you for setting up the blog, I hope it is reaching a lot of people.

Jen.
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-----Original Message-----


From: Jon Way [mailto:jw9802@yahoo.com]
Sent: Monday, April 26, 2010 6:42 PM

To: Meril, Rick

Subject: Re: Moose foraging in the temp forest of southern new england

Hi Rick,

I mostly agree with Ed's account. Smaller western coyotes do prey on elk calves and I suspect eastern coyotes/coywolves prey on moose altho it hasn't been documented yet. I bet it does happen though. Certainly coywolves can prey on deer but I don't suspect they will ever have a big effect on moose altho it is debated how much of an effect lycaon would have on moose but I bet it would be more than coywolves...

Yes, I still check out your site a couple times a week! great work,

thanks, Jon


No problem Rick. In summary, I see the eastern coyote/coywolf as being like the western coyote but with more dietery flexibility which is kind of amazing given the legendary propensity of western coyotes to eat anything. Many of the dietery studies have been done in more Northern areas that don't have a diversity of prey. More needs to be done in places like my study area - suburban and varied prey supply.

Please visit my WEBPAGE (http://www.easterncoyoteresearch.com) where you can purchase my book Suburban Howls (http://www.easterncoyoteresearch.com/Store.html) and help create a wildlife watching refuge in the town of Barnstable (http://www.easterncoyoteresearch.com/supportECR.html)
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From: Heather Hudenko [cornell.edu]
Sent: Monday, April 26, 2010 8:03 PM

To: Heidi Kretser

Cc: Meril, Rick; Heidi Kretser

Subject: Re: Moose foraging in the temp forest of southern new england

Hi Rick,

I also am unfamiliar with specific documentation of coyote predation on moose calves. However, I know a number of coyote diet analyses are currently underway by researchers in the NE. In NY, Jacqui Frair at SUNY ESF is conducting a study of coyote foraging ecology - she may have some more specific information for you re: moose.

cheers

Heather
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-----Original Message-----


From: Heidi Kretser (wcs.org]
Sent: Monday, April 26, 2010 7:12 PM

To: Meril, Rick; hah29@cornell.edu; hek1@cornell.edu

Subject: RE: Moose foraging in the temp forest of southern new england

Dear Rick,

Thanks for your message. I’m not aware of any reports of coyotes preying on moose calves in NY or New England. I’m also not likely the best person to ask. I would defer to State Wildlife Agency staff.

Heidi
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-----Original Message-----

From: Roland Kays
Sent: Monday, April 26, 2010 2:13 PM

To: Meril, Rick

Subject: Re: FW: Moose foraging in the temp forest of southern new england


Rick

I don't think I've seen moose ever reported in eastern coyote diet, although I'm not sure there have been that many studies in good moose country.??

I think you have to be pretty big/pack hunting to tease a baby away from a moose momma and I wouldn't bet that eastern coyotes are up to that.

I've rss'ed your blog so keep an eye on it.

roland
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From: Rolf Peterson

Sent: Monday, April 26, 2010 1:59 PM

To: Meril, Rick

Subject: Re: Moose foraging in the temp forest of southern new england

Rick - no evidence that coyotes prey on moose calves in Michigan or Minnesota. Whenever moose calves have been radiocollared (and it now numbers in the high hundreds), black bears emerge as the most important predator of moose calves in summer. We did this first on the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska in 1977, and it has been repeated in many places. If there is significant predator-caused mortality, bears would be my first bet.


Rolf