In a new peer reviewed article researched and wrtitten by Trent University(Canada) scientists John Benson, Karen Loveless, Linda Rutledge and Brent Patterson, it is revealed that "Eastern Coyotes and various admixes of the two kill less total ungulate(deer and moose combined and moose alone than do Eastern Wolves"................."Furthermore, canids in packs dominated by eastern coyote ancestry consumed significantly less ungulate biomass and more anthropogenic food than packs dominated by wolf ancestry"......................"Similar to gray wolves in previous studies, eastern wolves preyed on deer where they were available"............ "However, in areas where deer were scarce, eastern wolves killed moose at rates similar to those previously documented for gray wolves at comparable moose densities across North America".........."Therefore, (while) Eastern coyotes are effective deer predators, their dietary flexibility and low kill rates on moose suggest they have not replaced the ecological role of wolves in eastern North America"..................Restoration of Eastern Wolves and Pumas in Eastern North America is needed if we are in fact going to restore ecological integrity to our woodlands

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Ungulate predation and ecological roles of wolves and coyotes in eastern North America

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• Accepted manuscript online: 8 January 2017Full publication history
• DOI: 10.1002/eap.1499View/save citation
• Cited by: 0 articles
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• This article has been accepted for publication and undergone full peer review but has not been through the copyediting, typesetting, pagination and proofreading process, which may lead to differences between this version and the Version of Record. Please cite this article as doi: 10.1002/eap.1499

Abstract

Understanding the ecological roles of species that influence ecosystem processes is a central goal of ecology and conservation biology. Eastern coyotes (Canis latrans) have ascended to the role of apex predator across much of eastern North America since the extirpation of wolves (Canis spp.) and there has been considerable confusion regarding their ability to prey on ungulates and their ecological niche relative to wolves.

Eastern Wolf in Algonquin Provincial Park

Ontario, Canada

Eastern Wolves historically ranged east of the Mississippi

across to the Atlantic,,,,,,,,,Texas to Florida on up the Appalacians

Eastern wolves (C. lycaon) are thought to have been the historical top predator in eastern deciduous forests and have previously been characterized as deer specialists that are inefficient predators of moose because of their smaller size relative to gray wolves (C. lupus). We investigated intrinsic and extrinsic influences on per capita kill rates of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and moose (Alces alces) during winter by sympatric packs of eastern coyotes, eastern wolves, and admixed canids in Ontario,Canada to clarify the predatory ability and ecological roles of the different canid top predators of eastern North America. 

Gray Wolves, larger than Eastern Wolves and Eastern Coyotes

historically found West of the Mississippi, Alaska down to Mexico

with hybridization with Eastern Wolves in the Algonquin Park

region of Canada down through the Northeastern USA

Eastern coyote ancestry within packs negatively influenced per capita total ungulate (deer and moose combined) and moose kill rates. Furthermore, canids in packs dominated by eastern coyote ancestry consumed significantly less ungulate biomass and more anthropogenic food than packs dominated by wolf ancestry.

Eastern Coyotes, a hybrid of Eastern Wolves and Western Coyotes

 Similar to gray wolves in previous studies, eastern wolves preyed on deer where they were available. However, in areas were deer were scarce, eastern wolves killed moose at rates similar to those previously documented for gray wolves at comparable moose densities across North America.

Western Coyote

Eastern coyotes are effective deer predators, but their dietary flexibility and low kill rates on moose suggest they have not replaced the ecological role of wolves in eastern North America.