While Gray Wolves will and do kill Coyotes, famed Wolf researcher Paul Paquet studies in Manitoba, Canada revealed that "there was no evidence that Wolves actively searched for Coyotes to kill"..........."In the area where Paquet conducted his study, elk served as the major winter food for both wolves and coyotes"............"Wolves killed elk while coyotes scavenged the remains"............"In this regard, coyotes weren't dumb"............."As Paquet notes, "Because predation on [large prey] involves considerable risk of injury and is likely energetically expensive owing to a low rate of success, there is no apparent advantage in killing prey if good quality food can be scavenged"............Pacquet goes on to say: "If Wolves and Coyotes co-exist in a region where the smaller bodied deer is the main prey for both canids, "then coyotes lose the opportunity to scavenge wolf kills because wolves preying on deer leave few remains"........."In Montana, Researchers ERic Gese and Todd Atwood Atwood and Gese located 92 wolf kills (presumably elk and deer), 85 percent of which were visited by coyotes"............"They witnessed 36 conflicts, involving 6 different coyote packs and the Bear Trap wolf pack, at wolf-kill sites"............"Although coyotes gained possession of the contested carcass on 17 occasions, all such carcasses were already nearly depleted"............"During the course of study, wolves killed one adult coyote and 2 pups, whereas 3 adult coyotes were killed by cougars; all such mortalities occurred within 200 meters of a wolf-killed deer or elk"................Atwood and Gese concluded the following: "Coyotes do not perceive wolves as a threat requiring generalized spatial avoidance"..........."Rather, the threat of aggressive interactions with wolves is spatially discrete and primarily contained to areas adjacent to carrion resources"

by John Ozoga

May 01, 2012          

Gray Wolves will sometimes kill Coyotes 
                                that seek to scavenge their kill
                                
   click link toview video of this occurring in Yellowstone Park
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcFtdnewTCU

Can wolves and coyotes coexist?

As wolves disappeared in the past, coyotes quickly moved in to occupy the vacated range. Now, the reverse seems to be taking place; wolves are moving into reclaim range coyotes have occupied for the past 100 years or more.

Some biologists support the view that wolves will replace coyotes in certain areas. Others suggest the "clever coyote" will learn to coexist with wolves. There is scientific evidence to support both views.

The Isle Royale Story
Historically, wolves may have played an important role in replacing coyotes on Isle Royale, located at the west end of Lake Superior. In less than 60 short years, the coyote arrived on Isle Royale, prospered for a time, declined, then disappeared altogether.

According to the late Laurits Krefting, a long-time wildlife research biologist with the U.S. Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife, coyotes probably reached Isle Royale by traveling over the ice from the Sibley Peninsula region of Ontario, a distance of 15 miles, about 1906. (This is about the same time coyotes were first observed in Michigan's UP.) Despite the less than favorable habitat for them, coyotes flourished on the island, reaching peak numbers of about 150 animals, in 1948.

Krefting noticed that coyote numbers began to decline, starting in 1949, about the time Great Lakes Wolves(admix of Gray and Eastern Wolf) reached the island. The decrease in coyote numbers also came with a crash decline in the beaver population, a die-off of moose, a low snowshoe hare population and sustained human Trapper take. Coyotes disappeared from Isle Royale in 1957 or 1958.

"Even at its best," says Krefting, "the habitat on Isle Royale was marginal for coyotes. When strict fire protection was put into effect, the changes in plant succession gradually produced an even less favorable habitat. A reduced food supply and direct killing by wolves are the factors that probably contributed most to the coyote's disappearance. A combination of these and other factors plus the fact that it was an island situation probably was necessary to cause coyote extinction."

Coyote scavenging Wolf kill,,,,,,,,,,,,lean pickings

Hence, this may have been a rather unique situation. Certainly, the ecological nature of the island (i.e., dense conifers and lack of openings) is not what one would picture as coyote country. And, given its insular condition, the island undoubtedly lacks the diversity in flora and fauna characteristic of the adjacent mainland. This means there are few alternate prey for coyotes.


MANITOBA, CANADA

In Manitoba, Canada, researcher Ludwig Carbyn observed that Gray wolves frequently killed coyotes but did not eat them(same in Yellowstone after Wolf re-introduction in 1995). He found no evidence that coyotes avoided wolves during most of the year, but definitely did so from mid- to late-winter.

Carbyn theorized that differences in snow conditions, and learning on the coyote's part, may be involved in the coyotes changing response to wolves as the winter progressed. When snow is deep and soft, coyotes are hindered more than wolves. However, since coyotes often trailed wolves through deep soft snow, Carbyn rationalized although coyotes may avoid wolves after a "refractory period," they may actually trail them at a safe distance in search of food.

Wolves chasing down and killing a Coyote that sought
to scavenge their kill

Since wolves are territorial and may even kill their own kind when boundaries are trespassed, buffer zones exist between wolf territories where few wolves travel. Coyotes sometimes find these buffer zones safe havens. In Carbyn's study, coyotes were not always safe from wolves while in the buffer zone when wolf density was high. However, overall coyote survival appeared to be greater there during years of only moderate wolf density.

In another Manitoba study, Paul Paquet found coyotes scavenging wolf-killed deer within 24 hours after abandonment by wolves. Although wolves occasionally killed coyotes, Paquet saw no evidence of wolves actively searching for coyotes. Neither was there any evidence that coyotes adjusted their movements to avoid wolves.

In the area where Paquet conducted his study, elk served as the major winter food for both wolves and coyotes.  Wolves killed elk while coyotes scavenged the remains. In this regard, coyotes weren't dumb. As Paquet notes, "Because predation on [large prey] involves considerable risk of injury and is likely energetically expensive owing to a low rate of success, there is no apparent advantage in killing prey if good quality food can be scavenged."

This wolf-coyote relationship is interesting because the primary source of food was large prey, leaving enough food for both wolves and coyotes. However, it may be a different story when both predators must exist primarily upon smaller prey such as deer.


Coyote scavenging the few "leftovers" of a Wolf kill

"If deer are the preferred prey," notes Paquet, "then coyotes lose the opportunity to scavenge wolf kills because wolves preying on deer leave few remains."

Findings from studies conducted by Minnesota researcher Glen DelGuidice add a new twist to this story. Apparently, during especially severe winters (i.e., deep snow for four to eight weeks), wolves exhibit surplus killing of deer with no or low consumption of the carcass. Under such conditions wolves may kill many more deer than normal and benefit coyotes by leaving more for them to scavenge.

Recolonizing Wolves in Montana

One of the more recent investigations into coyote-wolf interactions was by Todd Atwood and Eric Gese. They conducted their work during the winters of 2003-04 and 2004-05, in northern Montana. This was shortly after wolves recolonized the region, presenting a unique opportunity to determine how naive coyotes adjust to the sudden presence of a competitively dominant canid that might threaten coyote survival in the region.

Atwood and Gese followed the activities of 29 radio-collared coyotes, belonging to 11 packs living within the 187 square mile home range of the Bear Trap wolf pack. Before pups were born, coyote pack size averaged 4 adults. Wolf pack size varied from 2 to 8 and averaged 5 individuals. In addition, the researchers followed nearly 1000 miles of coyote tracks and over 300 miles of wolf tracks in the snow.

A Coyote who sought to scavenge a Wolf kill, mauled by Wolf pack

Atwood and Gese located 92 wolf kills (presumably elk and deer), 77 (85 percent) of which were visited by coyotes. They witnessed 36 conflicts, involving 6 different coyote packs and the Bear Trap wolf pack, at wolf-kill sites. Although coyotes gained possession of the contested carcass on 17 occasions, all such carcasses were already nearly depleted. During the course of study, wolves killed one adult coyote and 2 pups, whereas 3 adult coyotes were killed by cougars; all such mortalities occurred within 200 meters of a wolf-killed deer or elk.

In most cases, wolves were able to drive coyotes away from deer or elk kill sites until they had their fill. Generally, coyotes gained access to wolf killed prey only when coyotes outnumbered wolves and only after wolves had already consumed most of their kill.

Interestingly, coyotes were able to spend more time at wolf-kill sites during the second winter of study, as compared to the first. As a result, formerly naive coyotes might have learned, through previous experience, to exploit carcasses in the latter stages of consumption when wolves were more inclined to back off.


A moment before the two Wolves take down a Coyote who sought 
to scavenge the Wolves kill

Atwood and Gese concluded the following: "Coyotes do not perceive wolves as a threat requiring generalized spatial avoidance. Rather, the threat of aggressive interactions with wolves is spatially discrete and primarily contained to areas adjacent to carrion resources."

Although the researchers don't dwell on the point, these findings imply that coyotes in northern Montana are learning to cope with wolves, and may even benefit from the larger canid's presence.

Conclusions

The gray wolf is definitely coming back to re-claim historic range it lost to coyotes decades ago. What will happen to coyotes in the meantime is anyone's guess. Some predict the demise of coyotes, whereas others believe coyotes will adjust, and maybe even prosper, in the presence of a more dominant canid.

The outcome will vary from one area to the next, depending upon a host of environmental circumstances.

Ironically, at least across the whitetail's northern range, both predators will benefit from man's mismanagement of deer wintering habitat. Resultant poor quality winter habitat, when coupled with the presence of two capable deer predators, will undoubtedly lead to excessive deer mortality during and following severe winters -- and ultimately contribute to declining deer numbers.

Just remember, coyotes are survivors. They are the clever predator that humans couldn't eradicate with all their traps, poisons, and guns. I don't expect wolves to be any more successful. In fact, here in Michigan's UP, deer hunter sighting rates of coyotes have doubled, while that of wolves have tripled, in the past 10 years.

"In the face of danger, some animals will enter a tonic state(Thanatosis) as a last-ditch shot at survival".............. "In fact, playing dead" can be a life-saving behavior"............."Opossums sell their performance by releasing a foul odor during thanatosis that suggests they've been rotting for days".............."The eastern hog-nose snake uses a similar, smelly defense mechanism while laying motionless, and has also been known to spit up blood"............."Playing dead can also be used as a mating strategy"............."The nursery web male spider offers a silk-wrapped insect to a female"............"The male plays dead and allows himself to be dragged along with the package"............"He revives himself when the female starts to feed-----An ingenius way to make your own bed, getting to sleep in it!"

https://www.thoughtco.com/why-some-animals-play-dead-373909

Why Some Animals Play Dead

2/2/18; Regina Bailey

A number of animals including mammals, insects, and reptiles exhibit a type of adaptive behavior known as playing dead or tonic immobility. This behavior is commonly seen in animals that are lower on the food chain but can be exhibited in higher species. When faced with a threatening situation, an animal may appear lifeless and may even emit odors that resemble the smell of decaying flesh. Also known as thanatosis, playing dead is often used as a defense mechanism, a trick to catch prey, or a means to sexually reproduce.

Snakes sometimes pretend to be dead when they sense danger. The eastern hognose snake resorts to playing dead when other defensive displays, such as hissing and puffing up the skin around their head and neck doesn't work. These snakes turn belly up with their mouths open and their tongues hanging out. They also emit a foul-smelling liquid from their glands that deters predators.

Eastern Hognose Snake Playing Dead. Ed Reschke/Getty Images

Certain animals play dead as a defense against predators. Entering into a motionless, catatonic state often dissuades predators as their instinct to kill drives their feeding behavior. Since most predators avoid dead or rotting animals, displaying thanatosis in addition to producing foul odors is enough to keep predators at bay.

Playing Possum

The animal most commonly associated with playing dead is the opossum. In fact, the act of playing dead is sometimes referred to as "playing possum". When under a threat, opossums can go into shock. Their heart rate and breathing is reduced as they fall unconscious and become stiff. By all appearances they seem dead. Opossums even excrete a liquid from their anal gland that mimics odors associated with death. Opossums can remain in this state for as long as four hours.

Virginia Opossum Plays Dead. Joe McDonald/Corbis Documentary/Getty Images

Fowl Play

A number of different bird species play dead when under threat. They wait until the threatening animal has lost interest or is not paying attention and then they spring to life and make their escape. This behavior has been observed in quail, blue jays, different species of ducks, and hens.

Ants, Beetles and Spiders

When under attack, young fire ant workers of the species Solenopsis invicta play dead. These ants are defenseless, unable to fight or flee. Ants that are just a few days-old play dead, while ants that are a few weeks-old flee, and those that are a few months-old stay and fight.

Some beetles pretend to be dead when they encounter predators such as jumping spiders. The longer the beetles are able to feign death, the greater their chances for survival.

Some spiders pretend to be dead when facing a predator. House spiders, harvestmen (daddy longlegs) spiders, huntsman spider, and black widow spiders are known to play dead when they feel threatened.

Sexual cannibalism is common in the insect world. This is a phenomenon in which one partner, typically the female, eats the other before or after mating. Praying mantis males for example, become motionless after mating to avoid being eaten by their female partner.

Sexual cannibalism among spiders is also common. Male nursery web spiders present an insect to their potential mate in the hopes that she will be amenable to mating. If the female starts to feed, the male will resume the mating process. If she does not, the male will pretend to drop dead. Should the female start to feed on the insect, the male will revive himself and continue to mate with the female.

This behavior is also seen in the Pisaura mirabilis spider. The male offers the female a gift during a courtship display and copulates with the female while she is eating. Should she turn her attention to the male during the process, the male feigns death. This adaptive behavior increases the males chances of copulating with the female.

Animals also use thanatosis in order to trick prey. Livingstoni cichlid fish are also called "sleeper fish" for their predatory behavior of pretending to be dead in order to catch prey. These fish will lie down at the bottom of their habitat and wait for a smaller fish to approach. When in range, the "sleeper fish" attacks and consumes the unsuspecting prey.

Some species of pselaphid beetles (Claviger testaceus) also use thanatosis to get a meal. These beetles pretend to be dead and are carried away by ants to their ant nest. Once inside, the beetle springs to life and feeds on the ant larvae.

"The Cascades run from Canada‘s British Columbia through the U.S. states of Washington and Oregon to Northern California"............"The range is 700 miles north-to-south and 80 miles east-to-west".............."The highest peak in the range is Mount Rainier in Washington at 4,411 feet above sea level".............."Mt. Rainier is a large active volcano and is considered one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world"..........."The Cascades are part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, the ring of volcanoes and associated mountains around the Pacific Ocean"............."In early 1792, British navigator George Vancouver explored Puget Sound and named the mountains"............."In 1805, the Lewis and Clark Expedition passed through the Cascades on the Columbia River"............"American settlement of the flanks of the Coast Range did not occur until the early 1840s".............."The Cascade mountain range is named for its waterfalls"..........."Multnomah Falls is located on the Oregon side of the Columbia River Gorge, the second tallest year-round waterfall in the United States"..........."Native Americans called the Cascades home and their legends speak of them as a refuge from a great flood as well as the mtns. as god-like chiefs who made war by throwing fire and stone at each other"".............."Black bears, coyotes, bobcats, cougars, foxes, beavers, porcupine, skunk, marmot, deer, elk, moose, mountain goats, and a few wolf packs returning from Canada live in the Cascades alongside 50 grizzly bears"

http://justfunfacts.com/interesting-facts-about-the-cascade-range/

THE GRANDEUR OF THE CASCADES

"Urban Norway and black rats are the source of a number of pathogens responsible for significant human disease and death in cities around the world"............."These pathogens include zoonotic bacteria, viruses and parasites"............."City rats typically move about the space of a city block".............. "To remove rat-associated disease risks, efforts have focused on eliminating rats at a single property"............... "However, this approach has failed because rats and rat colonies are often not restricted to a single property"..............."For control efforts to be effective, they must encompass the genetic group, termed an eradication unit"............."The scale of the unit varies by location due in part to barriers to movement such as roadways or rivers"............"For example, in Vancouver a genetic cluster of related rats occupies an entire block, or spans several blocks"................ "By comparison, researchers have found that an eradication unit might encompass an entire "valley" in Salvador, Brazil"..............."The common thread was natural or man-made barriers that kept the groups of rats apart"............... "And that is good information because it offers city planners ammunition for controlling rat populations"............. "That is the ultimate goal, after all, in most rat studies"............"Instead of taking the whack-a-rat approach to eradication, it might make more sense to learn how humans make life easier for the rats, versus what makes it more difficult for them to survive among us and then utilize control measures across the entire geographical unit of those genetically similar rat populations"

https://phys.org/news/2019-08-rat-dna-uncover-rats-scurry.html

Rat detective uses DNA to uncover how rats scurry around cities

by Kaylee Byers; 8/13/19

It's dark and I'm parked in an alley near a lopsided compost bin. I have a notepad, binoculars and a lukewarm cup of coffee—everything needed for a successful stakeout. I am waiting for them

They appear approximately one hour before dawn, skittering from dumpster to dumpster along old paths they have worn down with time. I am trying to track their movements, to understand how far they go and how often. But it's clear to me that the traditional detective approach isn't going to work. There are too many and they move in places where I can't follow. I'll have to track them a different way—I'm going to need some rat DNA.

Take a trip to a city almost anywhere in the world and odds are that you will find rats. Rats are infamous for traveling with us across the globe and yet, until recently, there was very little information on how rats move within cities.

Slippery little fellas

As someone who has trapped more than 700 rats, I can tell you that this lack of information is partly because rats are notoriously difficult to study. For other wildlife species, you can track movement by trapping an animal, tagging it with something like a numbered ear tag, recapturing that animal later on and then measuring the distance between traps. But rats are wary of traps, and very few rats will re-enter them more than once.

To get around issues of trappability, researchers can use GPS technologies. This approach still involves wrangling rats to affix GPS tags, but advances in GPS technologies allow for data to be transmitted to the researcher remotely without having to catch the animal again. In fact, miniaturization of tags has allowed us to attach GPS tags to rats. But we've learned that GPS tags are tricky to use with urban rats because they will remove them and satellite signals are obstructed in cities. Thank you, next?

An alternative to these approaches involves collecting rat DNA. Chances are you've heard of companies like 23andMe that track your global ancestry by sequencing DNA from your saliva. This approach looks at similarities and differences in the genetic codes of individuals to make inferences about how similar your DNA sequence is to that of other people in the database. This can also be applied to rats. Indeed, researchers have used genetics to track the migration of rats globally. But how can this information help us to understand and address rat-associated issues?

Staying close to home

When sampled across a city, we can trace rat movement at a finer scale. Over the past 10 years, there has been an increase in the number of rat movement studies using genetics. By looking at relatedness of individuals based on genetic similarity, we can identify groups of relatives. We've found that relatives are often in close proximity to each other.

In Vancouver, most relatives are within approximately 50 meters of each other and relatedness tends to decrease past 250 meters; on the whole, rats probably don't move very far.

However, some rats travel further afield. In Baltimore, one rat was estimated to have moved up to 11.5 kilometers. These migrant individuals can be identified because their genetic information assigns them to a group of individuals in a different location than to the one in which they were caught.

Thanks to genetics, we have come to understand that while rats typically move about the space of a city block, they move further than was estimated by observational methods. This is useful to know because it can help inform how we address rat-associated concerns.

Pathogens on the block

Rats carry a number of disease-causing organisms that can be transmitted to people. Many of these are spread among rats and to people through close contact with affected rats and their urine or feces. In Vancouver, where rats rarely move between blocks, we would expect that the pathogens they carry would be restricted as well, due to few opportunities to spread.

And that's what we see. Some blocks have many rats carrying a particular pathogen, while a neighboring block may have few or no affected rats. This is important because it suggests that actions that disrupt the normal patterns of rat movement could affect pathogen spread.

To remove rat-associated disease risks, efforts have focused on eliminating ratsaltogether, but this approach has been largely ineffective. This is partly because we fail to appropriately scale our control response.

Most control efforts are enacted at a single property. If we look to the DNA, however, we see why that approach won't cut it. Rats and rat colonies are often not restricted to a single property. For control efforts to be effective, they must encompass the genetic group, termed an eradication unit.

The scale of the unit varies by location due in part to barriers to movement such as roadways or rivers. For example, in Vancouver a genetic cluster of related rats occupies an entire block, or spans several blocks. By comparison, researchers have found that an eradication unit might encompass an entire "valley" in Salvador, Brazil.

From my vantage point in the alley, I am struck by the power of genetic sequencing to help us answer challenging questions. Instead of viewing each rat independently, I begin to see them as interconnected groups of relatives scurrying along the pavement. I wonder if any are outsiders, migrants from another block.

I check my bag and realize that something's missing. Tomorrow I'll be back with what I need for DNA collection: my Rat Detective Toolkit 2.0.

"Maine's North Woods comprises around 11 million acres of largely unbroken forestland"..............."This makes it the heart and soul of the Northern Appalachian/Acadian Forest — the largest intact temperate forest in North America, and perhaps the world".............."The largest moose population in the lower 48 states roams here, as does the nation's largest population of Canada Lynx and its second largest population of Common Loons (after Minnesota)"..............."Maine's North Woods is the only place in the east to host a full complement of predators, from coyotes to weasels(Wolves, Pumas and Caribou all long gone)"............."In spring and summer, it becomes a veritable "baby bird factory" for many of our resident and migratory songbirds, making it the largest globally significant Important Bird Area in the continental U.S."................"It is the largely unfragmented, undeveloped nature of this landscape that creates such invaluable habitat connectivity and biodiversity"............."Western and far northern Maine have been identified by the Staying Connected Initiative as an internationally significant wildlife corridor, and much of the North Woods has been identified as a highly resilient landscape by The Nature Conservancy"

https://www.maineaudubon.org/news/diverse-resilient-intact-the-unique-nature-of-maines-north-woods/

DIVERSE, RESILIENT, INTACT: THE UNIQUE NATURE OF MAINE’S NORTH WOODS

BY SALLY STOCKWELL

DECEMBER 31, 2018

Look up at night and you see a sky filled with stars and planets, many melting into the expansive Milky Way above. Look down at Maine from the sky, and you see a massive dark spot, one of very few remaining on the night sky map.

Maine’s dark spot is larger than any other in the eastern U.S. — larger than the Great Lakes, the Adirondacks, or the Everglades. While the North Woods is by no means untouched, with vibrant communities, active recreation opportunities, and a vigorous forest products industry, it nonetheless has the lowest “human footprint” score (defined by the Wildlife Conservation Society as the “most wild and least influenced” by people) across all of the Northern Appalachian Region.

From within this dark spot rise Maine’s 14 highest peaks (all over 4,000 feet, including Mount Katahdin). Much of the state’s five million acres of wetlands, 6,000 lakes and ponds, and countless streams are here, too. It holds the headwaters of all five of Maine’s largest rivers: the Androscoggin, the Kennebec, the St. John, the Penobscot, and the St. Croix. It hosts the entirety of the Allagash Wilderness Waterway.

Spanning over the northern and eastern two-thirds of the state, Maine’s North Woods comprises around 11 million acres of largely unbroken forestland. This makes it the heart and soul of the Northern Appalachian/Acadian Forest — the largest intact temperate forest in North America, and perhaps the world. It is a myriad puzzle of ecosystems across a climate gradient as diverse as all of Europe, a gem akin to some of the most important remaining intact tropical forests of the southern hemisphere.

What does this diversity look like? Let’s start with the plants. Hardwood forests are full of sugar maples (think maple syrup) and yellow birch (think hardwood flooring) reaching skyward from nutrient-rich, well-drained soil; boreal spruce-fir forests (think lumber and paper) line the cool, rocky coastline and damp northern flats; ribbed fens and bogs (think peat moss) brim with colorful orchids and insect-eating plants; freshwater marshes (think ducks) and floodplain forests fill with species that like to get their feet wet; and alpine tundra hosts only the hardiest plants, bending in the wind and under the weight of rime and snow.

All this landscape and plant diversity in turn creates a mosaic of habitats for the many species of wildlife that call Maine’s North Woods home. The largest moose population in the lower 48 states roams here, as does the nation’s largest population of Canada Lynx and its second largest population of Common Loons (after Minnesota). Maine’s North Woods is the only place in the east to host a full complement of predators, from coyotes to weasels. In spring and summer, it becomes a veritable “baby bird factory” for many of our resident and migratory songbirds, making it the largest globally significant Important Bird Area in the continental U.S.

Loon(a true wilderness "canary"

Imagine you are a Black Bear with two cubs trying to make a go of it in Maine. Each individual bear has a home range of about 19,000 forested acres, which it needs to find the food, water, shelter, and den sites for its survival. Where would you prefer to live? In the forest patches of southern Maine that are interspersed with houses, stores, office buildings, and wide, paved roads with lots of traffic? Or in the dark spot on the night sky map?

If you prefer cats to bears, then imagine you’re a bobcat. Now you only need about 6,000 acres for a home range…but if you want to find a mate — ideally within a big enough population so you can find the best match, with good genetic diversity and strong character — you will require hundreds of thousands of acres. Even smaller mammals, like River Otters, travel long distances. Each one typically uses 15-30 linear miles of waterways to search for their prey. Wood Turtles will move up to six miles along a river, and 500 feet from shore, to find their food and resting and nesting spots.

Canadian Lynx

Just like humans, who need to travel between home, work, school, the garden or the grocer, restaurants, stores, and more to find food, water, shelter, and companionship, other animals need to move, too. Fish such as Brook Trout and Atlantic Salmon need to move up, down, and between streams and ponds to find spawning habitat, feeding habitat, nursery areas, deep water refuge pools, and cold water summer refuge reaches. Moose, bear, bobcat, mink, Black-throated Blue Warblers, Wood Turtles, and Wood Frogs all need to move between summer and winter habitat, and in search of feeding, watering, and denning, nesting, and resting habitat. Up to 85 percent of vertebrates use riparian habitat, the area adjacent to waterways, as both living and travel corridors.

We are lucky here in Maine. We still have a relatively intact and healthy forest landscape. That’s why most of our native plant and wildlife species still call Maine home (we are missing wolves and Woodland Caribou). It’s why we still have wide-ranging mammals and uncommon and specialized species like the Furbish Lousewort and Bog Lemming. It is why we are the only state with the abundant clean, cold water needed to support the last vestiges of wild Brook Trout, Arctic Charr, and Atlantic Salmon. It’s why we still have Common Loons on almost every lake.

Maine is different from most other places in the east, where the list of missing or seriously depleted wildlife populations is long, and where habitat restoration — rather than habitat conservation and stewardship — is the norm.

Eastern Coyote

It is the largely unfragmented, undeveloped nature of our landscape that creates such invaluable habitat connectivity and biodiversity. Western and far northern Maine have been identified by the Staying Connected Initiative as an internationally significant wildlife corridor, and much of the North Woods has been identified as a highly resilient landscape by The Nature Conservancy. Because of its geographical variation and connectedness, the area will continue to support high biological diversity — in spite of changes brought about by a rapidly warming world.

But because it’s our backyard, it can be easy to forget how special it is. As stewards of Maine’s natural environment, we must not become complacent, lest we fail to protect this unique, invaluable resource.

The risk is very real. Roads, transmission lines, new development, and other human activity are knocking ever more loudly at the door. Development not only destroys habitat, but it can alter when, where, and how animals move between habitats. Fragmented habitat limits natural dispersal of young animals, isolates populations, reduces genetic exchange, and lowers population levels over time. Roads and roadside areas are often avoided by wildlife, create barriers to movement, and can be fatal for many species as they attempt to cross.

Moose

That’s why Maine Audubon, along with many other partners, is working in the North Woods to:

• Protect the most important conservation and recreation places through land acquisition and conservation easements.
• Improve stewardship and habitat connectivity of the surrounding “matrix” forest.
• Assist others who are searching for new ways to support a diverse rural economy dependent on both forest products and nature-based tourism and recreation.
• Craft recommendations for how best to site and operate new subdivisions, development, and renewable energy.

We are helping landowners write wildlife-friendly forest management plans through our Forestry for Maine Birds program; helping towns and private landowners receive professional assistance and funding to replace poorly functioning culverts with Stream Smart crossings that allow fish and wildlife passage; working to ensure riparian areas retain the shade and shelter that trout and salmon need; and making recommendations to the Land Use Planning Commission and Central Maine Power on how to better site and manage new and proposed developments. We are also continuing our long tradition of bringing people out into nature to inspire a sense of wonder and build a culture of wildlife conservation in Maine.

My own personal experiences in the North Woods are as varied as the terrain and climate, and have provided me with a rich bank of memories, sounds, scents, and feelings. I’ve carefully picked my way through the rock-strewn rapids of the Allagash, watching a moose cow and calf feeding in the shallows. I’ve been chased by a bear while on my way to conduct an early morning breeding bird survey in a remote bog far north of Bangor. I’ve camped under a full moon at Thoreau’s Island on the West Branch of the Penobscot, exactly 162 years after Thoreau was there himself. I’ve skied from Greenville to Kokadjo on a snowmobile trail without seeing another person for the entire 28 miles.

I’ve been blessed by these experiences. They take my breath away, make me stop and stare, stop and listen, stop and wonder, stop and yearn.

Beyond its ecological diversity, unusual land use history, and importance to recreation and timber production, the North Woods embodies an ethos unique to Maine. Those who have lived, worked, or traveled these woods and waters know there is a special spirit that keeps calling you back. There is always more to explore, more to see, more to listen to, more to learn. We cannot forget how special it is, how unique, how irreplaceable. Together, we must do whatever we can to keep it whole, keep it healthy, keep it productive, and keep it brimming with life.