Animal attendance at M‐44 sodium cyanide ejector sites for coyotes

ABSTRACT Sodium cyanide (NaCN) ejectors for coyotes (Canis latrans), known as M‐44s, are used in many parts of the United States for lethally removing coyotes to protect livestock or other resources. Quantifying selectivity of current devices in killing target and non‐target species is important to...

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Main Authors: John A. Shivik, Lauren Mastro, Julie K. Young
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2014-03-01
Series:Wildlife Society Bulletin
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/wsb.361
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author John A. Shivik
Lauren Mastro
Julie K. Young
author_facet John A. Shivik
Lauren Mastro
Julie K. Young
author_sort John A. Shivik
collection DOAJ
description ABSTRACT Sodium cyanide (NaCN) ejectors for coyotes (Canis latrans), known as M‐44s, are used in many parts of the United States for lethally removing coyotes to protect livestock or other resources. Quantifying selectivity of current devices in killing target and non‐target species is important to users and provides a baseline for future development of more effective and selective techniques. We used motion‐activated cameras to monitor M‐44 locations for coyote and other species visitations to the sites. Because camera presence potentially influences coyote behavior, we first compared activation of M‐44s at paired sites where cameras were and were not present. Coyotes activated M‐44s sites with cameras (n = 17) similarly to sites without cameras (n = 19). During 832 site‐days of observation, coyotes visited M‐44 sites 29 times, and 18 other species visited 1,597 times. The mean visitation ratio for non‐coyotes to coyotes was 2.8:1 at the M‐44 locations monitored (n = 22). Non‐coyotes were much less likely to touch the devices with their noses or mouths than were coyotes (0.24:1). No non‐canid activated an M‐44, suggesting very high selectivity toward killing canid species. Published 2013. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
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spelling doaj-art-b35c42d302e64273a6faa93e9e169c492025-08-20T02:36:28ZengWileyWildlife Society Bulletin2328-55402014-03-0138121722010.1002/wsb.361Animal attendance at M‐44 sodium cyanide ejector sites for coyotesJohn A. Shivik0Lauren Mastro1Julie K. Young2United States Department of Agriculture, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, Department of Wildland ResourcesUtah State University163 BNR BuildingLoganUT84322‐5295USAUnited States Department of Agriculture, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research CenterUtah State University163 BNR BuildingLoganUT84322‐5295USAUnited States Department of Agriculture, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, and Department of Wildland ResourcesUtah State University163 BNR BuildingLoganUT84322‐5295USAABSTRACT Sodium cyanide (NaCN) ejectors for coyotes (Canis latrans), known as M‐44s, are used in many parts of the United States for lethally removing coyotes to protect livestock or other resources. Quantifying selectivity of current devices in killing target and non‐target species is important to users and provides a baseline for future development of more effective and selective techniques. We used motion‐activated cameras to monitor M‐44 locations for coyote and other species visitations to the sites. Because camera presence potentially influences coyote behavior, we first compared activation of M‐44s at paired sites where cameras were and were not present. Coyotes activated M‐44s sites with cameras (n = 17) similarly to sites without cameras (n = 19). During 832 site‐days of observation, coyotes visited M‐44 sites 29 times, and 18 other species visited 1,597 times. The mean visitation ratio for non‐coyotes to coyotes was 2.8:1 at the M‐44 locations monitored (n = 22). Non‐coyotes were much less likely to touch the devices with their noses or mouths than were coyotes (0.24:1). No non‐canid activated an M‐44, suggesting very high selectivity toward killing canid species. Published 2013. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.https://doi.org/10.1002/wsb.361cameraCanis latranscoyoteM‐44selectivityVirginia
spellingShingle John A. Shivik
Lauren Mastro
Julie K. Young
Animal attendance at M‐44 sodium cyanide ejector sites for coyotes
Wildlife Society Bulletin
camera
Canis latrans
coyote
M‐44
selectivity
Virginia
title Animal attendance at M‐44 sodium cyanide ejector sites for coyotes
title_full Animal attendance at M‐44 sodium cyanide ejector sites for coyotes
title_fullStr Animal attendance at M‐44 sodium cyanide ejector sites for coyotes
title_full_unstemmed Animal attendance at M‐44 sodium cyanide ejector sites for coyotes
title_short Animal attendance at M‐44 sodium cyanide ejector sites for coyotes
title_sort animal attendance at m 44 sodium cyanide ejector sites for coyotes
topic camera
Canis latrans
coyote
M‐44
selectivity
Virginia
url https://doi.org/10.1002/wsb.361
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