Raccoon predators
![raccoon predators raccoon predators](https://aaaccdn.sfo3.digitaloceanspaces.com/uploads/sites/5/2022/08/Red-Fox.jpg)
Our study site provides little baseline evidence that coyotes influence raccoons, which is consistent with Gehrt and Clark’s hypothesis that coyote–raccoon interactions do not follow the mesopredator release hypothesis. Combining data on vigilance behavior and activity patterns should provide additional insight into behavioral and temporal effects of predation risk on raccoons.
![raccoon predators raccoon predators](https://static3.bigstockphoto.com/5/4/2/large1500/245718748.jpg)
Raccoons may use a combination of antipredator behaviors to mitigate predation risk, such as altering vigilance rates and using fine-scale changes in activity patterns, rather than shifting overall activity or avoiding areas used by coyotes altogether. demonstrated that in an area where domestic dogs ( Canis lupus familiaris) are known to harass and kill raccoons, playbacks of recorded dog vocalizations altered raccoon foraging and led to cascading effects at lower trophic levels. Thus, if coyotes depredate raccoons, then raccoons should fear coyotes and respond behaviorally in ways that mitigate predation risk from coyotes (e.g., with high levels of vigilance with temporal shifts in diel activity). Red wolves were presumably an important predator of raccoons, as inferred from red wolf scat contents (e.g., ). It is possible that coyotes could function ecologically as a replacement for extirpated red wolves. Mesopredators (e.g., raccoons ( Procyon lotor)) compete with coyotes for access to some of the same foods, while potentially serving as a coyote food themselves. However, less attention has been afforded to coyote effects on other taxa, including mesopredators. Indeed, considering the economic value of white-tailed deer (deer Odocoileus virginianus) and deer hunting in the southeastern U.S., studies of direct and nonconsumptive effects of coyotes on deer populations have garnered notable interest recently. Given evidence that coyotes can affect the occupancy of herbivorous mammals, it is possible their presence could have wide-reaching effects on food webs through trophic cascades.
![raccoon predators raccoon predators](https://99percentinvisible.org/app/uploads/2019/12/raccoon-202675_1920-600x400.jpg)
Coyote expansion into the southeastern United States has been much more recent, and coyotes potentially play a role as apex predator by replacing the mountain lions ( Puma concolor) and red wolves ( Canis rufus) that were extirpated from the region. Thus, our study indicates that nonconsumptive effects of coyotes on raccoons are unlikely, which calls into question the ability of coyotes to initiate strong trophic cascades through some mesocarnivores.Ĭoyotes ( Canis latrans) dramatically expanded their range in North America over the past two centuries, potentially allowing them to serve as the top terrestrial predator in many areas. Activity pattern results provided further evidence that raccoons do not appear to fear coyotes, as both species were active at the same time and showed a high degree of overlap (Δ = 0.75) with little evidence of temporal segregation in activity. Overall, raccoons did not appear to exhibit high levels of vigilance. Raccoons and coyotes demonstrated nocturnal activity patterns, with coyotes more likely to be active during daylight hours.
Raccoon predators full#
Raccoons were more vigilant during full moon and diurnal hours but less vigilant as group size increased and when other species were present. Overall, raccoons were vigilant 46% of the time while foraging at baited sites.
![raccoon predators raccoon predators](https://i.pinimg.com/736x/ed/2b/c8/ed2bc8d363c27d8f362d19807edda40b--the-turtles-raccoons.jpg)
Additionally, we created raccoon and coyote activity patterns from the camera trap data by fitting density functions based on circular statistics and calculating the coefficient of overlap (Δ). We used camera traps at baited sites to quantify vigilance behavior of feeding raccoons and used binomial logistic regression to analyze the effects of social and environmental factors. Coyotes ( Canis latrans) recently expanded into the eastern United States, and raccoons ( Procyon lotor) are a common mesocarnivore that potentially serve as competitors and food for coyotes. Nonconsumptive effects of predators potentially have negative fitness consequences on prey species through changes in prey behavior.