USING MODERN TECHNOLOGICAL TOOLS TO MONITOR COYOTES

     The eastern coyote (Canis latrans) was first reported in Georgia in the 1950s, and it is now a common resident in the southeastern U.S. As the red wolf (Canis rufus) was extirpated, the coyote spread further eastward, occupying the wolf's vacated ecological niche. The emergence of this new top predator can and will have significant ecological implications in some areas. Coyotes can potentially produce "top-down" effects whereby a small number of individuals can disproportionately influence animal and plant communities. Conversely, when a top predator is absent, a community can experience "mesopredator release" or an overabundance of midsize predators (e.g., raccoons). Research is needed to investigate the impact of a burgeoning coyote population. Berry College, situated on approximately 26,000 acres in northwest Georgia's Floyd County, harbors a wild population of coyotes. My students and I have been gathering general ecological data on the local coyote population for the past several years, including overall population size estimates, group sizes, ranging patterns, and dietary information. Data have been collected using motion sensing cameras, induced responses to artificial coyote calls (i.e., howling), footprint observations/measurements, and scat analysis. This summer's NSF-REU project will concentrate on the observation and monitoring of coyotes through the use of modern technology, including radio telemetry, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), remote cameras, and bioacoustics.