Swift foxes Sjft^^' 



often compete 



with coyotes for 



food and otfier 



resources. 



increased and survival was temporarily prolonged. 

 Survival patterns for adult foxes also were altered 

 by coyote removal, but only following late-summer 

 coyote removals, and again only temporarily. Coyote 

 predation remained the main cause of juvenile and 

 adult swift-fox mortality in both areas. 



The increase in juvenile fox survival in the coyote 

 removal area resulted in a compensatory increase 

 in the juvenile dispersal rate and an earlier pulse 

 in dispersal movements. The adult-fox dispersal 

 rate was more consistent throughout the year in 

 the coyote removal area. Coyote removal did not 



A biologist releases a swift fox after fitting it with a radio 

 transmitter to learn more about its movements and habitat use. 



influence the reproductive parameters of the swift 

 foxes. Even though juvenile survival increased, swift- 

 fox density remained similar between the areas due 

 to the compensatory dispersal rate among juvenile 

 foxes. NWRC scientists concluded that the swift-fox 

 population in the area was saturated because all 

 suitable habitat was being used by foxes. 



TITLE: Improved Technologies and Nonlethal 

 Techniques for Managing Predation 



GOAL: Identify, develop, and evaluate improved 



technologies and tools, especially nonlethal 

 methods for managing predation. 



Livestock predation costs U.S. producers 

 approximately $93 million each year. Developing 

 acceptable and effective predator-management 

 tools to reduce these livestock losses is a high 

 priority for WS. Concerns for public health and 

 safety, as well as animal welfare, put wildlife 

 managers under pressure to seek immediate 

 solutions when predators cause conflicts. Research 

 conducted by scientists at NWRC's Utah field 

 station is focused on finding alternative, nonlethal 

 tools and techniques to prevent predatory behavior 

 through the use of disruptive (frightening) and 

 aversive (behaviorally conditioning) stimuli. In 

 addition, NWRC researchers are developing 

 improved methods for capturing predators and 

 monitoring their behaviors and movements. 



Electrified Fladry as a New Approach for 

 Protecting Livestock From Wolves — Scientists 

 at the NWRC Utah field station conducted an 

 experiment to test the effectiveness of electrified 

 fladry for protecting food resources from 10 captive 

 wolf groups (n = 36, range = 2-7 wolves/group). 

 (Fladry is simply a line of flags hung along the 

 perimeter of a pasture.) In this study, researchers 

 combine an animal's fear of a novel stimulus (flags) 

 with conditioning from an unpleasant electric shock. 



An electrified fladry system (turbo-fladry) was 

 used to partition an 18.6-m^area of wolves' pens 

 and prevent access to food. A fresh carcass was 

 available in the protected area for 5 days. On the 



Developing Methods 17 



