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Predators impose top‐down forces on prey populations, with the strength of those effects often varying over space and time and among demographic groups. In ungulates, predation risk is typically greatest for neonatal offspring, with some suggesting that predators can key in on adult activity to locate hidden neonates. However, few field studies to date have been able to directly assess the influence of maternal care on ungulate neonate survival. Using a population of white‐tailed deer under heavy coyote predation pressure, we tested the maternal dispersion hypothesis, which suggests the dispersion of maternal activity temporally and spatially attenuates risk of predation for ungulate neonates during this vulnerable altricial phase. We compared support for this hypothesis with more commonly tested hypotheses regarding the influence of habitat conditions and intrinsic factors on neonatal survival. Fawn survival to 16 weeks was 27.7%, with coyotes accounting for 59% of fawn mortalities. In support of our maternal temporal diffusion hypothesis, we found that neonatal survival decreased as more maternal visits (proportionally) occurred at night. The only other significant (p <.1) predictor of fawn survival was birth timing, with fawn survival decreasing as the season progressed. Given that fawn survival declined as the proportion of nighttime visits increased, and that wild pig presence and human disturbance can push doe and fawn activity toward nocturnal hours, additional research is needed to determine whether managing pig and human disturbance can decrease fawn mortality. More broadly, given the importance of recruitment in ungulate population dynamics, our finding opens a potentially important new line of inquiry on how maternal behaviors influence predation risk in large animal predator–prey ecology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supplemental feeding of wild ungulates has long been and remains a common practice across Europe and North America. Yet by drawing animals together, supplemental feeding can have unintended, negative effects on individual species and broader ecological processes. These include increased risk of disease transmission, intraspecific and interspecific competition, and predation, which are of management concern for white‐tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in the southeastern United States given the arrival of nonnative wild pigs (Sus scrofa) and coyotes (Canis latrans). We conducted a field experiment between March and July of 2021 to assess the effects of supplemental feeding on spatiotemporal activity patterns of deer and wild pigs at wildlife feeders, and space use of coyotes in the Piedmont region of South Carolina, USA. We observed support for our hypothesis that interspecific competition through increased visitation by larger groups of competitor species reduces use of foraging sites by other subordinate ungulates, where feeders highly visited by wild pigs were rarely visited by deer. While adult deer and wild pigs generally did not shift their temporal activity patterns at feeders, juvenile temporal activity shifted to more frequent visits of feeders during the night, supporting our hypothesis that supplemental feed could increase risk to predator exposure, as coyotes tend to be active during crepuscular hours. Our findings suggest that supplemental feed put out to encourage deer activity could actually deter deer if wild pigs occupy that area, and has potential negative demographic effects if juveniles are at increased risk of predation. Collectively, based on our data, we do not recommend supplemental feeding in the southeastern United States where white‐tailed deer, coyotes, and wild pigs co‐occur. More broadly, given how widespread the legal use of supplemental feed remains across the United States, we encourage landowners and policymakers to consider the full suite of potential direct and indirect, short‐term and long‐term negative impacts supplemental feeding can have on both target and nontarget wildlife populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resource pulses are ecologically important phenomenon that occur in most ecosystems globally. Following optimal foraging theory, many consumers switch to pulsatile foods when available, examples of which include fruit mast and vulnerable young prey. Yet how the availability of resource pulses shapes the ecology of predators is still an emerging area of research; and how much individual variation there is in response to pulses is not well understood. We hypothesized that resource pulses would lead to dietary convergence in our population, which we tested by tracking both population‐level and individual coyote diets for 3 years in South Carolina, USA. We (1) described seasonal dietary shifts in relation to resource pulses; (2) compared male and female diets across seasons; and (3) tested this dietary convergence hypothesis by quantifying individual dietary variation both across and within periods when resource pulses were available. We found that pulses of white‐tailed deer fawns and blackberries composed over half of coyote diet in summer, and persimmon fruits were an important component in fall. Male and female coyotes generally had similar diets, but males consumed more deer in fall, perhaps driven by scavenging more. We found support for our dietary convergence hypothesis, where individuals had more similar diets during resource pulses compared to a non‐pulse period. We also found that this convergence happened before peak availability, suggesting a non‐symmetric response to pulse availability. We show that nearly all coyotes eat fawns, suggesting that targeted efforts to remove "fawn killers" would be in vain. Instead, given how quickly coyotes collectively converge on resource pulses, our findings show that resource pulses could potentially be used by managers to alter the behavior of apex predators. More broadly, we open a new line of inquiry into how variation in individual foraging decisions scales up to shape the effects of resource pulses on ecological communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hunting causes direct mortality and potentially disrupts normal activities of game and non‐game species. As spatial (i.e., selection of hunting areas) and temporal (i.e., only diurnally present) patterns of hunters can become predictable, hunted species may respond accordingly. Risk becomes more dynamic and complex for species that are hunted concurrent with their breeding cycle, and growing literature has noted that wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo spp.) behaviors can be altered by hunting activity. We allocated global positioning system (GPS) units to 1,500 wild turkey hunters and affixed GPS transmitters to 175 wild turkeys during 2014–2018 on the Webb Wildlife Management Area Complex in South Carolina, USA. We evaluated whether wild turkeys shifted resource selection as a function of hunter resource selection during the progression of hunting seasons. Male wild turkeys avoided areas where stationary hunting bouts occurred during the early hunting season (and selected for these areas before hunting began), whereas females were more likely to select those areas avoided by males by the end of the hunting season. For every 15% increase in predicted probability of an area being hunted, male wild turkeys were 4.16 times less likely to select that area, whereas female wild turkeys were 1.08 times more likely to select that area relative to pre‐season periods when hunters were not on the landscape. Hunting activity induced immediate responses by male wild turkeys as they sought refuge away from hunted areas. Coupled with recent research suggesting hunters are more influential than natural predators in reducing the frequency of male vocalizations and eliciting fleeing and avoidance behavior, our results indicate hunting activity could affect distribution and courtship behaviors of male wild turkeys during their breeding season. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Estimating survival and cause‐specific mortality of male eastern wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) is important for understanding population dynamics and implementing appropriate harvest management. To better understand age‐specific estimates of annual survival and harvest rates, we captured and marked male wild turkeys with leg bands (n = 311) or bands and transmitters (n = 549) in Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina, and South Carolina, USA, during 2014–2022. We fitted time to event models to data from radio‐marked birds to estimate cause‐specific mortality and annual survival. We used band recovery models incorporating both band recovery and telemetry data to further investigate harvest rates and survival. Annual survival from known‐fate models in hunted populations was 0.54 (95% CI = 0.49–0.59) for adults and 0.86 (95% CI = 0.81–0.92) for juveniles. Cause‐specific mortality analysis produced an annual harvest estimate of 0.29 (95% CI = 0.24–0.33) for adults and 0.02 (95% CI = 0.01–0.03) for juveniles, whereas predation was 0.15 (95% CI = 0.10–0.20) and 0.12 (95% CI = 0.08–0.17), respectively. Annual survival for adult males in a non‐hunted population was 0.83 (95% CI = 0.72–0.97). Survival rate was negatively correlated with harvest rate, indicating harvest was an additive mortality source. Annual survival from band recovery models was 0.40 (95% CI = 0.37–0.44) for adults and 0.88 (95% CI = 0.81– 0.93) for juveniles, whereas annual harvest estimates were 0.24 (95% CI = 0.23–0.25) for adults and 0.04 (95% CI = 0.03–0.05) for juveniles. Both models suggested no differences in annual survival across years or among study areas, which included privately owned and public properties. Harvest was an additive mortality source for male wild turkeys, suggesting that managers interested in increasing annual survival of adult males could consider ways of reducing harvest rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coyotes (Canis latrans) colonized the eastern United States over the last century and formed a 3-species predator guild with bobcats (Lynx rufus) and gray foxes (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) across much of the southeastern United States. Diets among the three species vary along with respective impacts on game species such as white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo). To determine predation impacts on vertebrate prey and dietary overlap in consumption of prey items, we assessed diets of coyote, bobcat, and gray fox during spring, coinciding with white-tailed deer fawning and wild turkey nesting and brood rearing. We sampled across three sites along the Savannah River in South Carolina from mid-May through mid-June of 2020–2021. We collected 180 scat samples along 295.9 kilometers (71.1–122.4 km/site) of unpaved secondary roads and used DNA metabarcoding to determine vertebrate diet items. We identified predator species of scat using DNA metabarcoding and species-specific mtDNA fragment analysis (153 were coyote, 20 bobcat, and seven gray fox). Overall, we found evidence that two species, coyote and bobcat, consumed deer while all three consumed turkeys. Frequency of deer in the diet varied across sites for coyotes from 62–86% and wild turkey was present with a frequency of occurrence of 9% for coyotes, 5% for bobcats, and 14% for gray fox. Vertebrate diet specialization was evident across predator species with high frequency of deer in coyote diets, rabbits and small mammals in bobcat diets, and herpetofauna in gray fox diets. During deer fawning and wild turkey nesting and brood rearing, dietary overlap appears to be mediated by disparate selection of prey items, which reduced competition among coyotes, bobcats, and gray foxes. Use of DNA metabarcoding may augment our understanding of dietary preferences within this predator guild by providing increased resolution of diet composition among important game species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wild pigs (Sus scrofa), which are invasive in many regions globally, can alter ecosystems and compete with native species through interference competition and resource exploitation. Wild pig impacts on other species may increase with greater niche overlap, which could vary over time based on environmental conditions, resource availability, or biological traits like diet, especially as seasonal variation in wild pig diet has been widely documented. A limited number of studies have assessed spatial or temporal overlap between native species and invasive wild pigs, with only a handful simultaneously assessing overlap in these niche dimensions. We investigated the potential for interspecific interactions involving invasive wild pigs in the Piedmont region of South Carolina, USA, by examining seasonal spatiotemporal overlap with other wildlife using N‐mixture models and diel activity overlap analyses. Site use by white‐tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and coyote (Canis latrans) was negatively associated with wild pig activity in the fall, when the species had high diel activity overlap, indicating spatial partitioning could reduce interference competition with wild pigs in this season. Conversely, white‐tailed deer site use was positively associated with wild pig activity in the winter, suggesting higher spatial overlap may be necessary if resources are limited. Site use by bobcat (Lynx rufus) and nine‐banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) in the spring, along with raccoon (Procyon lotor) and wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) site use in the summer, was positively associated with wild pig activity. With the exception of diurnal wild turkey, diel activity overlap between these species and wild pigs was high, although temporal partitioning could have occurred at finer spatiotemporal scales than we examined. Our results collectively emphasize the importance of accounting for seasonal spatial and temporal responses by individual species to invasive wild pigs, with special consideration given to species in seasons where high niche overlap with wild pigs is anticipated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eastern wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) use a polygynous‐promiscuous mating system, wherein males compete for mating opportunities and communicate with females via courtship behaviors. One courtship behavior is vocalization (gobbling), which attracts females and signals dominance to other males. However, temporal variation in gobbling activity may be influenced by external stimuli, environmental variation, and hunter activity. Gobbling activity is a key determinant of hunter satisfaction, and gobbling chronology is often used by state agencies to inform regulatory processes. To identify factors influencing gobbling activity, we evaluated daily gobbling chronology on 3 sites in South Carolina, USA (Webb Wildlife Management Area [WMA] Complex, Savannah River Site, Crackerneck WMA) with different levels of hunter activity. We used autonomous recording units (ARUs; n = 45) across 8,280 days to collect 53,937 hours of ambient sound recordings and identified 68,426 gobbles. Gobbling activity varied daily and site interacting with minutes since sunrise best predicted daily gobbling activity. We noted distinct differences in predicted numbers of gobbles between hunted sites and an unhunted site, suggesting that hunting may be an important determinant of gobbling activity. Across our study sites, we observed that ≥72% of gobbling activity occurred between 30 minutes before and 60 minutes after sunrise. We found no clear evidence of well‐defined unimodal or bimodal peaks in daily or weekly gobbling activity. Across sites, <44% of gobbling activity occurred during legal hunting seasons in South Carolina, with between 30% and 48% of gobbling activity occurring after legal hunting seasons. Because hunter satisfaction is primarily influenced by gobbling activity, wildlife managers in South Carolina may consider adjusting dates of turkey hunting seasons to correspond hunting with periods when most gobbling occurs. © 2018 The Wildlife Society. Our results indicated that eastern wild turkey gobbling activity was best predicted by time since sunrise while varying according to hunting regimes. Additionally, most gobbling occurred outside of the current public land hunting season framework in South Carolina. We suggest that accurate assessments of gobbling chronology, combined with reproductive phenology, harvest rates of males, and measurements of hunter satisfaction be considered by agencies when establishing season frameworks and bag limits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The landscape of fear theory proposes that prey should utilize habitat over space and time such that demographic risk is minimized. White-tailed deer Odocoileus virginianus respond to temporally and spatially predictable threats posed by humans consistent with the landscape of fear theory. However, few studies examining the response of deer to hunting have accounted for the localized nature of risk. To determine if white-tailed deer are able to recognize and respond to risks posed by hunters relative to specific hunting locations, we equipped 38 female white-tailed deer with GPS collars August–December 2013–2015. Deer were generally found to increase use of feeders, food plots, and vulnerability zones during crepuscular and nocturnal periods as the hunting season progressed. However, deer use of areas around hunting stands decreased during the middle of the day and increased at night in the days immediately following a stand being hunted. We detected no change in use of areas around hunting stands during crepuscular hours in days following when a stand was hunted. Our results suggest that female white-tailed deer are able to recognize and respond to localized risks and do so with a gradient of responses based on localized risk history. However, response was only apparent when analysis accounted for the localized nature of risk, suggesting previous studies may have underestimated the ability of deer to respond to such threats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The landscape of fear theory proposes that prey should utilize habitat over space and time such that demographic risk is minimized. White‐tailed deer Odocoileus virginianus respond to temporally and spatially predictable threats posed by humans consistent with the landscape of fear theory. However, few studies examining the response of deer to hunting have accounted for the localized nature of risk. To determine if white‐tailed deer are able to recognize and respond to risks posed by hunters relative to specific hunting locations, we equipped 38 female white‐tailed deer with GPS collars August–December 2013–2015. Deer were generally found to increase use of feeders, food plots, and vulnerability zones during crepuscular and nocturnal periods as the hunting season progressed. However, deer use of areas around hunting stands decreased during the middle of the day and increased at night in the days immediately following a stand being hunted. We detected no change in use of areas around hunting stands during crepuscular hours in days following when a stand was hunted. Our results suggest that female white‐tailed deer are able to recognize and respond to localized risks and do so with a gradient of responses based on localized risk history. However, response was only apparent when analysis accounted for the localized nature of risk, suggesting previous studies may have underestimated the ability of deer to respond to such threats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT The eastward expansion of coyotes ( Canis latrans) has brought the species into ecosystems and landscapes different from those it historically occupied, yet little is known about the reproductive biology of coyotes in the southeastern United States or the effects of exploitation on reproduction in coyotes. Our objective was to quantify litter size, pregnancy rate, and fecundity in an essentially unexploited coyote population in South Carolina, USA and to evaluate the effect of exploitation on these parameters. We examined reproductive tracts from 235 female coyotes trapped during 2010-2012. Placental scars from coyotes trapped during 2010 indicated that prior to trapping (2009), pregnancy rates were zero for juveniles, 0.25 for yearlings, and 0.389 for adults. Litter size for adults during 2009 averaged 5.4 pups/female, resulting in fecundity of 2.1 pups/female. The number of coyotes trapped was similar among years, indicating that the population recovered following trapping each year, but it shifted toward a younger age structure during trapping. However, although pregnancy rate, litter size, and fecundity of adults all tended to increase from pre-trapping (2009) through the last trapping period (2011-2012), differences were not significant for this or any other age class. Fecundity of the population did not significantly increase during the first year of trapping (2010) but was lower during the last trapping period (2011-2012; 0.56 ± 0.15 [95% CL]) than prior to trapping (0.90 ± 0.15 [95% CL]). Thus, we observed only weak evidence for compensatory reproduction in response to trapping pressure and conclude that the increase in the juvenile component of the population was attributable primarily to immigration from neighboring areas rather than in situ reproduction. This increased representation of juveniles in the population, which rarely bred, coupled with a concurrent decrease in adults, which accounted for 59.2% of breeding, explains the reduction in population fecundity. High immigration rates as indicated herein render coyote populations extremely difficult to control. © 2017 The Wildlife Society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Female white-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus) are thought to choose between two behavioral strategies to maximize the quality of potential mates: sit and wait, characterized by concentrating activity within a restricted area, and excursive behavior, characterized by increased activity and excursions outside the home range. As movement patterns may influence conception, our goal was to examine the patterns of female white-tailed deer movements to evaluate which breeding strategy was employed. We equipped 36 female white-tailed deer with GPS collars from August 2013 to December 2015. We found that movement rate and probability of activity were greatest near the peak of the breeding season, and we observed increases in both metrics during the 40 days prior to estimated conception. Peak size of home range and core area occurred in the days surrounding conception. We found that 11 deer performed an excursion, ranging from 43 days before until 36 days after conception, with the peak probability of being outside of an individual home range occurring 1 day prior to conception. Our results suggest that female white-tailed deer may attempt to maximize the quality of their mates by advertising availability for breeding through excursive behaviors just prior to entering estrus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Camera surveys commonly are used by managers and hunters to estimate white-tailed deer Odocoileus virginianus density and demographic rates. Though studies have documented biases and inaccuracies in the camera survey methodology, camera traps remain popular due to ease of use, cost-effectiveness, and ability to survey large areas. Because recruitment is a key parameter in ungulate population dynamics, there is a growing need to test the effectiveness of camera surveys for assessing fawn recruitment. At Savannah River Site, South Carolina, we used six years of camera-based recruitment estimates (i.e. fawn:doe ratio) to predict concurrently collected annual radiotag-based survival estimates. The coefficient of determination ( R2) was 0.445, indicating some support for the viability of cameras to reflect recruitment. We added two years of data from Fort Bragg Military Installation, North Carolina, which improved R2 to 0.621 without accounting for site-specific variability. Also, we evaluated the correlation between year-to-year changes in recruitment and survival using the Savannah River Site data; R2 was 0.758, suggesting that camera-based recruitment could be useful as an indicator of the trend in survival. Because so few researchers concurrently estimate survival and camera-based recruitment, examining this relationship at larger spatial scales while controlling for numerous confounding variables remains difficult. Future research should test the validity of our results from other areas with varying deer and camera densities, as site (e.g. presence of feral pigs Sus scrofa) and demographic (e.g. fawn age at time of camera survey) parameters may have a large influence on detectability. Until such biases are fully quantified, we urge researchers and managers to use caution when advocating the use of camera-based recruitment estimates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Predation by coyotes ( Canis latrans) on white-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus) neonates has led to reduced recruitment in many deer populations in southeastern North America. This low recruitment combined with liberal antlerless deer harvest has resulted in declines in some deer populations, and consequently, increased interest in coyote population control. We investigated whether neonate survival increased after coyote removal, whether coyote predation on neonates was additive to other mortality sources, and whether understory vegetation density affected neonate survival. We monitored neonate survival for 4 years prior to (2006-2009) and 3 years during (2010-2012) intensive coyote removal on 3 32-km2 units on the United States Department of Energy's Savannah River Site, South Carolina. We removed 474 coyotes (1.63 coyotes/km2 per unit per year), reducing coyote abundance by 78% from pre-removal levels. The best model ( w i = 0.927) describing survival probability among 216 radio-collared neonates included a within-year quadratic time trend variable, date of birth, removal treatment, and a varying removal year effect. Under this model, survival differed between pre-treatment and removal periods and it differed among years during the removal period, being >100% greater than pre-treatment survival (0.228) during the first removal year (0.513), similar to pre-treatment survival during the second removal year (0.202), and intermediate during the third removal year (0.431). Despite an initial increase, the overall effect of coyote removal on neonate survival was modest. Mortality rate attributable to coyote predation was lowest during the first removal year (0.357) when survival was greatest, but the mortality rate from all other causes did not differ between the pre-treatment period and any year during removals, indicating that coyote predation acted as an additive source of mortality. Survival probability was not related to vegetation cover, either directly or in interaction with coyote abundance. When the objective is to increase the recruitment of white-tailed deer, we conclude that neither coyote control nor vegetation management appear effective. Reduction of the antlerless harvest may be necessary to meet this objective, but this harvest strategy warrants additional research in Southeastern deer populations. Published 2014. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The social and environmental pressures exerted on white-tailed deer Odocoileus virginianus in the southeastern United States are dynamic. Understanding factors that contribute to neonatal white-tailed deer mortality is vital to population management. To determine survival rates and causes of mortality, we captured and radio-monitored neonate white-tailed deer in the coastal plain of South Carolina. Using date of birth, mass, sex, age, and year as predictor variables, we created a candidate set of survival models to evaluate which factors influenced daily survival rates. We captured and monitored 210 fawns and recorded 68 total mortalities (32.3%). We recorded few mortalities in 2006 (n = 5; 12.8%) and 2007 (n = 5; 12.5%), but we observed a significant increase in mortality in 2008 (n = 18; 37.5%), 2009 (n = 28; 53.8%), and 2010 (n = 12; 38.7%). Predation accounted for the majority of mortalities (n = 29; 42.6%). We found that male fawns were more than twice as likely to survive as females, and older fawns were more likely to succumb to predation than younger fawns. Overall survival in our study was higher than estimates recently reported in the southeastern United States. Recent increases in coyote predation have been cause for concern in some parts of the Southeast, but our results indicate that although it appeared coyote predation increased over the course of our study, predation did not reach levels that have been reported elsewhere, possibly due to predator-control activities on our study site. Close monitoring of the deer population at Brosnan Forest allowed managers to adequately adjust harvest prescriptions to maintain deer populations at the desired level despite an apparent decline in fawn survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many monitoring programs for white-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus) on both private and public lands across the United States have long relied on the use of road-based spotlight surveys for monitoring population size and trends. Research has suggested spotlight surveys are ineffective and that road-based surveys for deer are biased because of highly variable detection rates. To evaluate variability in detection rates relative to the assumption that repeated surveys along roads will provide reliable trend data for use in calculating deer density estimates, we collected 5 years of thermal-imager and spotlight survey data using a multiple-observer, closed-capture approach. Using a Huggin's closed capture model, data bootstrapping, and variance components analyses, our results suggest that density estimates for white-tailed deer generated from data collected during road-based spotlight surveys are likely not reflective of the standing deer population. Detection probabilities during individual spotlight surveys ranged from 0.00 to 0.80 (median = 0.45) across all surveys, and differed by observer, survey, management unit, and survey transect replicate. Mean spotlight detection probability (0.41) and process standard deviation (0.12) estimates indicated considerable variability across surveys, observers, transects, and years, which precludes the generation of a correction factor or use of spotlight data to evaluate long-term trends at any scale. Although recommended by many state, federal, and non-governmental agencies, our results suggest that the benefit of spotlight survey data for monitoring deer populations is limited and likely represents a waste of resources with no appreciable management information gained. © 2012 The Wildlife Society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coyotes ( Canis latrans) are novel predators throughout the southeastern United States and their depredation of white-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus) neonates may explain observed declines in some deer populations in the region, but direct evidence for such a relationship is lacking. Our objective was to quantify neonate survival rates and causes of mortality at the United States Department of Energy's Savannah River Site (SRS), South Carolina to directly evaluate degree of predation in this deer population. From 2006 to 2009, we radio-monitored 91 neonates captured with the aid of vaginal implant transmitters in pregnant adult females and opportunistic searches. Overall Kaplan-Meier survival rate to 16 weeks of age was 0.230 (95% CI = 0.155-0.328), and it varied little among years. Our best-fitting model estimated survival at 0.220 (95% CI = 0.144-0.320). This model included a quadratic time trend variable (lowest survival rate during the first week of life and increasing to near 1.000 around week 10), and Julian date of birth (survival probability declining as date of birth increased). Predation by coyotes was the most frequent cause of death among the 70 monitored neonates that died, definitively accounting for 37% of all mortalities and potentially accounting for as much as 80% when also including probable coyote predation. Predation by bobcats ( Felis rufus) accounted for 7% (definitive) to 9% (including probable bobcat predation) of mortalities. The level of coyote-induced mortality we observed is consistent with the low recruitment rates exhibited in the SRS deer population since establishment of coyotes at the site. If representative of recruitment rates across South Carolina, current harvest levels appear unsustainable. This understanding is consistent with the recent declining trend in the statewide deer population. The effects of coyote predation on recruitment should be considered when setting harvest goals, regardless of whether local deer population size is currently above or below desired levels, because coyotes can substantially reduce fawn recruitment. Published 2012. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coyote (Canis latrans) is a recent addition to the fauna of eastern North America, and in many areas coyote populations have been established for only a decade or two. Although coyotes are known predators of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in their historic range, effects this new predator may have on eastern deer populations have received little attention. We speculated that in the southeastern United States, coyotes may be affecting deer recruitment, and we present 5 lines of evidence that suggest this possibility. First, the statewide deer population in South Carolina has declined coincident with the establishment and increase in the coyote population. Second, data sets from the Savannah River Site (SRS) in South Carolina indicate a new mortality source affecting the deer population concurrent with the increase in coyotes. Third, an index of deer recruitment at SRS declined during the period of increase in coyotes. Fourth, food habits data from SRS indicate that fawns are an important food item for coyotes during summer. Finally, recent research from Alabama documented significant coyote predation on fawns there. Although this evidence does not establish cause and effect between coyotes and observed declines in deer recruitment, we argue that additional research should proactively address this topic in the region. We identified several important questions on the nature of the deer-coyote relationship in the East. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge and attitude are essential components of food security as malnutrition remains a critical public health concern among adolescents. The study evaluates the effectiveness of a Triple Benefit Health Education Intervention on knowledge, attitude and food security towards malnutrition among adolescent girls. This was a cluster randomized controlled trial among 417 randomly selected adolescent girls aged 10 to 19 years old in Maiduguri, Borno state, Nigeria from October 2019 to March 2020. About 208 respondents were assigned to experimental while 209 to control group, respectively, using an opaque sealed envelope. A structured questionnaire using KoBo Collect Toolbox was used for the collection of data at baseline, three and six-months post intervention while the data collected were analyzed using generalized estimating equation (GEE). The outcome of the baseline shows no statistically significant difference in sociodemographic characteristics, knowledge, attitude and food security between experimental and control groups. The study reveals a statistically significant difference between experimental and control groups for knowledge (p < 0.001; p < 0.001), attitude (p < 0.001; p < 0.001) and food security (p = 0.026; p = 0.001) at three and six-months post intervention, respectively. The triple benefit health education intervention package employed in this study can serve as an intervention tool to combat malnutrition among adolescent girls in Nigeria at large. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]