Coyote depredation control: An interface between biology and management

Predation by coyotes (Canis latrans) on livestock continues to plague produ cers in the United States. Agricultural interests are concerned about coyot e predation because sheep inventories in the U.S. have declined >85% in the past 60 years, with a 25% decline between 1991 and 1996, This decline in s heep numbers has been attributed to low economic returns among producers, w ith coyote predation cited as a major causative factor. Generalizations abo ut the magnitude and nature of depredations can be misleading because of th e varied nature of sheep operations, including size of operations, differen ces in management, and environmental circumstances surrounding individual o perations. Coyote depredation rates appear to be influenced by sheep manage ment practices, coyote biology and behavior, environmental factors, and dep redation management programs, Most nonlethal depredation control techniques fall within the operational purview of the producers. The major controvers y regarding depredation management focuses on programs that remove coyotes to prevent or curtail predation on domestic stock, especially on public lan ds. Differences in the magnitude, nature, and history of problems caused by coyotes, as well as the circumstances in which they occur, dictates a need for a variety of techniques and programs to resolve problems. The resoluti on of coyote depredation upon livestock remains controversial for producers , resource managers, and the general public. Because various segments of so ciety attach different values to coyotes, resolution of depredations should use management programs that integrate the social, legal, economic, and bi ological aspects of the animals and the problem. Preferred solutions should involve procedures that solve problems as effectively, efficiently, and ec onomically as possible in the least intrusive and most benign ways. Predati on management requires a partnership among producers and wildlife managers to tailor programs to specific damage situations so the most appropriate te chniques can be selected. This paper attempts to clarify the issues surroun ding depredation management, synthesize past and current research, and prov ide information to resource managers associated with coyote depredation man agement. This synthesis integrates current understandings of coyote biology and behavior, the nature of depredations upon sheep producing enterprises, and the merits of various depredation control strategies and techniques.