Change in home range and habitat use of Canis lupus x Canis latrans hybrid in northern Michigan.

Abstract

The gray wolf, Canis lupus, has been extinct from the Lower Peninsula in Michigan since 1935, but in recent years Canis lupus x Canis latrans hybrids have recolonized the northernmost counties of the peninsula. A female coyote-wolf hybrid radiocollared in 2010 has been tracked periodically and was recently found to have lost a foot. We hypothesized that as a result her home range and average distance traveled during hunting hours would decrease and the habitat types she used would change. The animal was tracked using radiotelemetry for fourteen nights, resulting in a total of 55 data points. Between 2010-2015 and 2016, her home range decreased from 36 km2 to 14 km2 and habitat use shifted to include more agricultural land and less forested habit (χ2=24.521, df=3, p=0.000). The change in the home range and habitat use of the coyote-wolf hybrid could potentially have a significant impact on its ecosystem, as well as its conservation status. The ecology and impact of the coyote-wolf hybrids should be closely observed in order to clarify their ecosystem role and determine whether conservation measures should be enacted in the future.