Raccoon removal on sea turtle nesting beaches

    Authors

    B. T. Barton;J. D. Roth

    Comments

    Authors: contact us about adding a copy of your work at STARS@ucf.edu

    Abbreviated Journal Title

    J. Wildl. Manage.

    Keywords

    beach ecology; Caretta caretta; diet; dispersal; loggerhead turtle; predator removal; Procyon lotor; raccoon; stable isotopes; STABLE-ISOTOPES; CARBON ISOTOPES; DIET; NITROGEN; FRACTIONATION; TURNOVER; ANIMALS; ECOLOGY; SUCCESS; TISSUES; Ecology; Zoology

    Abstract

    Predator removal can be an effective strategy for reducing mortality rates of prey species. Because removal programs must continue indefinitely to remain effective, trapping creates a source-sink dynamic that can alter predator spatial distribution and demography. We investigated the intraspecific effects of predator removal by comparing 2 Florida, USA, raccoon (Procyon lotor) populations that are managed to decrease sea turtle egg mortality. Long-term removal created an extremely male-biased population ( > 10:1), but the proportion of juveniles did not differ between sites. Stable isotope analyses indicate that raccoons on the removal beach originated from inland habitats. Our results suggest that adult males dominate the recolonization of removal areas and the presence of juveniles on the beach is due to predispersal behavior. Because raccoons are highly omnivorous and mobile, intensive management at a small scale may have broader impacts across the landscape that predator-removal programs should consider.

    Journal Title

    Journal of Wildlife Management

    Volume

    71

    Issue/Number

    4

    Publication Date

    1-1-2007

    Document Type

    Article

    Language

    English

    First Page

    1234

    Last Page

    1237

    WOS Identifier

    WOS:000247168500030

    ISSN

    0022-541X

    Share

    COinS