Title

Raccoon removal on sea turtle nesting beaches

Authors

Authors

B. T. Barton;J. D. Roth

Comments

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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

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