Adrian Wydeven - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Adrian Wydeven

Springer eBooks, 2009

The concept of w olf habitat and relative suitability has changed significantly over the past sev... more The concept of w olf habitat and relative suitability has changed significantly over the past several decades. In large part, this occurred because of insights gained during expansion of the wolf population in the northern Great Lakes states (Mech 1970 ; Erb and DonCarlos, this volume; Beyer et al., this volume; Wydeven et al., this volume). Protection from intentional killing of wolves since 1974, under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, began the process of wolf population growth and expansion in northeastern Minnesota, with eventual recolonization of northern Wisconsin and upper Michigan (Beyer et al., this volume; Wydeven et al., this volume). In 1955, W isconsin game manager John Keener wrote about wolves, “This animal is a symbol of the true wilderness. He cannot tolerate the advancing civilization of his wild home” (Keener 1955 : 22). As late as the 1980s it was still generally believed that wolves required wilderness to survive, though research was beginning to show otherwise (Mech et al. 1988 ; Mech 1989) . This concept lasted for so long in part because wolves had persisted only in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and adjacent areas of the Superior National Forest in northeastern Minnesota (Erb and DonCarlos, this volume), as well as Isle Royale National Park in Lake Superior (Vucetich and Peterson, this volume). Gradually, it became clearer that the role of wilderness was largely one of protection for wolves from killing through reduced human accessibility, rather than any innate requirements of wolves and their behavior (Mech 1995) . With protection, wolves colonized areas with greater human presence. At the same time, remoteness clearly has a positive effect on wolf survival because of reduced conflict with humans, reduced accidental killing of wolves (such as by vehicles), and perhaps less disease, as well as less intentional illegal killing. Remoteness provides one relative factor in defining degrees of habitat suitability for wolves. The other important factor is prey abundance. Ironically, in today’s human-dominated landscape, these factors are often in conflict. Human-dominated landscapes, both forests subject to harvesting and re-growth and agricultural lands, support high levels of prey (white-tailed deer,

BioScience, Jun 1, 2011

Environmental hazards are distributed in nonrandom patterns; therefore, many biologists work to p... more Environmental hazards are distributed in nonrandom patterns; therefore, many biologists work to predict future hazard locations from the locations of past incidents. Predictive spatial models, or risk maps, promise early warning and targeted prevention of nonnative species invasion, disease spread, or wildlife damage. The prevention of hazards safeguards both humans and native biodiversity, especially in the case of conflicts with top predators. Top predators play essential ecological roles and maintain biodiversity, but they can also threaten human life and livelihood, which leads people to eradicate predator populations. In the present article, we present a risk map for gray wolf (Canis lupus) attacks on livestock in Wisconsin between 1999 and 2006 that correctly identified risk in 88% of subsequent attack sites from 2007 to 2009. More-open habitats farther from any forest and closer to wolf pack ranges were the riskiest for livestock. Prediction promotes prevention. We recommend that the next generation of risk mappers employ several criteria for model selection, validate model predictions against data not used in model construction before publication, and integrate predictors from organismal biology alongside human and environmental predictors.

Oecologia, 2018

Populations of large terrestrial carnivores are in various stages of recovery worldwide and the q... more Populations of large terrestrial carnivores are in various stages of recovery worldwide and the question of whether there is compensation in mortality sources is relevant to conservation. Here, we show variation in Wisconsin wolf survival from 1979 to 2013 by jointly estimating the hazard of wolves' radio-telemetry ending (endpoint) and endpoint cause. In previous analyses, wolves lost to radio-telemetry follow-up (collar loss) were censored from analysis, thereby assuming collar loss was unconfounded with mortality. Our approach allowed us to explicitly estimate hazard due to collar loss and did not require censoring these records from analysis. We found mean annual survival was 76% and mean annual causes of mortality were illegal killing (9.4%), natural and unknown causes (9.5%), and other human-caused mortality such as hunting, vehicle collisions and lethal control (5.1%). Illegal killing and natural mortality were highest during winter, causing wolf survival to decrease relative to summer. Mortality was highest during early recovery and lowest during a period of sustained population growth. Wolves again experienced higher risk of human-caused mortality relative to natural mortality as wolves expanded into areas with more human activity. We detected partial compensation in human-and natural-caused mortality since 2004 as the population saturated more available habitat. Prior to 2004, we detected additivity in mortality sources. Assessments of wolf survival and cause of mortality rates and the finding of partial compensation in mortality sources will inform wolf conservation and management efforts by identifying sources and sinks, finding areas of conservation need, and assessing management zone delineation.

Proceedings - Vertebrate Pest Conference, 2006

Wolf-caused depredation results in substantial economic loss to individual farmers and can lead t... more Wolf-caused depredation results in substantial economic loss to individual farmers and can lead to greater public animosity towards wolves (i.e., reduction in social tolerance) and the agencies that manage depredations. Using an experimental design in field trials, we are testing shock collars, fladry, and livestock guarding dogs to determine if they are effective in reducing wolf use of areas in Wisconsin and Michigan. During 2003-2004, we equipped 5 wolves with shock collars and found that a 14-day shock period resulted in a decline in wolf use of baited sites by 50% compared to control wolves that increased visitation to baited sites by 18%. During 2005, we found that all pack members in shock-collared wolf packs (n = 5) avoided shock sites for over 60 days after being exposed to a 40-day shock period. During 2004-2005, we found that fladry offered farms at least 90 days of protection from wolves. During 2006-2008, we are conducting field trials with livestock guarding dogs on Michigan farms using an experimental design protocol and additional field trials of shock collars in Wisconsin. Our preliminary data suggest that shock collars and fladry may reduce wolf use of areas within their pack territories. Results of this research will provide important guidelines for implementing potential non-lethal management measures in areas wolves have recolonized or will likely recolonize in the near future and/or where wolves are being reintroduced.

Wild Furbearer Management and Conservation in North America

The Canadian Field-Naturalist, 2003

Three Gray Wolves (Canis lupus) were found dead in porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) dens in norther... more Three Gray Wolves (Canis lupus) were found dead in porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) dens in northern Wisconsin between 1996-2000. Use of these dens appeared to be cases of shelter-seeking behavior by wolves suffering from sarcoptic mange.

The Journal of Wildlife Management

, except for brief excerpts in connection with reviews or scholarly analysis. Use in connection w... more , except for brief excerpts in connection with reviews or scholarly analysis. Use in connection with any form of information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed is forbidden. The use in this publication of trade names, trademarks, service marks, and similar terms, even if they are not identifi ed as such, is not to be taken as an expression of opinion as to whether or not they are subject to proprietary rights.

Wildlife Society Bulletin

Journal of Environmental Management

Proceedings. Biological sciences, Jan 29, 2017

Science advances, 2017

Whole-genome data do not support a recent hybrid origin for red and eastern wolves.

PloS one, 2016

World-wide concern over emerging vector-borne diseases has increased in recent years for both ani... more World-wide concern over emerging vector-borne diseases has increased in recent years for both animal and human health. In the United Sates, concern about vector-borne diseases in canines has focused on Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis, and heartworm which infect domestic and wild canids. Of these diseases, Lyme and anaplasmosis are also frequently diagnosed in humans. Gray wolves (Canis lupus) recolonized Wisconsin in the 1970s, and we evaluated their temporal and geographic patterns of exposure to these four vector-borne diseases in Wisconsin as the population expanded between 1985 and 2011. A high proportion of the Wisconsin wolves were exposed to the agents that cause Lyme (65.6%) and anaplasma (47.7%), and a smaller proportion to ehrlichiosis (5.7%) and infected with heartworm (9.2%). Wolf exposure to tick borne diseases was consistently higher in older animals. Wolf exposure was markedly higher than domestic dog (Canis familiaris) exposure for all 4 disease agents durin...

Wildlife Society Bulletin, 2016

Wildlife Society Bulletin, Oct 1, 2006

An accompanying article in this issue of the Bulletin (Mech 2006) purports to critique our past r... more An accompanying article in this issue of the Bulletin (Mech 2006) purports to critique our past research. L. D. Mech attempts to show that our model of prospective, preferred gray wolf (Canis lupus) habitat (

Journal of Mammalogy, 2016

We report the long-distance dispersal of a subadult male cougar (Puma concolor) from South Dakota... more We report the long-distance dispersal of a subadult male cougar (Puma concolor) from South Dakota to Milford, Connecticut, where it was struck and killed by a vehicle. Genetic samples suggest this animal originated from the Black Hills of South Dakota while isotope analysis and physical inspection revealed no evidence that the animal had been held in captivity. We detected this dispersing individual at 5 locations along its route (Minnesota, 3 times in Wisconsin and New York) with DNA from fecal or hair samples, and with multiple photographs from citizenrun camera traps (3 in Wisconsin and 1 in Michigan). The > 2,450 km straight-line distance (Black Hills of South Dakota to Connecticut) traveled by the cougar is the longest dispersal documented for the species. We propose a likely route of > 2,700 km over 2 years based on topography and our confirmed records. We suggest that this excessive movement was motivated by the absence of female cougars along the route. The documentation of such a rare biological event not only shows the great dispersal potential for male cougars but also highlights our ability to detect these movements with verifiable voucher DNA and photographic records. Evidence collected for this one animal, and complete absence of verifiable data from most anecdotal reports of cougars in the east, further confirms the lack of a breeding population in the region.