IUCN / SSC Cat Specialist Group - Digital Cat Library |
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| Zoellick, B.W.; Ulmschneider, H.M.; Stanley, A.W. | |
| Distribution and Composition of Mammalian Predators along the Snake River in Southwestern Idaho | |
| 2005 Northwest Science (79): 265-272 | |
In 1990-1992, we studied the distribution and composition of a mammalian predator community to assess its potential to impact ground-nesting waterfowl and songbirds on Snake River islands in Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge in southwestern Idaho. We used scent-station and track-plot surveys to examine visits of mammalian predators to riparian areas on the mainland and to 30 Refuge islands on a 64-km reach of the river. Coyotes, mink, red foxes, raccoons, and striped skunks were widely distributed. Visitation rates of mammalian predators that frequently visited scent stations (coyotes, red foxes, striped skunks, and feral cats) did not differ among upper, middle, and lower segments of the study reach. Tracks of river otters were primarily observed on the upper two-thirds of the study reach that had less agricultural development. Badgers, bobcats, and mountain lions were infrequently detected. Refuge islands provided relatively mammalian predator-free habitat for nesting birds as visitation rates of terrestrial predators to scent stations and track plots in riparian areas on the mainland were generally 2-4 times those on islands at river flows of 184.1 m3/s. Reducing Snake River flows has the potential to increase visits to islands of four terrestrial carnivores (coyotes, raccoons, red foxes, and striped skunks) that were widely distributed on the mainland and important predators of nesting waterfowl. Because mammalian predators were widely distributed, management actions to prevent or reduce predator visits would need widespread application to result in more than localized increases in waterfowl production on Refuge islands. |
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