More dogs less bite: The relationship between human-coyote conflict and prairie dog colonies in an urban landscape

Human-coyote conflict in urban environments is an emerging concern throughout the U.S., but specific factors that influence rates of conflict remain largely unknown. We explored a possible link between coyote conflict rates and the distribution of black-tailed prairie dogs, a highly interactive species, in an urban landscape. Overall, rates of coyote conflict appeared elevated in proximity to undeveloped land, but these rates were highest near habitat fragments where prairie dogs were absent, and 15-45% lower within 400 m of fragments colonized by prairie dogs. Multivariate analyses comparing conflict points to random points generated in the same area also revealed that smaller and younger habitat fragments were associated with greater levels of conflict. However, the effect of nearby habitat fragments lacking prairie dogs was at least as strong as the effect of fragment area, a factor known to influence coyote distribution. We propose several possible explanations for reduced human-coyote conflicts on or near prairie dog colonies, including colonies acting as more preferred foraging habitat than backyards or neighborhoods, and changes in human behavior near colonies. Inter-species dynamics are rarely investigated in urban systems, and our study provides a first look at potential interactions between two politically controversial but ecologically important species. We suggest that future studies evaluate the impact of prey availability on human-carnivore conflicts to determine whether conservation of prey species may represent a valuable management strategy in urban areas.