Explore the vast range of titles available.

\"A look at skunks, including their habitats, physical characteristics such as their odorous musk, behaviors, relationships with humans, and common status in the world today\"--Provided by publisher.

Carnivore guilds play a vital role in ecological communities by cascading trophic effects, energy and nutrient transfer, and stabilizing or destabilizing food webs. Consequently, the structure of carnivore guilds can be critical to ecosystem patterns. Body size is a crucial influence on intraguild interactions, because it affects access to prey resources, effectiveness in scramble competition, and vulnerability to intraguild predation. Coyotes (Canis latrans), bobcats (Lynx rufus), gray foxes (Urocyon cinereoargenteus), raccoons (Procyon lotor), red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), and striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis) occur sympatrically throughout much of North America and overlap in resource use, indicating potential for interspecific interactions. Although much is known about the autecology of the individual species separately, little is known about factors that facilitate coexistence and how interactions within this guild influence distribution, habitat use, and temporal activity of the smaller carnivores. To assess how habitat autecology and interspecific interactions affect the structure of this widespread carnivore guild, we conducted a large-scale, non-invasive carnivore survey using an occupancy modeling framework. We deployed remote cameras during 3-week surveys to detect carnivores at 1,118 camera locations in 357 2.6-km2 sections (3–4 cameras/section composing a cluster) in the 16 southernmost counties of Illinois (16,058 km2) during January–April, 2008–2010. We characterized microhabitat at each camera location and landscape-level habitat features for each camera cluster. In a multistage approach, we used information-theoretic methods to evaluate competing models for detection, species-specific habitat occupancy, multispecies co-occupancy, and multiseason (colonization and extinction) occupancy dynamics. We developed occupancy models for each species to represent hypothesized effects of anthropogenic features, prey availability, landscape complexity, and vegetative land cover. We quantified temporal activity patterns of each carnivore species based on their frequency of appearance in photographs. Further, we assessed whether smaller carnivores shifted their diel activity patterns in response to the presence of potential competitors. Of the 102,711 photographs of endothermic animals, we recorded photographs of bobcats (n = 412 photographs), coyotes (n = 1,397), gray foxes (n = 546), raccoons (n = 40,029), red foxes (n = 149), and striped skunks (n = 2,467). Bobcats were active primarily during crepuscular periods, and their activity was reduced with precipitation and higher temperatures. The probability of detecting bobcats decreased after a bobcat photograph was recorded, suggesting avoidance of remote cameras after the first encounter. Across southern Illinois, bobcat occupancy at the camera-location and camera-cluster scale (ψ̂local = 0.24 ± 0.04, camera cluster ψ̂cluster = 0.75 ± 0.06) was negatively influenced by anthropogenic features and infrastructure. Bobcats had high rates of colonization (γ̂ = 0.86) and low rates of extinction (ε̂ = 0.07), suggesting an expanding population, but agricultural land was less likely to be colonized. Nearly all camera clusters were occupied by coyotes (ψ̂cluster = 0.95 ± 0.03). At the local scale, coyote occupancy (ψ̂local = 0.58 ± 0.03) was higher in hardwood forest stands with open understories than in other areas. Compared to coyotes, gray foxes occupied a smaller portion of the study area (ψ̂local = 0.13 ± 0.01, ψ̂cluster = 0.29 ± 0.03) at all scales. At the scale of the camera cluster, gray fox occupancy was highest in fragmented areas with high proportions of forest, and positively related to anthropogenic features within 100% home-range buffers. Red foxes occupied a similar proportion of the study area as gray foxes (ψ̂local = 0.12 ± 0.02, ψ̂cluster = 0.26 ± 0.04) but were more closely associated with anthropogenic features. Only anthropogenic feature models made up the 90% confidence set at all scales of analysis for red foxes. Extinction probabilities at the scale of the camera cluster were higher for both gray foxes (ε̂ = 0.57) and red foxes (ε̂ = 0.35) than their colonization rates (gray fox γ̂ = 0.16, red fox γ̂ = 0.06), suggesting both species may be declining in southern Illinois. Striped skunks occupied a large portion of the study area (ψ̂local = 0.47 ± 0.01, ψ̂cluster = 0.79 ± 0.03) and were associated primarily with anthropogenic features. Raccoons were essentially ubiquitous within the study area, being photographed in 99% of camera clusters. We observed little evidence for spatial partitioning based on interspecific interactions, with the exception of the gray fox-coyote pairs, and found that habitat preferences were more important in structuring the carnivore community. Habitat had a stronger influence on the occupancy of foxes than did the presence of bobcats. However, the level of red fox activity was negatively correlated with bobcat activity. Gray fox occupancy and the number of detections within occupied sites were reduced in camera clusters occupied by coyotes but not bobcat occupancy. Overall, gray fox occupancy was highest at camera locations with fewer hardwood and more conifer trees. However, gray foxes were more likely to occupy camera locations in hardwood stands than conifer stands if coyotes were also present indicating that hardwood stands may enhance gray fox-coyote coexistence. The 2 fox species appeared to co-occur with each other at the local scale more frequently than expected based on their individual selection of habitat. Similarly, occupancy of camera location by red foxes was higher when coyotes were present. These positive spatial associations among canids may be a response to locally high prey abundance or unmeasured habitat variables. Activity levels of raccoons, bobcats, and coyotes were all positively correlated. Overall, our co-occurrence and activity models indicate competitor-driven adjustments in space use among members of a carnivore community might be the exception rather than the norm. Nevertheless, although our results indicate that gray foxes and red foxes currently coexist with bobcats and coyotes, their distribution appears to be contracting on our study area. Coexistence of foxes with larger carnivores may be enhanced by temporal partitioning of activity and by habitat features that reduce vulnerability of intraguild predation. For instance, hardwood stands may contain trees with structure that enhances tree-climbing by gray foxes, a behavior that probably facilitates coexistence with coyotes. Efforts to enhance gray fox populations would likely benefit from increasing the amount of mature oakhickory forest. Additionally, the varying results from different scales of analyses underscore the importance of considering multiple spatial scales in carnivore community studies. Los gremios de carnívoros desempeñan un papel vital en las comunidades ecológicas causando efectos tróficos en cascada, afectando la transferencia de energía y nutrientes, y estabilizando o desestabilizando las redes alimentarias. En consecuencia, la estructura de los gremios de carnívoros puede ser crítica para los patrones de los ecosistemas. El tamaño corporal tiene una influencia crucial en las interacciones intragremio, ya que afecta el acceso a los recursos de presa, la eficacia en la competencia por explotación, y la vulnerabilidad a depredación intragremio. Los coyotes (Canis latrans), linces (Lynx rufus), zorros grises (Urocyon cinereoargenteus), mapaches (Procyon lotor), el zorro (Vulpes vulpes), y zorrillos rayados (Mephitis mephitis) occurren en simpatría en gran parte de América del Norte y se solapan en los recursos que utilizan, lo que indica un potencial para interacciones interespecíficas. Aunque se sabe mucho sobre la autoecología de las especies individuales por separado, poco se sabe acerca de los factores que facilitan la coexistencia y cómo las interacciones dentro de este gremio influencian la distribución, uso de hábitat, y actividad temporal de los carnívoros más pequeños. Para evaluar cómo la autecología del hábitat y las interacciones interespecíficas afectan la estructura de este gremio carnívoro de amplia distribución, realizamos un muestreo de carnívoros no invasivo a gran escala, utilizando un marco de modelos de ocupación. Instalamos cámaras remotas en muestreos de 3 semanas para detectar carnívoros en 1118 locaciones-cámara en 357 secciones de 2.6 km2 (3–4 cámaras / sección conformaron una agrupación) en los 16 condados de más al sur de Illinois (16058 km2) entre enero y abril de 2008–2010. Caracterizamos el microhábitat en cada locación-cámara y las características del hábitat a nivel de paisaje para cada agrupación de cámaras. Con un enfoque de etapas múltiples, utilizamos métodos de teoría de información para evaluar modelos competitivos de detección, ocupación del hábitat de especies específicas, co-ocupación multi-especies, y dinámicas de ocupación multi-especies y multi-estación (colonización y extinción). Desarrollamos modelos de ocupación para cada especie para representar efectos hipotéticos de características antropogénicas, disponibilidad de presas, complejidad del paisaje, y cobertura vegetal. Cuantificamos los patrones de actividad temporal de cada especie carnívora en función de su frecuencia de aparición en fotografías. Además, evaluamos si los carnívoros más pequeños cambian sus patrones de actividad diaria en respuesta a la presencia de competidores potenciales. De las 102711 fotografías de animales endotérmicos, registramos fotografías de linces (n = 412 fotografías), coyotes (n = 1397), zorros grises (n = 546), mapaches (n = 40029), zorros rojos (n = 149), y zorrillos rayados (n = 2467). Los linces estuvieron activos principalmente durante períodos crepusculares, y su actividad se redujo con la precipitación y altas temperaturas. La probabilidad de detectar linces disminuyó después de reg

\"Through vibrant photographs and carefully leveled text emergent readers follow a skunk as it hunts for food, defends itself from predators, and rests in its burrow. Includes picture glossary and index.\"-- Provided by publisher.

1. Occupancy estimation and modelling based on detection-nondetection data provide an effective way of exploring change in a species' distribution across time and space in cases where the species is not always detected with certainty. Today, many monitoring programmes target multiple species, or life stages within a species, requiring the use of multiple detection methods. When multiple methods or devices are used at the same sample sites, animals can be detected by more than one method. 2. We develop occupancy models for multiple detection methods that permit simultaneous use of data from all methods for inference about method-specific detection probabilities. Moreover, the approach permits estimation of occupancy at two spatial scales: the larger scale corresponds to species' use of a sample unit, whereas the smaller scale corresponds to presence of the species at the local sample station or site. 3. We apply the models to data collected on two different vertebrate species: striped skunks Mephitis mephitis and red salamanders Pseudotriton ruber. For striped skunks, large-scale occupancy estimates were consistent between two sampling seasons. Small-scale occupancy probabilities were slightly lower in the late winter/spring when skunks tend to conserve energy, and movements are limited to males in search of females for breeding. There was strong evidence of method-specific detection probabilities for skunks. As anticipated, large- and small-scale occupancy areas completely overlapped for red salamanders. The analyses provided weak evidence of method-specific detection probabilities for this species. 4. Synthesis and applications. Increasingly, many studies are utilizing multiple detection methods at sampling locations. The modelling approach presented here makes efficient use of detections from multiple methods to estimate occupancy probabilities at two spatial scales and to compare detection probabilities associated with different detection methods. The models can be viewed as another variation of Pollock's robust design and may be applicable to a wide variety of scenarios where species occur in an area but are not always near the sampled locations. The estimation approach is likely to be especially useful in multispecies conservation programmes by providing efficient estimates using multiple detection devices and by providing device-specific detection probability estimates for use in survey design.

Introduction to skunks.

Skunk amdoparvovirus (Carnivore amdoparvovirus 4, SKAV) is closely related to Aleutian mink disease virus (AMDV) and circulates primarily in striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis) in North America. SKAV poses a threat to mustelid species due to reported isolated infections of captive American mink (Neovison vison) in British Columbia, Canada. We detected SKAV in a captive striped skunk in a German zoo by metagenomic sequencing. The pathological findings are dominated by lymphoplasmacellular inflammation and reveal similarities to its relative Carnivore amdoparvovirus 1, the causative agent of Aleutian mink disease. Phylogenetic analysis of the whole genome demonstrated 94.80% nucleotide sequence identity to a sequence from Ontario, Canada. This study is the first case description of a SKAV infection outside of North America.

\"Describes the heavier and habits of skunks in the wild\"-- Provided by publisher.

An estimate or index of target species density is important in determining oral rabies vaccination (ORV) bait densities to control and eliminate specific rabies variants. From 1997–2011, we indexed raccoon (Procyon lotor) densities 253 times based on cumulative captures on 163 sites from Maine to Alabama, USA, near ORV zones created to prevent raccoon rabies from spreading to new areas. We conducted indexing under a common cage trapping protocol near the time of annual ORV to aid in bait density decisions. Unique raccoons (n = 8,415) accounted for 68.0% of captures (n = 12,367). We recaptured raccoons 2,669 times. We applied Schnabel and Huggins mark-recapture models on sites with ≥3 years of capture data and ≥25% recaptures as context for raccoon density indexes (RDIs). Simple linear relationships between RDIs and mark-recapture estimates supported application of our index. Raccoon density indexes ranged from 0.0–56.9 raccoons/km². For bait density decisions, we evaluated RDIs in the following 4 raccoon density groups, which were statistically different: (0.0–5.0 [n = 70], 5.1–15.0 [n = 129], 15.1–25.0 [n = 31], and >25.0 raccoons/km² [n = 23]). Mean RDI was positively associated with a higher percentage of developed land cover and a lower percentage of evergreen forest. Non-target species composition (excluding recaptured raccoons) accounted for 32.0% of captures. Potential bait competitors accounted for 76.5% of non-targets. The opossum (Didelphis virginiana) was the primary potential bait competitor from 27°N to 44°N latitude, north of which it was numerically replaced by the striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis). We selected the RDI approach over mark-recapture methods because of costs, geographic scope, staff availability, and the need for supplemental serologic samples. The 4 density groups provided adequate sensitivity to support bait density decisions for the current 2 bait density options. Future improvements to the method include providing random trapping locations to field personnel to prevent trap clustering and marking non-targets to better characterize bait competitors.

\"Simple text and full-color photography introduce beginning readers to striped skunks. Developed by literacy experts for students in kindergarten through third grade\"-- Provided by publisher.

Eastern spotted skunk (Spilogale putorius) populations have declined throughout much of their range in the eastern United States over recent decades. Declines have been attributed to habitat loss or change, increased competition with sympatric mesocarnivore species, or disease. To better understand the extant distribution of spotted skunks in the Appalachian Mountains of western Virginia, USA, we used a detection-non-detection sampling approach using baited camera traps to evaluate the influence of landscape-level environmental covariates on spotted skunk detection probability and site occupancy. We conducted camera trap surveys at 91 sites from January to May in 2014 and 2015. Spotted skunk occupancy was associated with young-aged forest stands at lower elevations and more mature forest stands at higher elevations. Both land cover types in this region can be characterized as having complex forest structure, providing cover that varies with stand age, species composition, elevation, and management regime. Our results provide insight into factors that influence spotted skunk spatial distribution and habitat selection, information that can be used to generate conservation assessments and inform management decisions.