DOI: 10.5061/dryad.83bk3jb67
title: Data from: Pest or pest control? Coyote interactions with cattle and Richardson’s ground squirrels

description: Coyotes (Canis latrans Say, 1823) are ubiquitous across Canadian
 grasslands and have been implicated as causing millions of dollars of
 damage each year by injuring or killing cattle (Bos taurus Linnaeus,
 1758). Gaining insight into the behaviour of coyotes in proximity to
 cattle may mitigate these costs. We hypothesized that coyotes obtain
 direct (e.g., killing calves or scavenging cattle) and indirect (e.g.,
 hunting native prey) benefits from cattle pastures. We further
 hypothesized that cows respond defensively to coyotes. We conducted 58
 focal observations of coyotes from May to August in southwest Saskatchewan
 and recorded activity, prey species, distance from cattle, and the
 response of cattle to coyotes. Coyotes hunted native prey more often than
 they interacted with cattle. Coyotes were often within 100 m of cattle
 when hunting Richardson’s ground squirrels (Urocitellus richardsonii
 (Sabine, 1822)), their most common prey. Coyotes scavenged from cattle
 carcasses (N=5), occasionally approached calves (N=2), rushed herds (N=2),
 or consumed afterbirth (N=1). Cows and/or calves chased coyotes in 43% of
 observations having encounters within 10 m. Our data suggest coyotes
 primarily use cattle pastures to obtain native prey, although periodic
 opportunities to scavenge cattle or kill calves may contribute to their
 use of these areas.
description: # Data from: Pest or pest control? Coyote interactions with cattle and
 Richardson’s ground squirrels Dataset DOI:
 [10.5061/dryad.83bk3jb67](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.83bk3jb67) ##
 Description of the data and file structure Data files for Jackson, S. M.,
 Miller, M. P., and Lingle S. Pest or pest control? Coyote interactions
 with cattle and Richardson’s ground squirrels. Canadian Journal of
 Zoology. This dataset contains multiple data files: File 1:
 Focal_Coyote_Observations.csv - This file contains data for focal
 observations of coyotes. File 2: Cattle_Herd_Observations.csv - This file
 contains data on the presence of calves within herds of cattle. File 3:
 Coyote_Cattle_Interactions.csv - This file contains data on the response
 of cattle toward coyotes.  ### Files and variables #### File:
 Focal_Coyote_Observations.csv **Description:** This file contains data for
 focal observations of coyotes. We used these data to run signed-rank tests
 on the amount of time coyotes spent on different activities, and
 sign-tests for whether coyotes hunted native prey more frequently than
 coyotes interacted with cattle, whether coyotes spent more time near
 cattle than further away, and whether cows were more likely to chase
 coyotes than calves. We additionally ran GLMMs to determine whether time
 of day influenced the likelihood of coyotes to hunt ground squirrels, and
 whether ground squirrel hunts or pursuits were more likely to occur nearer
 to or in the presence of cattle. We ran logistic regressions to test for a
 relationship between cow and calf chases of coyotes and date and
 calculated the average group size of coyotes during different activities,
 the frequency of specific outcomes of coyote encounters with cattle, and
 the frequency of specific hunting behaviours when hunting ground
 squirrels. ##### Variables * FocalID: Number (1-62) identifying the
 observation period and unique focal coyote (C1-C5; or a name based on a
 distinct physical feature) within an observation period. Note: C1 across
 different observation periods represents different individual coyotes.
 Some observation periods included more than one focal coyote, which were
 observed successively. * date: The date in DD/M/YYYY format. *
 dist_cattle: The estimated distance between the focal coyote and cattle.
 NC = no cattle observed in area or cattle &gt;1000 m away; No data = the
 observation period occurred before we began recording this distance or the
 distance was not recorded; NA = non-applicable (the focal coyote was not
 in sight and the distance from cattle could not be determined); &lt;10m;
 &lt;100m; &gt;100m. * t_scan: The 1-minute intervals that observation
 periods were divided into for focal observations of behaviour.  * time:
 the local time for each 1-minute interval. * activ: The activity of the
 focal coyote at each 1-minute interval. A = alert; E = eating; H =
 hunting; L = locomotion (travelling); R = resting; UNK = unknown; OOV =
 out of view; Oth= other. * grp_size: The group size of the focal coyote.
 NA = non-applicable (the focal coyote was not in sight and the group size
 could not be determined). * behav_patt: Specific form of locomotion or
 hunting behaviour. This column provides additional detail to the activity
 described in Column F —  activ. Forms of locomotion included: SW = slow
 walk; FW = fast walk; Run. Forms of hunting behaviour included: Dig; Rush;
 ST = stalk; Sit + Wait (used when focal coyote looked directly at native
 prey or cattle); Stationary; Stare. NA = non-applicable (no additional
 detail to be reported). * prey_food: Native prey or cattle focal coyote
 was attentive to. Calf; Cattle; Cattle afterbirth; Cow carcass;
 Deer/Pronghorn Leg; White-tailed deer; Mule deer; Pronghorn; PD = prairie
 dog; Richardson's = Richardson’s ground squirrel; UNK = Unknown. *
 app: The presence/absence (1/0) of an approach, defined as the focal
 coyote walking more than two steps toward a live prey item or cattle that
 is &lt;10m. No data = the observation period occurred before we began
 recording approaches or approaches were not recorded; NA = non-applicable
 (the coyote was not attentive to prey or cattle &lt;10m away). *
 pursuit: The presence/absence (1/0) of a pursuit, defined as a coyote or
 group of coyotes moving quickly toward native prey or cattle. No data =
 the observation period occurred before we began recording pursuits or
 pursuits were not recorded.  NA = non-applicable (the coyote was not
 attentive to prey or cattle &lt;10m away). * attack: The presence/absence
 (1/0) of an attack, defined as a pounce or lunge by a focal coyote toward
 native prey or cattle. No data = the observation period occurred before we
 began recording attacks or attacks were not recorded; NA = non-applicable
 (the coyote was not attentive to prey or cattle &lt;10m away). *
 capture: The presence/absence (1/0) of a capture, defined as aggressive
 physical contact with the prey that results in the death of the prey. NA =
 non-applicable (the coyote was not attentive to prey or cattle &lt;10m
 away). * Morn_Eve: Whether the observation period occurred in the Morning;
 or Evening. * sunrise_set: The time of sunrise for morning observation
 periods or sunset for evening observation periods. *
 min.sec_as.numeric: The number of minutes after sunrise or sunset that
 each 1-minute interval occurs at. This column is equal to (time) –
 (sunrise_set). * Comments: This column provides additional comments on
 observed behaviours or interactions. 
 
 #### File: Coyote_Cattle_Interactions.csv **Description:** This file
 contains data on the response of cattle toward coyotes. It was used to
 determine the number of focal observations with approaches/chases by
 cows/calves toward coyotes and the total number of approaches/chases by
 cows/calves toward coyotes. ##### Variables * FocalID: Number identifying
 the observation period and unique focal coyote within an observation
 period. This column corresponds to FocalID in
 Focal_Coyote_Observations.csv. * date: The date in DD/M/YYYY format. *
 t_scan: The 1-minute interval at which a direct interaction between
 coyotes and cattle occurred.  This column corresponds to t_scan in
 Focal_Coyote_Observations.csv. * activ: The activity of the focal coyote
 at the 1-minute interval at which a direct interaction occurred. This
 column corresponds to activ in Focal_Coyote_Observations.csv. *
 grp_size: The group size of the focal coyote at the 1-minute interval at
 which a direct interaction occurred. This column corresponds to grp_size
 in Focal_Coyote_Observations.csv. * prey_food: Native prey or cattle focal
 coyote was attentive to at the 1-minute interval at which a direct
 interaction occurred. This column corresponds to prey_food in
 Focal_Coyote_Observations.csv. * app: The presence/absence (1/0) of an
 approach at the 1-minute interval at which a direct interaction occurred.
 This column corresponds to app in Focal_Coyote_Observations.csv. *
 pursuit: The presence/absence (1/0) of a pursuit at the 1-minute interval
 at which a direct interaction occurred. This column corresponds to pursuit
 in Focal_Coyote_Observations.csv. * attack: The presence/absence (1/0) of
 an attack at the 1-minute interval at which a direct interaction occurred.
 This column corresponds to attack in Focal_Coyote_Observations.csv. *
 capture: The presence/absence (1/0) of a capture at the 1-minute interval
 at which a direct interaction occurred. This column corresponds to capture
 in Focal_Coyote_Observations.csv. * cattle_resp: The observed response of
 cattle toward coyotes. No change; Bunch together; Leave; Counter Attack =
 chase; Stand Ground; Approach. * Comments: This column provides additional
 comments on observed behaviours or interactions. This column corresponds
 to Comments in Focal_Coyote_Observations.csv. 
 
 #### File: Cattle_Herd_Observations.csv **Description:** This file
 contains data on the presence of calves within herds of cattle. It was
 used to determine the number of herds with calves. ##### Variables *
 Obs_Number: Number identifying the observation period. This number
 corresponds to the first portion of FocalID in
 Coyote_Cattle_Interactions.csv and Focal_Coyote_Observations.csv, e.g.
 FocalID “21 C1” in the other files corresponds to observation period “21”
 in this file. * date: The date in DD/M/YYYY format. * H1_Calves: The
 presence/absence (1/0) of calves in the first visible herd of cattle. No
 data = the observation period occurred before we began recording the
 presence of calves or the presence of calves was not recorded; NC = no
 cattle observed in area. * H2_Calves: The presence/absence (1/0) of calves
 in the second visible herd of cattle. No data = the observation period
 occurred before we began recording the presence of calves or the presence
 of calves was not recorded; NC = no (additional) cattle observed in area.
 ## Code/software The data files are provided in CSV and can be opened
 using any spreadsheet or statistical software (e.g., Microsoft Excel, R,
 or Python). The data were analyzed using R (version 4.1.3, released
 2022-03-10). No code or scripts are included with this submission. No
 additional software or packages are required to view or use the data.