Use of visual and olfactory sensory cues by an apex predator in deciduous forests

Abstract

Predator–prey interactions influence behaviors and life-history evolution for both predator and prey species and also have implications for biodiversity conservation. A fundamental goal of ecology is to clarify mechanisms underlying predator–prey interactions and dynamics. To investigate the role of predator sensory mechanisms in predator–prey interactions, specifically in predator detection of prey, we experimentally evaluated importance of visual and olfactory cues for an apex predator, the coyote (Canis latrans Say, 1823). Unlike similar studies, we examined use of sensory cues in a field setting. We used trail cameras and four replicated treatments — visual only, olfactory only, visual and olfactory combined, and a control — to quantify coyote visitation rates in North American deciduous forests during fall 2016. Coyote visitation was greatest for olfactory-only and visual-only cues, followed by the combined olfactory–visual cue; all cues attracted more coyotes than the control (i.e., olfactory = visual > olfactory–visual > control). Our results suggest this apex predator uses both olfactory and visual cues while foraging for prey. These findings from a field study of free-roaming coyotes increase understanding of predator foraging behavior, predator–prey interactions, and sensory ecology. Our study also suggests future directions for field evaluations of the role of different sensory mechanisms in predator foraging and prey concealment behaviors.