Raccoon Survival Essay
Raccoon Survival Augmentation Due to Specific Characteristics of Urbanized Settings
Urbanization poses serious threat to natural ecosystems and biodiversity (McKinney 2002). Not all species fall prey to urban development; some, often called synanthropes, are able to adjust to human alterations (McKinney 2002, Gross et al., 2012). Understanding the impact of urbanization and the strategies used in response is valuable to many, such as wildlife conservationists. Raccoons are considered to be synanthropes (Gross et al. 2012), and have been found to occur in greater densities in urbanized sites in comparison to rural sites (Prange et al. 2003). This paper looks into how urban ecosystems promote raccoon survival, and thus abundance and distribution, through providing opportunities to outcompete similar species, decrease home range size, and increase survival rates. Live-trapping and road-kill surveys are common methods of data collection when researching raccoons. Prange and Gehrt (2004) used a combination of these methods and statistical modelling to analyze …show more content…
K., Prange, S., & Gehrt, S. D. 2007. The influence of anthropogenic resources on multi-scale habitat selection by raccoons. Urban Ecosystems 10:413-425.
Gross, J., F. Elvinger, L. L. Hungerford, & S. D. Gehrt. 2012. Raccoon use of the urban matrix in the Baltimore metropolitan area, Maryland. Urban Ecosystems 15:667-682.
McKinney, M. L. 2002. Urbanization, biodiversity, and conservation. BioScience 52:883-890.
Prange, S. & S. D. Gehrt. 2004. Changes in mesopredator-community structure in response to urbanization. Canadian Journal of Zoology 82:1804-1817.
Prange, S., S. D. Gehrt, & E. P. Wiggers. 2004. Anthropogenic resources on raccon (procyon lotor) movements and spatial distribution. Journal of Mammology 85:483-490.
Prange, S., S. D. Gehrt, & E. P. Wiggers. 2003. Demographic factors contributing to high raccoon densities in urban landscapes. The Journal of Wildlife Management
Urbanization poses serious threat to natural ecosystems and biodiversity (McKinney 2002). Not all species fall prey to urban development; some, often called synanthropes, are able to adjust to human alterations (McKinney 2002, Gross et al., 2012). Understanding the impact of urbanization and the strategies used in response is valuable to many, such as wildlife conservationists. Raccoons are considered to be synanthropes (Gross et al. 2012), and have been found to occur in greater densities in urbanized sites in comparison to rural sites (Prange et al. 2003). This paper looks into how urban ecosystems promote raccoon survival, and thus abundance and distribution, through providing opportunities to outcompete similar species, decrease home range size, and increase survival rates. Live-trapping and road-kill surveys are common methods of data collection when researching raccoons. Prange and Gehrt (2004) used a combination of these methods and statistical modelling to analyze …show more content…
K., Prange, S., & Gehrt, S. D. 2007. The influence of anthropogenic resources on multi-scale habitat selection by raccoons. Urban Ecosystems 10:413-425.
Gross, J., F. Elvinger, L. L. Hungerford, & S. D. Gehrt. 2012. Raccoon use of the urban matrix in the Baltimore metropolitan area, Maryland. Urban Ecosystems 15:667-682.
McKinney, M. L. 2002. Urbanization, biodiversity, and conservation. BioScience 52:883-890.
Prange, S. & S. D. Gehrt. 2004. Changes in mesopredator-community structure in response to urbanization. Canadian Journal of Zoology 82:1804-1817.
Prange, S., S. D. Gehrt, & E. P. Wiggers. 2004. Anthropogenic resources on raccon (procyon lotor) movements and spatial distribution. Journal of Mammology 85:483-490.
Prange, S., S. D. Gehrt, & E. P. Wiggers. 2003. Demographic factors contributing to high raccoon densities in urban landscapes. The Journal of Wildlife Management