An investigation into the effects of predation deterrent tools on non-target species.
Category: Research Poster
Author(s): Noah Grube
Presenter(s): Noah Grube
Mentors(s): Veronica Yovovich
This study is an investigation into the effects of predation deterrents on non-target species in California’s Central Coast. This project is being completed for the Undergraduate Research Experience within the Yovovich Lab and builds off of the data set being used for the Bay Area Carnivore-Livestock Interactions Project (BACLIP). This project has been implemented in the Santa Cruz Mountains and focuses on the effectiveness of turbo fladry and foxlights in deterring mountain lions. Data collection began in March of 2023 and will continue through 2027. This project uses camera trap data spread across a 7km by 7km grid of blocks containing 3 types of plots: 1) unbaited baseline wildlife activity plots, 2) control plots with only a deer carcass, 3) treatment sites baited with a deer carcass and one of 2 deterrent tools (turbofladry or foxlight). This data allows for an examination of how predation deterrents impact wildlife and, therefore, the ecosystems in which they occur. Knowing how these tools impact ecosystems as a whole will provide valuable information to land owners who have concerns about unknown and unwanted results of installing deterrent tools to mitigate human-wildlife conflict.