The effects of a transmission line right-of-way (TROW) on the distributions of mammalian predators were investigated by placement of track plates at specific locations. A total of 50 tracks were detected. The large-bodied carnivores exhibited a strong preference for the TROW (χ2 = 8.652, 2 df, p = 0.013). In contrast, the small-bodied predators were distributed more uniformly, exhibiting no significant differences in their distributions (χ2 = 1.927, 2 df, p = 0.382). The TROW likely facilitates the travel of the large-bodied carnivores by offering an area that is relatively free from obstruction. The higher-than-expected occurrence of the small-bodied predators in the TROW may have been due to temporal variations caused by dietary enhancements available at particular times of the year.
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1 June 2008
Mammalian Predator Distribution Around a Transmission Line
Matthew B. Smith,
David A. Aborn,
Timothy J. Gaudin,
John C. Tucker
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