Data from: Behavioral responses by an apex predator to urbanization

Wildlife can respond to urbanization positively (synanthropic) or
negatively (misanthropic), and for some species this is a non-linear
process, whereby low levels of urbanization elicits a positive response,
but this response becomes negative at high levels of urbanization. We
applied concepts from foraging theory to predict positive and negative
behavioral responses of coyotes (Canis latrans) along an urbanization
gradient in the Chicago metropolitan area, USA. We estimated home range
size and complexity, and metrics of three movement behaviors (encamped,
foraging, and traveling) using Hidden Markov movement models. We found
coyotes exhibited negative behavioral responses to highly urbanized
landscapes: coyotes viewed the landscape as lower quality, riskier, and
more fragmented (home range size and complexity, and time spent encamped
increased). Conversely, we found evidence of both positive and negative
responses to suburban landscapes: coyotes viewed the landscape as higher
quality than natural fragments and equally risky, but also viewed it as
fragmented (home range size decreased, time spent encamped did not change,
and home range complexity increased). Although the spatial and behavioral
responses of coyotes to urbanization became increasingly negative as
urbanization increased, coyotes were still able to occupy highly urbanized
landscapes. Our study demonstrates how wildlife behavioral responses can
be dependent upon the degree of urbanization and represents one of the
first descriptions of apex predator space use and movement in a highly
urbanized landscape.