Genetic and environmental influences on pup mortality risk for wolves and coyotes within a Canis hybrid zone

摘要: Eastern wolves (Canis lycaon) are a species of special concern federally in Canada that have hybridized extensively with coyotes latrans) and gray lupus) adjacent to Algonquin Pro- vincial Park (APP), Ontario. A comprehensive understanding eastern wolf demography wolf-coyote hybridization dynamics is needed for informed management, yet no studies investigated the influ- ence genetic ancestry environmental heterogeneity on survival wolf, coyote, hybrid pups. We used telemetry, genetic, data model estimate genotype-specific cause-specific mortality Canis pups (n = 159) western APP (2002-2011) Wildlife Management Unit 49 (WMU49; 2008-2011). Pup was higher (s 0.75) WMU49 0.61) than ˆ 0.25). In APP, risk primar- ily influenced by prey availability as lower beaver density negatively increased starvation risk. Genetic only pup outside coyote hybrids surviving poorly relative other types WMU49. Poor reduces dispersal from protected area decreases likelihood expan- sion this genetically distinct population beyond APP. Our results advance previous fac- tors influencing <4-5 months age telemetry data.