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Christopher B. Mowry is a Professor of Biology at Berry College, Mount Berry, GA USA. He received a B.A. in Biology from Wake Forest University (1982) and an M.S. (1993) and Ph.D. (1994) in Ecology from Emory University. He studies the biology of coyotes, urban wildlife, amphibian disease, and primate feeding ecology. He is the co-founder of the Atlanta Coyote Project, and serves on the Project Coyote Board of Scientific Advisors and the Highlands Biological Station Board of Directors.
There is arguably no other North American species that better illustrates the complexities of the human-wildlife interface than the coyote. In this study, a melanistic coyote in metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia was exhibiting unusually bold behaviors that included encounters with humans, domestic dogs, and attempts to enter homes. After tracking this coyote (nicknamed Carmine) across a highly urbanized landscape with participatory science, including at least 80 publicly reported sightings, he was captured and relocated to a wildlife sanctuary. Genome-wide analyses revealed 92.8% coyote ancestry, 1.7% gray wolf ancestry, and 5.5% domestic dog ancestry. The dog alleles in Carmine’s genome were estimated to have been acquired by his ancestors 14–29 years ago. Despite his bold behavior, Carmine did not carry any mutations known to shape hypersociability in canines. He did, however, carry a single copy of the dominant mutation responsible for his melanistic coat color. This detailed study of Carmine dispels common assumptions about the reticent coyote personality and the origins of behavior. His unusual bold behavior created a higher level of human-coyote interaction. He now serves as a public ambassador for human-wildlife coexistence, urging the global community to reconsider mythologies about wildlife and promote coexistence with them in landscapes significantly altered by human activity in our rapidly changing world.
Christopher B. Mowry; Lawrence A. Wilson; Bridgett M. Vonholdt. Interface of Human/Wildlife Interactions: An Example of a Bold Coyote (Canis latrans) in Atlanta, GA, USA. Diversity 2021, 13, 372 .
AMA StyleChristopher B. Mowry, Lawrence A. Wilson, Bridgett M. Vonholdt. Interface of Human/Wildlife Interactions: An Example of a Bold Coyote (Canis latrans) in Atlanta, GA, USA. Diversity. 2021; 13 (8):372.
Chicago/Turabian StyleChristopher B. Mowry; Lawrence A. Wilson; Bridgett M. Vonholdt. 2021. "Interface of Human/Wildlife Interactions: An Example of a Bold Coyote (Canis latrans) in Atlanta, GA, USA." Diversity 13, no. 8: 372.
Coyote activity was investigated in Atlanta, Georgia from 2015 to 2018 using publicly collected data. More than 500 reports were received annually (1,672 total) and analysis revealed bias toward areas of higher income and education. Human-coyote encounters, defined as an interaction at close range, were rare (196; 12% of observations), but 124 of those reports (63%) indicated the presence of pets nearby. Coyotes were less likely to be observed in areas of high human population density, farmland, and managed clearing, and more likely to be seen in riparian wetlands and areas of low-density development (e.g., parks, golf courses, large-lot homes). Coyote sightings are now relatively common in Atlanta and their presence is generally benign. However, negative coyote interactions do occur and pets should be kept under close supervision and coyote access to anthropogenic food resources prevented. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of using community science to understand urban coyotes.
Christopher B. Mowry; Adel Lee; Zachary P. Taylor; Nadeem Hamid; Shannon Whitney; Michael Heneghen; James Russell; Lawrence A. Wilson. Using community science data to investigate urban Coyotes (Canis latrans) in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Human Dimensions of Wildlife 2020, 26, 163 -178.
AMA StyleChristopher B. Mowry, Adel Lee, Zachary P. Taylor, Nadeem Hamid, Shannon Whitney, Michael Heneghen, James Russell, Lawrence A. Wilson. Using community science data to investigate urban Coyotes (Canis latrans) in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Human Dimensions of Wildlife. 2020; 26 (2):163-178.
Chicago/Turabian StyleChristopher B. Mowry; Adel Lee; Zachary P. Taylor; Nadeem Hamid; Shannon Whitney; Michael Heneghen; James Russell; Lawrence A. Wilson. 2020. "Using community science data to investigate urban Coyotes (Canis latrans) in Atlanta, Georgia, USA." Human Dimensions of Wildlife 26, no. 2: 163-178.
Joyce A. Powzyk; Christopher B. Mowry. The Feeding Ecology and Related Adaptations of Indri indri. Lemurs 2006, 353 -368.
AMA StyleJoyce A. Powzyk, Christopher B. Mowry. The Feeding Ecology and Related Adaptations of Indri indri. Lemurs. 2006; ():353-368.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJoyce A. Powzyk; Christopher B. Mowry. 2006. "The Feeding Ecology and Related Adaptations of Indri indri." Lemurs , no. : 353-368.
We analyzed the dietary profiles and feeding behaviors of Propithecus diadema diadema and Indri indri in a community of animals that reside in midaltitude rain forest within Madagascar's Mantadia National Park. Propithecus diadema diadema ate a diverse mixture of fruits, seeds, flowers and young leaves, while the bulk of the diet of Indri indri consisted of young leaves, which resulted in significantly higher levels of fat and water-soluble carbohydrates in foods eaten by Propithecus diadema diadema. Fiber values of items eaten are high (54% NDF) for both species, though not significantly different between them. The preference for immature foliage by Indri indri suggests that their overall intake of fiber is greater than that of Propithecus diadema diadema, which had a high proportion of non-leaf material in their diet. We propose that differences in gut morphology between the two indriids contribute to their disparate diets. Levels of secondary compounds were high in certain food items, but overall they are also not significantly different between the two indriid diets. Propithecus diadema diadema exhibited a strong preference for 2 alkaloid-containing seed species, while no food of Indri indri contained alkaloids. In addition, Propithecus diadema diadema consumed a higher diversity of plant species on a daily/yearly basis, exhibited more feeding bouts on a daily basis, and their feeding bouts (on young leaves, fruit and flowers) are significantly shorter in duration than those of Indri indri. Furthermore, Propithecus diadema diadema had twice the number of geophagic episodes of Indri indri.
Joyce A. Powzyk; Christopher B. Mowry. Dietary and Feeding Differences Between Sympatric Propithecus diadema diadema and Indri indri. International Journal of Primatology 2003, 24, 1143 -1162.
AMA StyleJoyce A. Powzyk, Christopher B. Mowry. Dietary and Feeding Differences Between Sympatric Propithecus diadema diadema and Indri indri. International Journal of Primatology. 2003; 24 (6):1143-1162.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJoyce A. Powzyk; Christopher B. Mowry. 2003. "Dietary and Feeding Differences Between Sympatric Propithecus diadema diadema and Indri indri." International Journal of Primatology 24, no. 6: 1143-1162.