Washington Predator-Prey Project
Urban coyote diet, population, distribution, and health
Kreling, S. E. S., Reese, E. M., Cavalluzzi, O. M., Bozzi, N. B., Messinger, R., Schell, C. J., Long, R. A., & Prugh, L. R. (2024). City divided: Unveiling family ties and genetic structuring of coyotes in Seattle. Molecular Ecology, e17427–e17427.
Kreling, S. E. S., Reese, E. M., Cavalluzzi, O. M., Renouard, A., Hentati, Y., Long, R. A., & Prugh, L. R. (2026). Urbanization Drives Patterns of Individual Specialization but Not Dietary Diversity Among Coyotes. Ecology and evolution, 16(8), e74170. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.74170
As a research assistant in Dr. Laura Prugh's lab at the University of Washington, I spent 4 years conducting field and lab work to investigate the diet, population, distribution, and health of urban coyotes in Washington State.
Field Work
I ran scat transects across Bainbridge Island, WA, collected hundreds of individual scat samples. Each sample was bagged, labeled, GPS marked, and frozen until I could transport it to the lab.
Genetics Lab Work
All scat was swabbed both externally to identify the individual coyote it came from and internally to identify diet composition. I conducted Next-Generation Sequencing library preparation, pipette work, DNA extraction, PCR, and general lab practices in a sterile environment.
I trained volunteers and ran the lab in the manager's absence.
Burke Museum Dissection Lab
I necropsied roadkill coyotes at the Burke Museum. Necropsies revealed health of individual coyotes and led to the discovery of a novel parasite in Washington.
Necropsies were conducted in a clear laboratory, allowing for interactions with the public. Necropsies were frequently scheduled as a part of field trips for local 3rd grade classes.
Other Projects
I frequently worked on other projects in the lab, including:
Urine samples from ungulates in the snow
Bite wound swab samples of deceased livestock to determine cause of death
Scat species identification for Peruvian wild cats in Madre de Dios
Isotope analysis of prey items
Scat analysis from Denali National Park to determine the species it came from
River otter necropsies
River otter scat collection on Seattle piers
