University of Wyoming Raccoon Project

11/05/2022

Check out our new publication!

"THE CURRENT STATE OF CARNIVORE COGNITION"

Abstract
The field of animal cognition has advanced rapidly in the last 25 years. Through careful and creative studies of animals in captivity and in the wild, we have gained critical insights into the evolution of intelligence, the cognitive capacities of a diverse array of taxa, and the importance of ecological and social environments, as well as individual variation, in the expres- sion of cognitive abilities. The field of animal cognition, however, is still being influenced by some historical tendencies. For example, primates and birds are still the majority of study species in the field of animal cognition. Studies of diverse taxa improve the generalizability of our results, are critical for testing evolutionary hypotheses, and open new paths for under- standing cognition in species with vastly different morphologies. In this paper, we review the current state of knowledge of cognition in mammalian carnivores. We discuss the advantages of studying cognition in Carnivorans and the immense progress that has been made across many cognitive domains in both lab and field studies of carnivores. We also discuss the current constraints that are associated with studying carnivores. Finally, we explore new directions for future research in studies of carnivore cognition.

The field of animal cognition has advanced rapidly in the last 25 years. Through careful and creative studies of animals in captivity and in the wild, we have gained critical insights into the evolution of intelligence, the cognitive capacities of a diverse array of taxa, and the importance of ecolo...

07/29/2022

This week we introduce you to another member of the ABC Lab, PhD student Christina Sluka!

Christina’s research focuses on the influence of urbanization on raccoon behavior and morphology. She is working on her doctoral research at the University of Wyoming and managing the University of Wyoming Raccoon Project.

Swipe to learn more about her amazing research!

07/21/2022

Have you seen these cameras around Vancouver?

We have set up 30 cameras across Vancouver to capture pictures of wildlife for the . We are interested in identifying patterns in the distribution of urban wildlife such as skunks, coyotes and raccoons across Vancouver!

We will keep you updated on our findings!

07/19/2022

💡Tip Tuesday – Remember to secure your garbage bins, take in any food left outside and do NOT feed wildlife… 🦝

Those who feed wildlife generally do it because they think that they are helping the animal, or because they are trying to feel more connected to nature. Despite good intentions, feeding wildlife can create problems for both humans and animals, and actually results in much greater harm than good.

Some of the main problems caused by wildlife feeding include:

- It causes animals to lose their fear response, making them more likely to be hit by cars or attacked by predators.
- It promotes human-wildlife conflict which can result in animal relocations and sometimes even cullings.
- It promotes a poor diet for the animals which often leads to further health issues.
- It increases animal boldness and aggression towards both humans and pets.

Although you may not be feeding animals directly, wildlife feeding can also happen unintentionally through backyard gardens, by leaving food out overnight or by not properly securing the lids of garbage bins. So to help our furry and feathered neighbours, especially through these summer months, please remember to not only avoid feeding wildlife directly but also to secure your garbage bins and to not leave food outside overnight!

06/10/2021

Ever wonder how we identify raccoons we have already trapped? We use Passive Integrated Transponder Tags (PIT tags) that act just like the microchips in dogs and cats. The tags mark each animal with a unique ID that can be scanned by antenna devices like this one. We use these devices to see which raccoons are in the area and to ID animals in behavioral experiments. It even gives insight into dispersal patterns when a kit trapped at one site is scanned at another. This is just one way technology can improve wildlife research!

06/03/2021

Have you seen these cameras around town? These camera stations are part of a study on how raccoons use storm drains here in Laramie! Many Laramigos have reported raccoons entering and exiting the street storm drains around town and we want to know what the raccoons are doing! Understanding how raccoons use these systems will better inform urban population dynamics and management techniques. Recording raccoons moving through these networks would also be the first time drain network use was recorded in this animal. Please leave these cameras be so we can continue our work! Stay tuned for videos of raccoon drain use around town!

05/20/2021

Team Member Update!
Christina is a PhD student in the ABC lab who is interested in the effect of urbanization on carnivore morphology and behavior. Christina will be assisting with an upcoming lab move and maintaining the University of Wyoming Raccoon Project. When not out looking for signs of raccoons, Christina enjoys block printing and en plein air painting.

05/13/2021

Team Member Update!
Meet Jay! Jay is a new masters student joining the ABC lab to expand our work on urban carnivores. ⁠
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"My name is Jaylen Bastos, originally from Toronto, Ontario. I am a black + latinx non-binary, vegan scientist who is interested in understanding human-wildlife interactions in urban landscapes. I plan to identify the types of human-wildlife interactions that can encourage or promote risky behavior (boldness) amongst urban mesopredators. At the center of this work is a desire to understand how animals like coyotes and raccoons socialize, learn, and pass on behaviours within the urban environment. During my spare time I like to rock climb, hike, canoe, and paint."⁠
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Follow Jay on: ⁠
Twitter - ⁠
Instagram - .jay

05/07/2021

Its nearing kit season! Remember the best way to keep a raccoon from denning in your chimney is to cap it! Cap it once, never worry again. Raccoons give birth in the spring and want a small enclosed space to raise their kits. Uncapped chimneys are seen as perfect locations by these moms. See the link below for more info!

If you dont have a cap and a raccoon does make its way inside, the best and easiest option for you and the animals is to leave them be. Moms only use this den until the kits are old enough to disperse. The easiest way to get raccoons out is to let them leave on their own. In Laramie, young raccoons leave their mom around Sept-Oct and so your chimney should be vacated by then. If you cap your chimney too early, even if mom has left with her kits, this may cause mom to abandon kits outside the den because she has nowhere to return to. So, the best time to cap is early or late winter.

https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/raccoons-attic-or-chimney #:~:text=Put%20a%20cap%20on%20it&text=Shine%20a%20light%20up%20the,sure%20no%20animals%20are%20present.

05/06/2021

Team Member Update!
Hannah is a PhD student investigating urban carnivore behavior cognition. She is interested in how human wildlife perceptions and interactions may impact cognitive traits (and vice versa) in urban carnivore populations within cities, what cognitive traits are adaptive for raccoons in cities, and how raccoons use their brains to find the best mate. Prior to joining the lab she completed her MSc investigating sexual conflict in cognitive traits in swordtail fish (paper here: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2020.10.006). She has also done work at the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden studying animal behavior and welfare, and was a veterinary assistant for 10 years before finding her passion for research.

01/11/2021

Researcher Spotlight: This is Lisa Barrett, a former student and current member of our group! Lisa defended her PhD and graduated from the ABC Lab in March of 2020, and is now a Postdoctoral Fellow in Animal Behavior at the Oklahoma City Zoo. Lisa recently published a study on a floating object task and social learning in Asian elephants (check the link below!). Lisa is now researching behavior in a wide variety of species at the OCZ, including African painted dogs, Texas horned lizards, and western lowland gorillas. Researchers like Lisa at zoological institutions across the US provide important research that help improve animal welfare and conservation.

http://www.animalbehaviorandcognition.org/uploads/journals/28/AB_C_2020_Vol7(3)_Barrett_Benson-Amram.pdf

01/04/2021

Please join us in congratulating our own DR. Lauren Stanton!! Lauren concluded 2020 by successfully defending her doctoral dissertation titled "Experimental Investigations of Cognition in Highly Adaptable Species". Lauren is one of the founding members of our project and has paved the way for more research to come. Without Lauren the URWP wouldn't exist and upcoming growth wouldn't be possible! Thank you for your contributions to raccoon research and good luck on your future endeavors!! ⁠
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Take a look at some of her publications here:⁠
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https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10071-017-1129-z⁠
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https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10071-020-01438-4⁠
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