Publications by authors named "W Sue Fairbanks"

Parturition timing has long been a topic of interest in ungulate research. However, few studies have examined parturition timing at fine scale (e.g.

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Cytauxzoonosis is a fatal tick-borne disease in domestic cats caused by infection with the apicomplexan Cytauxzoon felis. Bobcats are the natural wild-vertebrate reservoirs for C. felis, and infections are typically subclinical and chronic in this species.

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Article Synopsis
  • Trichinella spp. infections were studied in bobcats from 41 counties in Oklahoma, revealing a 5.9% infection rate among the 306 bobcats examined.
  • Infected bobcats were found in 10 out of the 41 counties, but no significant prevalence differences were observed across the counties.
  • The study identified T. murrelli as the primary species, with one case of T. pseudospiralis reported, marking the first discovery of this species in bobcats and Oklahoma.
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In North America, challenges associated with human-black bear (Ursus americanus) interactions have increased in recent decades. We used the structural equation modeling framework to understand how psychological factors such as perceived benefits, risks, social trust, salient value similarities, and locus of control interacted and described human tolerance of black bears in Oklahoma. Our results suggested that trust in the state wildlife agency's ability to manage black bears significantly affected both risk and benefits perception.

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While the tendency to return to previously visited locations-termed 'site fidelity'-is common in animals, the cause of this behaviour is not well understood. One hypothesis is that site fidelity is shaped by an animal's environment, such that animals living in landscapes with predictable resources have stronger site fidelity. Site fidelity may also be conditional on the success of animals' recent visits to that location, and it may become stronger with age as the animal accumulates experience in their landscape.

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