Poster Profile – Arya Horon

In lieu of the poster session at our 2020 conference, we are profiling posters from this year’s conference on our website every few weeks. This month, we’re featuring Arya Horon’s work examining intestinal parasites in coyotes.

See a pdf of Arya’s poster.

Poster authors: Arya Horon, Deanna Steckler, Colleen Cassady St. Clair

Poster title: Comparison of Intestinal Parasite Diversity Between Urban and Peri-Urban Coyotes (Canis latrans)

Coyotes are hosts to many zoonotic diseases, including some that can cause fatal conditions in humans (e.g., Echinococcus multilocularis). Coyotes also occur in higher densities in cities, which can increase parasitic transmission opportunities. Arya’s research examined if there was a difference between urban and peri-urban coyotes in prevalence, diversity, and intensity of parasitic infections. She compared 30 urban coyotes from Edmonton to 30 coyotes from Leduc County. Using a variety of methods, she determined the presence of Taenia sp., Alaria sp., Uncinaria sp., Echinococcus and Toxascaris sp. in each sampled population. Arya found that urban coyotes in Edmonton hosted more species with higher prevalence and intensity of infections than peri-urban populations from the Leduc area. Her work has implications for the infection risk of Echinococcosis for human and domestic dogs.

Check out Arya’s poster for a great visual representation of her results and to see which parasites were more prevalent in urban coyotes. Her poster uses great photographs of her study species to draw you in and the colour scheme provides a clear representation of her work. Arya is now in her final year of Biological Sciences undergraduate degree from the University of Alberta. She hopes to continue onto a Masters degree studying human-wildlife conflict or animal behaviour.

PO BOX 4990
Edmonton AB
T6E 5G8


Rooted in Wisdom: Deer Aging Techniques

Embark on a journey of precision and insight with the Lethbridge College Wildlife Analytics Lab (WAL) at the ACTWS Conference in Jasper! Join our workshop, ‘Rooted in Wisdom: Deer Aging Techniques‘, to explore the secrets hidden within wildlife teeth. Explore both the field technique of ‘tooth eruption and wear’ and the laboratory marvel of ‘cementum analysis’ – both dedicated to unraveling the mysteries of ungulate ages. Delve into the heart of these techniques, comparing their accuracy and precision, with a revelation of the superior accuracy of cementum analysis. Learn the art of tooth extraction and witness the seamless process of submitting your own wildlife teeth to the WAL for aging through cementum analysis. Elevate your understanding of deer populations and contribute to the advancement of wildlife knowledge and bolster your resume with applied experience. Participants will gain hands-on familiarity with the field technique of jaw aging, and the lab process of tooth extraction, inspection, preparation, and cementum analysis. Join us in Jasper for a transformative experience at the intersection of field expertise and cutting-edge laboratory analysis!

Facilitated by the Wildlife Analytics Lab, Lethbridge College

Cost: $15

Professional refers to someone who works with wildlife and/or their habitats in a professional setting.

In this context, it is not in reference to a legal professional designation.

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