Predator–prey co‐occurrence in harvest blocks: Implications for caribou and forestry

Forest harvesting alters habitat, impacts wildlife, and disrupts ecosystem function. Across the boreal forest of Canada, affects ungulate prey species their predators, with cascading on other species, including threatened woodland caribou. We used camera vegetation data occupancy modeling to investigate what characteristics in around forestry harvest blocks influenced co-occurrence primary (elk, moose, mule deer, white-tailed deer) predators (black bear, cougar, grizzly wolf) blocks. Occupancy was linked forage, surrounding habitat anthropogenic disturbance, silviculture practices. Black bear by presence bear–deer site-specific practices disturbance. In context caribou recovery, our results indicate that within ranges could consider landscape-level planning reduce use prey. Future recovery efforts may also roles deer bears predation risk. Our study provides first insights into predator–prey practical management applications mitigate activities future.