Scavenger dynamics at cervid carcasses in a chronic wasting disease endemic zone

Abstract The role of scavenging species in disease transmission is inherently complex, as their interactions at and with carcasses can either mitigate or facilitate pathogen spread. Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a transmissible prion disease afflicting cervids, a taxon that is important to multiple stakeholder groups. The disease is invariably fatal after the onset of clinical symptoms, and the agent is highly resistant to degradation. Scavengers have been implicated in the transmission of CWD, and recent studies have begun to quantify the extent of their involvement. We explored scavenger activity at 20 cervid carcasses in northern Colorado, USA, using data gathered from cameras from January 2022 to May 2023. Specifically, we characterized the species community at cervid carcasses, described carcass use patterns, identified landscape factors associated with scavenger diversity at carcass sites, and determined the correlates of scavenger foraging duration. Black‐billed magpies ( Pica hudsonia ) and coyotes ( Canis latrans ) comprised 63.9% of species detections at carcasses. Site‐level species diversity decreased as human modifications to the landscape increased, and foraging bout duration decreased as carcasses aged and as temperatures increased. Foraging time at carcasses varied by species, with common ravens ( Corvus corax ) and black bears ( Ursus americanus ) spending the greatest time foraging on carcasses. While observability of carcass tissues consumed was limited, most scavengers consumed muscle (tissue with relatively low prion loads), except for turkey vultures ( Cathartes aura ), who preferred abdominopelvic cavity organs. Our study underscores the complex interplay between temporal, environmental, and species‐specific factors in determining scavengers' roles in transmission dynamics, with broader implications for understanding the cascading effects of scavenger activity on ecosystem health.