Here is a very interesting read for you, I am sorry that I do not have a link but you can
Google, Taal Levi University of California-Santa Cruz. Taal was working on his doctoral degree,
his hypothesis was that as coyotes replaced or killed off the red fox in many areas
around the country, that shift triggered higher populations of rodents(chipmunks, mice and other small mammals) that carry deer tick nymphs. That is because red fox feed heavily on small rodents while coyotes prefer larger prey. Rodents are the primary carrier of tick nymphs which are the primary vehicle for spreading Lyme disease. His study illustrates the correlation between the decline of red fox populations and the increase in Lyme disease in several test areas, he further suggest that a manipulation of predator populations( less coyotes/more red fox) would be interesting to monitor the effect that would have on Lyme disease cases reported.
Please take time to read the study great out-of-the box thinking by Mr. Levi.
