The social system of the coyote (Canis latrans) in a forested habitat

We studied the social organization of forest-living coyotes (Canis latrans) for 20 months. The four breeding groups in our study area were territorial. The size and shape of their territories remained unchanged despite the sudden and profound change in prey distribution in December as white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) congregated yearly in a winter yard. Solitary adults lived on overlapping areas that ignored the breeding groups' territories. Some juveniles lived on their parents' territory but were not always associated with them. During the winter (November–April) 35% of the coyotes were in packs of three to five animals, 28% in pairs, and 37% solitary. Animals that were usually solitary almost never congregated to form temporary groups, and members of pairs were almost always together. We conclude that territoriality is essential to insure pup survival by increasing the foraging efficiency of parents that must feed sedentary pups. We suggest that individual and immediate advantage is sufficient to explain the late dispersal of pups resulting in the formation of packs. We therefore question the traditional view that larger group size in coyotes and other social carnivores living in extended families evolved to increase foraging efficiency.