Biologist Jon Way commenting on my hypothesis of lone coyote behavior the adaptive response to Wolves occupying coyote territory

From: Meril, Rick

Sent: Tuesday, May 11, 2010 6:44 AM

To: 'jw9802@yahoo.com'
Subject: Re: Transient coyote

Jon

Thank you.
Appreciate you taking the time to provide texture and perspective on this subject. A good day to you.

Rick


From: Jon Way
To: Meril, Rick

Sent: Tue May 11 05:51:58 2010
Subject: Re: Transient coyote

Hi Rick,

I don't know the answer directly but I suspect that coyotes are reduced in terms of where they live in Yellowstone b.c of wolf occupancy meaning that they still might be pack-like but there might be less overall packs in an area similar to the likely distribution of less foxes where coyotes/coywolves live. Think of social, cohesive coyote packs being more alert to wolves killing them. Certainly without wolves (pre 1995) coyotes had so much food in the form of dead elk and bison. There is still a lot of food around altho not as much and continuing to live in packs might help them from other coyote groups and wolf packs.

Jon

Please visit my WEBPAGE (http://www.eastrencoyoteresearch.com/ where you can purchase my book Suburban Howls (http://www.easterncoyoteresearch.com/Store.html) and help create a wildlife watching refuge in the town of Barnstable (http://www.easterncoyoteresearch.com/supportECR.html)


From: "Meril, Rick"
To: "jw9802@yahoo.com"

Sent: Tue, May 11, 2010 7:31:56 AM
Subject: Re: Transient coyote

Jon

Thanks for course corrections.......question: Doug Smith in Yellowstone has stated that since wolves returned, coyotes are back to acting as they did prior to wolf extirpation...........individuals until paoring up and then mates tending pups........but staying in extended family units post whelping makes it easier for wolves to seek them out.........is it not wolf extirpation that allowed for coyotes to act more wolf-like.......and then being top dog and not persecuted by anyone including man(and wolf).........they adapted socially????

Rick


From: Jon Way
To: Meril, Rick

Cc: chfox@earthlink.net
Sent: Tue May 11 03:11:58 2010
Subject: Re: Transient coyote

Thanks for posting Rick and interesting analysis... Just one thing to be aware of. Western coyotes are indeed quite social where people or wolves don't kill them. They lived in packs in yellowstone both before and still after wolves were reintroduced and do in other parks. However, they often don't travel together like wolves do (altho that is also over-rated to a degree as wolves often travel in smaller groups in the summertime for half the year). While wolves may live on average in bigger packs both Coyotes (East and West) and Wolves are quite social where people allow and in many areas (like Minnesota) wolves don't live in much bigger packs (say 5-7) than western coyotes and eastern coyotes/coywolves (3-7) on average.

best, Jon