Population Dynamics of Coyotes in Southeastern Colorado

Abstract

We capture 96 coyotes (Canis latrans) on the Pinon Canyon Maneuver Site (PCMS) in southeastern Colorado from March 1983 to December 1986. Of these, 88 (23, 18, and 59% pups, yearlings, and ad, respectively; 146 M: 100 F) were radiocollared and tracked. Home ranges of residents did not overlap, where transients overlapped resident and other transient home ranges. Annual survival rates for adults, yearlings, and pups were 0.87, 0.52, and 0.51, respectively. Residents, transients, and dispersers had annual survival rates of 0.87, 0.61, and 0.39, respectively. Of the 88 radio-collared coyotes, 31 died during the study; man was responsible for 81% of the mortalities. Thirteen coyotes dispersed from the study area a mean distance of 59 km. Mean litter size for 16 litters captured on the study area was 3.2 pups (138 M: 100 F). A prewhelping density of 0.29 coyote/km2 was determined for the study area. Results of our study supported the hypothesis that coyote populations may be regulated by social intolerances, as mediated by the abundance and availability of food.