Class
Article
College
College of Science
Department
Biology Department
Faculty Mentor
Sara Freeman
Presentation Type
Poster Presentation
Abstract
Coyotes (Canis latrans) are socially complex, often forming strong pair bonds that can persist across multiple breeding seasons3. Scent marking, particularly urine marking, is a key form of communication used to establish territory, convey reproductive status, and maintain social hierarchies1. This behavior is influenced by factors such as sex and season, and is central to understanding their social dynamics4. This preliminary study is part of a broader investigation into coyote behavior, specifically examining how these factors affect responses to olfactory stimuli from familiar and unfamiliar individuals2.
In this study, coyote behavior was recorded after paired presentation of two stimuli: the scent of a pair mate and that of an unfamiliar individual. The goal was to determine whether coyotes exhibit a difference in their approach behavior–toward a known partner's or a stranger's urine–and whether this response is moderated by biological sex or breeding season3. Understanding these patterns in coyote olfactory investigation behavior can offer insight into the social dynamics and communication mechanisms of a monogamous and flexible carnivore2, 3.
Start Date
4-8-2025 11:30 AM
End Date
4-8-2025 12:20 PM
Included in
Seasonal and Sex-Based Variation in Coyote Responses to Social Olfactory Stimuli
Coyotes (Canis latrans) are socially complex, often forming strong pair bonds that can persist across multiple breeding seasons3. Scent marking, particularly urine marking, is a key form of communication used to establish territory, convey reproductive status, and maintain social hierarchies1. This behavior is influenced by factors such as sex and season, and is central to understanding their social dynamics4. This preliminary study is part of a broader investigation into coyote behavior, specifically examining how these factors affect responses to olfactory stimuli from familiar and unfamiliar individuals2.
In this study, coyote behavior was recorded after paired presentation of two stimuli: the scent of a pair mate and that of an unfamiliar individual. The goal was to determine whether coyotes exhibit a difference in their approach behavior–toward a known partner's or a stranger's urine–and whether this response is moderated by biological sex or breeding season3. Understanding these patterns in coyote olfactory investigation behavior can offer insight into the social dynamics and communication mechanisms of a monogamous and flexible carnivore2, 3.