Home range of northern Michigan coywolf (Canis latrans x Canis lupus).

Abstract

A coyote-wolf hybrid (Canis latrans x Canis lupus) was collared by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources in 2010. The coywolf has displayed many aspects of the behavior of a wolf, hunting in packs to bring down large prey. In the winter of 2015-2016 a photograph suggested that the coywolf had lost a forefoot. We asked how the loss of its foot would affect its behavior. Specifically, we hypothesized that the hunting range of the coywolf would decrease in size and the habitat it prefers would change to be more open, so that it had easier terrain to traverse. These predictions were confirmed; the hunting range decreased, and habitat preference switched to be more open, less forested areas (p < 0.05).