Here's a breakdown:
* Family Groups: Coyotes often live in family groups, which can include parents and their offspring. These groups can work together to hunt larger prey, especially when raising pups.
* Individual Hunting: Coyotes are primarily solitary hunters. They are opportunistic and will take advantage of easy prey opportunities when available.
* Pack Hunting: While pack hunting is common for larger canids like wolves, coyotes tend to do it less frequently. They might form temporary alliances with other coyotes to take down larger prey, but these alliances are usually short-lived.
Factors affecting hunting style:
* Prey availability: When prey is abundant, coyotes are more likely to hunt alone. When prey is scarce, they may work together to increase their chances of success.
* Size of prey: Coyotes are more likely to hunt in packs for larger prey, such as deer or elk.
* Competition: If there is high competition for food, coyotes may cooperate to drive other competitors away.
In summary, coyotes are versatile hunters who can adapt their strategies based on the circumstances. While they can and do hunt in packs occasionally, it's more common for them to hunt alone.