Cognitive flexibility and aging in coyotes (Canis latrans)

Area of Science:

• Comparative cognition
• Animal behavior
• Canid ecology

Background:

• Cognitive flexibility is crucial for adapting to dynamic environments and anthropogenic changes.
• Aging impacts cognitive abilities in canids, with dogs exhibiting dementia similar to human Alzheimer's disease.
• Coyotes and domestic dogs, despite ecological differences, are successful in human-modified ecosystems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess cognitive flexibility in coyotes using modified spatial serial reversal-learning and color discrimination tasks.
• To investigate the effects of aging on cognitive flexibility in coyotes.
• To compare cognitive flexibility and aging effects between coyotes and domestic dogs.

Main Methods:

• A spatial serial reversal-learning test, adapted from studies on pet dogs, was used.
• A color discrimination task was employed to assess flexible rule learning.
• Cognitive flexibility was evaluated in captive coyotes, with age as a factor.

Main Results:

• 19 out of 20 coyotes successfully tracked spatial reward shifts and utilized a win-stay, lose-shift strategy.
• Coyotes demonstrated the ability to inhibit prepotent responses for flexible rule acquisition.
• Coyote performance was comparable to that of dogs, with a notable decline in behavioral flexibility in older individuals.

Conclusions:

• Behavioral flexibility in coyotes aids in responding to ecological fluctuations and changes.
• Cognitive decline and flexibility appear to be conserved traits among canines, including coyotes and dogs.
• Further research on other *Canis* species is warranted to confirm these conserved cognitive patterns.