Anthropocene Magazine · Space

Coyotes Thrive in Urban Areas at Higher Densities

Coyotes are adapting well to urban living, inhabiting cities at much higher densities than in the wild, according to new research.

A study in Washington state found urban coyotes live at densities nine times greater than in wild areas, suggesting cities are ideal habitats.

Researchers collected over 800 scat samples from urban and wildland areas, identifying scat from 48 urban and 213 wildland coyotes.

Urban coyotes face less predation from larger animals and fewer lethal encounters with humans compared to rural coyotes.

Cities offer coyotes a more abundant and diverse food supply, with urban scat containing genetic matches for more species.

However, the study noted that within cities, coyotes prefer areas with fewer people, indicating they are drawn to resources but avoid human presence.

Efforts to control urban coyote populations have been largely unsuccessful, suggesting coexistence is a more practical approach.

The research concludes that coyotes are a permanent part of urban landscapes, and humans must learn to live with them.

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