PHOTO © Karin Saucedo
THE NORTH AMERICAN COYOTE
Coyotes are intelligent and adaptable North American canids that are found in all states in the U.S. except Hawaii since the early 21st century. They have become well established in nearly every ecosystem, thriving in grasslands, swamps, deserts, tundra, forests, cities and suburbs.
Their expansion is largely due to anthropogenic changes over the last century. Through the clear-cutting of forests for human settlement in early 20th century and the subsequent decline of larger predators due to extensive predator control campaigns, coyotes were able to successfully expand their range east across North America.
People can live among coyotes yet never see them. Often it’s only a group heard howling or their prints in the mud along a riparian area that confirms their presence not too far from our neighborhoods. It is important to keep in mind that coyotes have been interacting with and adapting to people for hundreds of years.
ECOLOGICAL IMPORTANCE
Where coyotes are prevalent they are a keystone species, meaning their presence or absence plays a significant role in our ecosystems. Even if living in fragmented or urban landscapes, coyotes have an important role and help to maintain species diversity.
Coyotes are opportunistic omnivores. They eat a side variety of food and offer free rodent control by feeding on mice and rats, while helping to keep the populations of certain species that live on the edge of human-dominated areas or within the suburbs in check (like raccoons, Canada geese, nutria).
It is important to note that coyotes do not overpopulate nor does their population need to be controlled, as many people believe. Coyotes, and all top predators, self-regulate their populations and will only produce as many coyotes as an area can support through resources like food, water, and shelter. Killing coyotes does not work as a control option in the long run, and is not sustainable.
Don’t want coyotes in your neighborhood? Learn how to stop being such a good host below.
QUICK FACTS ABOUT COYOTES:
Mainly active from dusk to dawn, but can be out during the day. This is not cause for alarm.
They can occupy areas on the edges of human-created places like golf courses, baseball fields, graveyards, neighborhoods that back directly up to greenbelts, canals, and wooded areas.
They are attracted to neighborhoods by food sources (pet food, trash, birdseed, fruit tree droppings, compost, dirty BBQ grills, and unfortunately, outside pets). It is our responsibility to keep these resources in check if we do not want coyotes roaming our neighborhoods. These components are within our control.
Coyotes are not naturally aggressive towards people and try to stay clear of us.
Healthy coyotes do not attack humans and instead will stay away from us. They fear us naturally.
They travel and live in small family groups or in mated pairs. They are excellent parents and mate for life.
They do travel alone as transients after leaving their natal territory to seek out their own territory and a mate.
Coyotes are here to stay. The most successful efforts to avoid and prevent coyote conflict in cities involve public outreach and education on how to safely coexist.
SHAREABLE RESOURCES
Download and share our comprehensive guide:
Download our PDF Here: Coyote Co-existence Deterrence PDF
Single sheet PDFs From The Humane Society of the United States website:
DISTEMPER AND RABIES IN THE USA
Some wildlife diseases can be transmitted to humans and our domestic pets. While rabies is rare in the United States, it does exist and is contagious to humans and pets.
Canine Distemper is a fairly common and highly contagious wildlife disease across the USA and our unvaccinated pets can contract this disease.
Read more below on how to keep you, your family, and your pets safe.
Canine Distemper, Cornell Wildlife Health Lab
Rabies, Cornell Wildlife Health Lab
Rabies Homepage, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2020
Rabies Vaccinations: Titers, Exemptions, And Protocols. American Animal Hospital Association
OTHER WILDLIFE DISEASES IN THE USA
Mange, Cornell Wildlife Health Lab
Leptospirosis, Cornell Wildlife Health Lab
Parvovirus, Cornell Wildlife Health Lab
Toxoplasmosis, Cornell Wildlife Health Lab
Raccoon Roundworm, (Baylisascaris procyconis)
ORPHANED OR INJURED WILDLIFE
Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Info:
Have a question or concern regarding coyotes? Are you in Louisiana and want to report a sighting?
Please reach out in the form below.