If it seems like coyotes are everywhere, it’s because they are. A North Carolina State University professor and graduate student mapped the historic range of coyotes using archaeological and fossil records. They then plotted the coyotes’ range expansion across North America from 1900 to 2016 and reviewed more than 12,500 records covering 10,000 years. The study adds to the evidence that people unleashed coyotes with programs that wiped out their bigger, stronger competitors.
Source: Washington Post, May 22, 2018 (paywall) Link. “In many ways, wolves are more easily managed than coyotes,” he said. “They don’t breed as fast. You have to manage their behavior. A bold coyote is a dangerous coyote because they attack humans.”
INSIGHTS: These critters aren’t going away. As one of the subjects in this story says, “The better approach is to let the public know they must reduce the artificial food supply for coyotes and keep their pets inside.”