Photo Credit: Charlotte Watts

When it comes to surviving our changing world, the success of an animal species often depends on their adaptation. With their willingness to adapt to both pressures and opportunities, coyotes have been thriving in almost every corner of North America.

Coyotes have long been changing to meet environmental pressures. When wolves rose to be a dominate North American predator, coyotes were forced from their preferred woodland hunting habitats by their canid cousins. Instead of trying to coexist, coyotes found a niche in the plains of North America.

As wolves were then extirpated from their territory, coyotes took the opportunity to expand their range, reinhabit the habitats of their past, and increase their access to food and shelter.

Flexibility within their diets is a key to coyote success as well. They consume many things one would expect from a midsized carnivore such as rodents, birds, snakes, reptiles, amphibians, carrion, and even small deer. However, to survive coyotes will take their calories where they can get them and will consume nuts, grasses, trash, insects, and as anybody who has looked at their scat can tell you – fruit. 

At one time, coyotes were considered a diurnal species, and are thought to have changed to nocturnal to avoid their greatest threat – people. By changing the time when they are most active, coyotes have greatly reduced their chances of being seen and killed.

Inhabiting cities is the latest trick coyotes have employed in survival. Cities do offer opportunities if an animal is keen enough to take advantage of them. Research into urban coyotes have found that they can occupy green spaces once thought too small, and take advantage of resources that a city has to offer such as rodents, pigeons, and feral cats with little to no competition.

Coyotes are not as adaptable with every aspect of their lives. Studies have shown that most of the time coyotes are monogamous during the breeding season, and in many cases, pair bonded for life. Even when food is less abundant or there is territorial pressure from other coyotes, pairs stay together year after year. Coyotes may be opportunistic about matters of food and shelter, but not when it comes to love.Want to learn more about coyotes? Check out our next Virtual Learning Program!

Presented by Powell Jones

Revered for their boisterous howls, intelligence, and ability to adapt to human encroachment. Come learn about their image transformation, and explore their place in ecosystems and our changing world.

Tuesday, February 9th

4pm

Click here to register!