What’s the deal with coyotes? It seems like people are seeing them more and more and some coyotes have unusual behavior. What’s going on?
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People also seem to really hate them, but do they deserve such a bad wrap? This is so interesting to me because so many people love dogs!
In this episode, I talk all about coyotes with a focus on coyotes in the eastern United States. This is a wide-ranging conversation that will likely answer questions you have about this super adaptive species. I clear up many of the most common coyote misconceptions.
Specifically, I go over:
- A brief history of coyotes
- How they’ve expanded their range in every direction in North America: east, west, south, and north
- Why they are so good at expanding their range and occupying new niches
- What coyotes look like at the most southern area of their range and why
- Are coy wolfs/coydogs a real thing?
- Coyotes in urban areas: LA, NYC, and Chicago
- My study on investigating boldness in coyotes and other animals
- Coyotes and domestic cats
- Coyotes and white-tailed deer: Are coyotes causing deer declines?
- My study on deer fear of coyotes – can they act as apex predators?
- Some weird stories of people being followed by coyotes
- Should you be scared of coyotes?
- If killing coyotes is an effective way to control populations
Resources and Sources Mentioned in Coyote Misconceptions
How coyotes conquered the continent – a study from my former lab!
Coyote in Quiznos in Chicago:
Rabid coyote in North Carolina
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Stephanie Schuttler is a wildlife biologist with 17 years of experience in mammal ecology and conservation, education, and outreach. Read her inspirational story, “My Unexpected Journey Into Science” to find out how she went from the daughter of a jeweler to a Ph.D. in wildlife biology. Feel free to contact Stephanie here.
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