Coyote Coexistence: Reducing Conflicts and Supporting Urban Wildlife

Coyotes have expanded across North America including urban areas. Coexistence strategies that address human-wildlife conflict protect both coyote welfare and community safety.

Key Facts

Coyotes now inhabit every major North American city and have expanded range dramatically since the 1950s
Urban coyotes have adapted to human presence and primarily eat natural prey supplemented by anthropogenic food
Lethal removal of coyotes is largely ineffective for population management due to compensatory reproduction
Hazing - using aversive stimuli to reinforce natural wariness of humans - maintains appropriate coyote behavior
Coyotes rarely attack humans, with documented attacks extremely rare given coyote population size
Attacks on pets, particularly small dogs and cats, occur but can be substantially reduced through management
Intentional or unintentional feeding of coyotes is the primary driver of habituation and conflict

Welfare Considerations

Coyote conflicts typically end in lethal removal that fails to address the underlying causes. Indiscriminate killing, trapping, and poisoning cause significant welfare harm to individual coyotes and often target non-problem animals. Urban coyotes that are killed are simply replaced by others moving into vacated territories. From a welfare perspective, coexistence strategies that address the behavioral causes of conflict are more effective and more ethical than lethal approaches. Coyotes are intelligent, social animals with complex family structures whose welfare deserves consideration.

What You Can Do

Never intentionally feed coyotes - food conditioning is the primary driver of habituation and conflict
Secure all outdoor pet food, compost, and garbage that might attract coyotes
Keep cats indoors and supervise small dogs especially at dawn, dusk, and nighttime
Learn and practice hazing techniques to reinforce appropriate coyote wariness of humans
Support community coexistence programs over indiscriminate lethal control
Report unusually bold or aggressive coyote behavior to local wildlife agencies
Plant natural barriers and use motion-activated lights to deter coyotes from yards