Are Coyotes Good Urban Citizens

Cities are, by definition, areas with significantly higher human populations than the surrounding landscapes. And as we concentrate resources to support urban residents, we attract other animals looking to take advantage of what cities have to offer. Pests such as rats and pigeons may come to mind. Or perhaps we think of more charismatic creatures such as raccoons (which may be on the way to domestication). But for some, it is coyotes.

Anthropocene’s Warren Cornwall reports on a recently published study that found not just that coyotes had established themselves in Seattle, but that the city supported coyote populations at nine times the density of populations in remote forested areas. Within the city, coyotes tended to be less abundant in areas with higher human population densities.

Coyotes are not the only small or medium-sized predators that thrive in cities. Raccoons, red foxes, and even leopards can thrive in urban environments. One surprising reason is that city dwellers may be more tolerant of carnivores than rural residents, and hunting and trapping are generally more restricted in urban areas. Tolerance, combined with access to prey populations, allows cities to play a potentially meaningful role in supporting a diverse community of smaller predators.

But are coyotes and their carnivorous compatriots good citizens? Do they contribute something to the urban environment that we all can benefit from? The answer seems to be yes. Researchers are beginning to find that urban predators may contribute to healthier ecosystems by controlling populations of rodents and other prey, limiting the abundance of smaller predators such as feral cats, removing carrion, and dispersing seeds. While there are still more questions than answers, the fact that we are willing to ask the question rather than reflexively treat smaller carnivores as pests or problems is a hopeful note.