Coyotes Expand Across North America

In San Francisco, a coyote recently walked past a sedated cougar, illustrating the canine’s growing presence in urban areas. Coyotes are thriving while other animals struggle with habitat loss, expanding their range across North America to roughly 4.7 million individuals. Historically limited to Mexico and the southwestern United States, they now inhabit every major city, with populations exceeding 250,000 in California and 859,510 in Texas.

These adaptable animals can run up to 45 miles per hour and jump 12 feet, helping them navigate varied terrain. They exhibit complex behavior, including both daytime and nighttime activity and cooperative hunting with badgers. However, coyotes sometimes prey on domestic animals—a 2020 study found feline remains in 20% of urban coyote scat in Los Angeles.

Despite annual kills of around 500,000 and bounty programs like Utah’s $50 per jawbone, coyote populations remain stable. Their role varies across cultures, viewed as a trickster figure in some Native American traditions and a deity in others, but their continued success presents ongoing challenges for coexistence.