Top carnivores in the suburbs? Ecological and conservation issues raised by colonization of northeastern North America by coyotes

Publication Type:

Journal Article

Authors:

Gompper, Matthew E.

Source:

BioScience, University of California Press, Volume 52, Issue 2, p.185-190 (2002)

Call Number:

A02GOM01IDUS

URL:

http://web.missouri.edu/~gompperm/Gompper%202002%20Bioscience.pdf, http://ufwildlife.ifas.ufl.edu/pdfs/Gompper%202002%20Top%20carnivores%20in%20the%20suburbs.pdf

Keywords:

Canis latrans, Coyote, predators

Abstract:

Today in northeastern North American, the top terrestrial predator is the coyote, Canis latrans, an immigrant to the region (unknown to early European settlers) but now far from rare because of natural range expansion (i.e., not an exotic species). This paper focuses on the Northeast because coyotes there are perceived to be larger than those in other parts of their current range, attacks on humans have increased in the region, it’s been suggested that genetic introgression from wolves has occurred there, and the coyote diet relies more on ungulates there than in other parts of the species’ expanded range. The paper outlines some of the ecological, conservation, and policy issues to be faced: the ecological relevance of coyotes, current and potential effects the species’ presence has for humans and human interests, and the differing and sometime contradictory messages that state and provincial agencies convey. The authors make a few suggestions: make clear to the public that coyote presence is a natural range expansion, encourage people to change their behavior to avoid problematic encounters (such as with their dogs, etc.), use possible opportunities provided in some areas to reduce certain management decisions, and realize the importance of the coyote to conservation (i.e., animal and plant communities will be influenced in coming years and public opinion could be affected on the value of large free-ranging predators).