Coyotes

Love them or hate them, coyotes play an important role in the ecosystem.  Originally coyotes were western desert and prairie animals.  They are cunning and intelligent animals having strength and endurance.  They have been a part of Native American folklore for centuries.  In these stories, Coyote is either revered for his intelligence and ability to resolve conflict or a trickster known for being a cunning and deceptive manipulator.  The common name, coyote, originated from a word used by Mexico’s Nahuati Indians, coyoti. Its scientific name, Canis latrans, means barking dog.

Being highly adaptable animals, they began expanding their range eastward in the 1900’s as forests were cleared to make farmland and larger apex predators- wolves and cougars- were removed.  Coyotes moved into Ohio in the early 1900’s and by 1988 could be found in all 88 counties.   The eastern coyote is commonly found in Northeastern Ohio.  They are a hybrid having both coyote and wolf parentage. It’s believed the hybridization occurred in the Great Lakes region as western coyotes moved east.

The coyote is primarily nocturnal, and they are built for hunting at night.  They have exceptional senses of hearing, smell and eyesight.  The coyote’s night vision is far superior to his daytime vision. Coyotes want to avoid humans.  The coyote’s greatest strength is its ability to adapt.   It’s the reason they are such a successful species.   They adjust the times when they are active depending on the availability of food, human presence, and the season.   This is why we can see them active after sunset and before sunrise and it’s why during certain times of the year we may see them more often during the day. 

Coyotes usually live in small family groups or packs and vocalize at night to reinforce their territorial boundaries, to communicate with each other and to coordinate pack movement.  Their vocal activity peaks during mating season in late winter and again in early spring when pups are being raised.  You may hear many voices during these time periods sounding like a chorus.  Calling at night is more effective and safer because there’s less human-made noise and sound carries farther.

Coyotes are the largest mammal to function as a predator in Ohio.  They are carnivorous opportunistic eaters that can survive on a variety of foods.  They feed on small wild or domestic animals like mice, moles, rabbit, deer (normally roadkill), and plants, including berries, apples, grass, seeds, and nuts.  In urban areas they’ll eat pet food, food they find in the trash, vegetables and fruits in gardens, and bird seed.  Yes, these tricksters can cause trouble, but they also play an important ecological role. They keep populations of small mammals and pests under control and help in promoting bird diversity by keeping bird predators in check. They disperse seeds through their scat and act as an ecosystem cleanup crew by scavenging on carrion.  So, love them or hate them, we need to provide them with an environment they can thrive in.  Let’s turn off all unnecessary lights to help coyotes continue to thrive at night and play their part in the ecosystem.