Urbanization of wildlife
This isn’t the familiar story you hear in most wildlife documentaries, where animals are threatened and lose their habitat because of humans. North American coyotes have expanded their range to its widest extent ever, thanks to human expansion.
This is partly because threats to coyotes, such as wolves, have decreased, making it easier for them to thrive, but these wild predators have also adapted to coexisting with humans: They have become masters at raiding the food scraps we leave out, making them furtive denizens of our cities.
Large packs of coyotes have been tracked through metropolitan areas such as Chicago and San Francisco. These coyotes are nocturnal and are rarely seen during the day, and this is no different here in Utah.
Are there coyotes on the roads of Southern Utah?
I have a morning show on a radio station and have been driving to work early in the morning for years. From time to time, I see coyotes roaming the streets of my city. But you still have to keep your eyes peeled to spot them.
Coyotes like to look for food in garbage cans and will also look for small prey, so leaving your pets outside late at night can be dangerous, especially if your dog is injured or elderly.
Read more: 4 Animals You Can Hunt Year-Round in Utah
For the most part, coyotes aren’t much of a problem — they’re quietly going about their own thing, and if you know they’re there, you won’t lose your pets to these feral city dwellers.
Ranking: The 63 smartest dog breeds
Is your loyal pup’s breed on the list? Read on to find out if the next time you take your dog out for a walk you’ll be bragging to the neighbors about how intelligent your dog is. Don’t worry, if your dog’s breed isn’t on the list, it doesn’t mean he’s not a good dog. Some traits simply can’t be measured.
Gallery credit: Sabienna Bowman
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