Photo by Ed St. Germain / Getty Images
Seeing coyotes in our communities can be exciting for many wildlife lovers – but it can be troubling to those who don’t know or understand our canid neighbours. Often, social media posts indicate an increase in coyote presence and that can lead to misunderstandings and fear. Here are a few reasons why you may be seeing more coyotes in your community:
1 Winter increases visibility. Though their fur gives them excellent camouflage, the lack of leaves on trees and shrubs makes coyotes far more visible. Add in winter snow, and the bushy fur of a coyote can be even easier to spot. This doesn’t mean there are more coyotes; it means they’re just more visible.
2 Coyotes don’t have UberEats. On a cold winter’s day, canids can’t rely on microwaves to heat up soup or order in a burrito like we can. Coyotes will be actively searching for food including rodents, carrion, and available vegetation.
3 Handouts and feeding. By providing food sources to coyotes or other wildlife, we change their behaviour, creating an increased likelihood that they will approach people, take more risks (like crossing busy roads), or ultimately end up in a negative encounter with a person or pet. This often leads to not only the killing of a coyote who has been fed, but greater misunderstandings and fear of coyotes by the public. Click here to learn more.
4 Frequency illusion bias. When we read or see videos on social media related to coyotes (like the coyote mating meme) we are more likely to notice coyotes in our surroundings. This bias also ties into the phenomenon of numerous people reporting the same coyote as potentially separate individuals, or misidentifying foxes and roaming dogs as coyotes. Click here to learn more about frequency illusion bias (also known as the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon).
5 Breeding season. Coyotes begin mating in the later winter months, which leads to increased movement. Myths and misinformation about coyote mating season can be found by clicking here.
Coyotes are a natural part of Canada’s landscapes, urban and rural alike. Learning more about them and how we can all coexist – and even thrive – will lead to a Canada where all fur-bearing animals are wild and free.
