up wolf genes as well as a bit of alike . Golf courses and park ponds , domestic dogs — but those interspecies matings took place a hundred resident Canada geese populations ,
which suffer from heavy overuse by
years ago , and today , our thriving are also beneficiaries of coyotes ’ coyote population breeds true . eating habits . They do prey fairly DNA studies indicate that Eastern heavily on young fawns , but not coyotes are 60-65 percent coyote , enough to help control Montgomery County ’ s overabundant deer
25-30 percent wolf and 10 percent domestic dog . population . They ’ re rarely able
Those hybrid genetics created to take down healthy adult deer , a coyote that ’ s larger than its western cousin , often by more than 10 movements are heavily hampered —
except in deep snow where deer
pounds . Western coyotes generally uncommon conditions here in weigh 25-30 pounds , where eastern coyotes tend to average 35-40 adult deer injured by vehicle col-
MD--but they will kill and feed on
pounds . Occasionally , much larger lisions or incomplete hunts . They eastern coyotes have weighed in are capable of killing small livestock at 60-70 pounds , but often , their including chickens and lambs , but long legs and thick coats prompt because of the rich availability observers catching a quick glimpse of wild prey , they ’ re only rarely a to exaggerate their actual size . threat . Maryland has recorded few
Not only were human actions incidents of livestock damage from the conduit for Eastern coyote de- coyotes , but measures including
Coyotes ’ eastward migration was two pronged : through their way with easy travel corridors
velopment and success , we paved the northern US and Canada , including railroad tracks , power then southward , plus through the line right-of-ways and logging southern US , including states like roads--and coyotes are resolute Texas and Alabama , then northward . Maryland sits at the conver- miles in a night . They can now be
travelers , easily covering 10-15
gence of the two routes , and with found in rural , urban and suburban environments . They ’ re great
Delaware was the last state coyotes occupied , with the first sightings coming in 1972 in Frederick , heavily favors rodents and rabbits ,
opportunists ; although their diet
Cecil and Washington counties . they will eat fruits , insects and Today , they are found everywhere birds , as well as ground hogs and in the state . Along both northern raccoons , and Canada goose eggs . and southern routes , they hybridized with related species , picking boon to farmers and city
Reducing rodent populations is a dwellers
DNA studies indicate that Eastern coyotes are 60-65 percent coyote , 25-30 percent wolf and 10 percent domestic dog . Those hybrid genetics created a coyote that ’ s larger than its western cousin , often by more than 10 pounds . livestock guardian dogs or securing animals in coops and barns at night will preclude losses . They can also be an occasional threat to pet cats that are allowed out or small dogs that are off leash . For small dogs out in a yard at night , turning on outside spotlights and keeping the dog in sight are protective steps worth considering . Leaving pet kibble out on the porch or in the yard may also attract coyotes to approach .
Healthy coyotes very rarely threaten people ; they actually prefer to avoid us . Separate attacks occurred in Maryland in 2020 and 2021 by two coyotes that were subsequently captured and killed ; they proved to be rabid . Seeing one out in daylight doesn ’ t necessarily mean that it ’ s ill . While they are mostly active at night — a behavior modification they developed to help elude people — a coyote in daylight may be transiting back from a long night ’ s hunt , particularly when they need extra food for growing pups .
Coyotes are territorial and keep other unrelated coyotes out of their territory . In fact , the larger their territory , the fewer coyotes in the area . Killing off resident coyotes just opens the area up for more coyotes to move in . Decades of coyote-eradication efforts in the 19th and 20th centuries in the west , which killed hundreds of thousands of coyotes , have proven that they are hugely resilient and that they are here to stay .
Loyal to their mates , coyotes are monogamous for life . They breed in midwinter , so with a twomonth gestation period , young are born from March through early May . There ’ s a good chance that as you read this , somewhere not too
plenty I spring sowing 2022 19